Embarking Countries on Nuclear Power Programmes

A nuclear power programme requires careful planning, preparation and a major investment in both time and resources. A decision to embark on a nuclear power programme represents a long-term commitment to safety and requires national and organizational infrastructure that will remain effective for the duration of the programme, including waste management and decommissioning.

The IAEA’s Specific Safety Guide on Establishing the Safety Infrastructure for a Nuclear Programme (SSG-16) provides guidance on how States considering introducing a nuclear power programme can build safety infrastructure in line with IAEA safety standards. An IAEA methodology called Integrated Review of Infrastructure for Safety (IRIS) supports Member States as they assess their national infrastructure for safety on the basis of SSG-16.

The tabs below contain information about: IAEA relevant publications on establishing safety infrastructure for nuclear power, IRIS self-assessment methodology, cooperation with other organizations and networks to assist embarking countries in establishing a safety infrastructure for nuclear power, IAEA review services connected to establishing safety infrastructure for nuclear power and IAEA education and training means and material available to assist embarking countries in developing a safety infrastructure for nuclear power.

The IAEA has developed the IRIS (Integrated Review of Infrastructure for Safety) methodology and software tool to support Member States in the self-assessment of their safety infrastructure for nuclear power against the IAEA Safety Guide SSG-16. IRIS is fully compatible with the IAEA safety standards and is also used, when appropriate, in the preparation of IAEA review missions organized to assist Member States in establishing their safety infrastructure for nuclear power.

For further information and to download the IRIS software, please, visit IRIS web page.

The IAEA cooperates with other programmes, international organizations and forums of regulators to assist Member States embarking in nuclear power in establishing their safety and security infrastructure for nuclear power. The following are some examples of on-going cooperation.

Regulatory Cooperation Forum

The activities of the Regulatory Cooperation Forum include supporting embarking countries to develop effectively independent and robust nuclear safety regulators. The forum brings together provider countries (IAEA Member States with advanced nuclear power programmes), observers (interested international organizations) and recipient countries (IAEA Member States committed to developing a nuclear power programme) to exchange experience in developing a nuclear power programme. You can visit RCF page at REGNET for further information about its activities and programme of work.

EC-IAEA Cooperation in Nuclear Safety

The European Commission and the IAEA cooperate through Cooperation, Delegation Agreements and Joint Projects intended to co-finance a wide array of projects in various fields of activity and, in particular, including projects aimed to support some areas connected to the developing safety infrastructure for nuclear power in embarking countries.

Project 2013/313-757 on Identifying Safety and Regulatory Implications from the Fukushima Daiichi Accident on IAEA Safety Standards and Safety Services includes activities specifically targeting embarking countries. Also former project 2010/244-291 was aimed at strengthening regulatory capabilities for countries embarking on nuclear power.

The European Commission and the IAEA have in place a multi-donor Delegation Agreement in support of the IAEA IRRS Programme. The agreement, which was started in December 2016, has a four-year lifetime. Details of the programme of work of the agreement can be consulted in this page of REGNET site. The programme of work includes activities aimed to enhance interconnectivity between IRRS modular structure and the self-assessment of safety infrastructure for nuclear power in embarking countries following the approach of Safety Guide SSG-16.

Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP)

Together with the IAEA, the State consolidates its prioritized nuclear security needs into an INSSP. Each INSSP is tailored to the State's specific needs, using guidance provided in Nuclear Security Series publications as its basis. When available and relevant, findings and recommendations from IAEA peer review and advisory service missions with nuclear security components, including the International Nuclear Security Advisory Service and the International Physical Protection Advisory Service also are incorporated.

IAEA's Technical Cooperation Programme

The IAEA assists Member States in the development and review of Member States' nuclear safety infrastructure through national, regional, and interregional projects of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme.

Regional Network

Through engagement in regional safety networks, embarking countries may further profit from assistance offered by neighbouing countries.

Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR)

The IAEA's Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions are designed to assist Member States, at their request, in assessing the status of their national infrastructure for the introduction of a national nuclear power programme.

Tailored Module of Embarking Countries in Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS)

The IRRS Tailored Module for Countries Embarking on Nuclear provides a peer review of the development of the regulatory aspects of the nuclear power programme. It uses the IAEA Safety Guide SSG-16 as a frame of reference.

The IAEA has developed safety packages intended to assist Member States in establishing their safety infrastructure for nuclear power, as well as to train staff of regulatory bodies in implementing duties and responsibilities on prime regulatory areas. Furthermore, there are some IAEA training courses that are particularly suitable to train the staff of the regulatory bodies embarking in nuclear power.

Safety Packages

The Safety Packages of IAEA Assistance for Establishing Safety Infrastructure is a comprehensive collection of IAEA documents and training material intended to assist Member States in developing a safety infrastructure for nuclear power based on the IAEA Safety Guide SSG-16. The Safety Packages feature 11 thematic modules mapping out 20 essential elements of SSG-16.

Basic Professional Training Course on Nuclear Safety

The Basic Professional Training Course (BPTC) is intended to provide a broad overview of all the safety concepts and their application to nuclear power plants and research reactors design and operation, including the development of safety infrastructure.

International School on Nuclear Security

This two-week course is designed for young professionals from embarking countries, ideally with 1-3 years of experience, working at relevant institution in their home country such as regulatory bodies. Candidates with a scientific or technical background in a discipline of relevance to nuclear security, such as nuclear physics, nuclear engineering or political science, and/or in related fields, are encouraged to apply.

Regulatory Control Training Course

The purpose of the Regulatory Control Course is to provide background material and to support lecturers of training activities on regulatory control of nuclear power plant following the IAEA’s Training Course Series No. 15 Regulatory control of nuclear power plants (Parts A and B). The course is particularly suitable for staff of regulatory bodies of countries embarking in nuclear power with duties and responsibilities on the following prime regulatory areas: regulatory framework, regulatory organization, regulatory guidance, licensing and licensing documents, assessment of safety, and regulatory inspection and enforcement. Other important topics such as regulatory competence, quality of regulatory work, emergency preparedness and public communication are also covered in the course.

Quick Links

		Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS)
		International Nuclear Security Service (INSServ)
		International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS)
		Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF)
		Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Regulators' Forum
		CANDU Senior Regulators Forum
		Regulatory Competence Management (RCM)
		Control of Sources Network (CSN)

Related Resources

		IAEA Safety Guide SSG-16 (Rev.1)
		IAEA Nuclear Security Series No.19
		IRIS Guidelines

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Quick Links

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Embarking Countries on Nuclear Power Programmes