Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section

Some 30 countries are exploring the possibility of introducing nuclear power as part of their energy mix. Serving often as the first point of contact, the Section offers a variety of services to these ’newcomer’ countries.

A key IAEA document for these countries is the publication Milestones in the Development of a National Nuclear Power Programme, which, together with the IAEA’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions and other IAEA services, is widely used to initiate and develop nuclear power programmes.

One of the Section’s central services is to conduct the INIR missions when requested by a newcomer country. It sets up a team of IAEA and international experts that provides to the requesting Member State recommendations and suggestions on how to identify and fill gaps in the national nuclear infrastructure, required for the planning and implementation of a safe, secure and sustainable nuclear power programme.

Another of the Section’s tools are integrated work plans for newcomer countries. They summarize coordinated IAEA assistance and appropriate activities based on the current status of the respective country’s nuclear power infrastructure development.

The Section also aims to ensure that newcomer countries incorporate the most recent international experience and lessons learned from other nuclear power programmes. This includes updating and developing guidance documents and case studies on topical areas of nuclear infrastructure development, as well as promoting the sharing of information and experiences on nuclear infrastructure development. To meet this goal, the Section organizes annual nuclear infrastructure workshops for nuclear newcomers and experienced countries, as well as topical technical meetings and other events on many of the 19 issues identified in the IAEA Milestones approach.