An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a mission to review national nuclear security practices in Norway.
The IAEA conducted the two-week International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission at the request of the Government of Norway. The mission reviewed Norway's nuclear security-related legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear material and associated facilities, as well as security arrangements applied to the transport of nuclear material and to information and computer security systems. In addition, the team reviewed physical protection systems and information and computer security systems at the Institute for Energy Technology’s sites in the village of Kjeller near Oslo and in the eastern town of Halden.
The IPPAS team noted that Norway is undertaking strong and sustainable nuclear security activities. Moreover, the team identified a number of good practices in the national nuclear security regime and at the visited facilities. The team also made recommendations and suggestions for continuous improvement in nuclear security.
“The example given by Norway strongly reinforces the importance and the value of establishing and applying IAEA Nuclear Security Guidance that contributes to the continuous improvement of physical protection and nuclear security,” said Muhammed Khaliq, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Security of Materials and Facilities Section.
The IPPAS team, led by Kristóf Horváth, Deputy Director General of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA), comprised eight experts from seven nations, including the IAEA representative, Mr Khaliq. The team met in Oslo with officials from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), Department of Health and Care Services (HOD), Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Norwegian National Security Agency (NSM), National Police Directorate (POD), and the Norwegian Police Security Services (PST).
"The IPPAS mission was very useful. We will in our future work use these recommendations and suggestions to improve Norway’s nuclear security regime. We intend to invite a follow-up mission afterwards," said Per Strand, Department Head at NRPA.
Background
The mission was the 67th IPPAS mission conducted by the IAEA since the programme began in 1995. This was the second IPPAS mission in Norway; the first was in 2003.
IPPAS missions are intended to help States strengthen their national nuclear security regime. The missions provide peer review advice on implementing international instruments, and IAEA guidance on the protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities.
The missions call upon a team of international experts to assess a nation's system of physical protection, compare it with international best practices and make recommendations for improvement. IPPAS missions are conducted both on a nationwide and facility-specific basis.