The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Rosatom, the Russian Federation’s State Atomic Corporation, have reached an agreement aimed at strengthening IAEA assistance to Member States that are considering introducing nuclear power or expanding an existing programme.
Under the Contribution Agreement, Rosatom will provide a financial contribution of up to USD 1.8 million and an in-kind contribution of up to RUB 109.5 million over the next three years to IAEA programmes on nuclear infrastructure development. The agreement was signed at the IAEA’s headquarters in Vienna today by Mary Alice Hayward, IAEA Deputy Director General of Management, and Nikolay Spassky, Deputy Director General for International Relations at Rosatom, in the presence of IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev.
The IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section, through the Technical Cooperation programme, provides targeted support to Member States embarking on new nuclear power programmes or expanding existing ones. About 30 countries are currently considering, planning or starting such a programme.
Developing a nuclear power programme is a major undertaking of at least 10 to 15 years. The IAEA’s Milestones approach provides structured guidance and checklists to help nuclear “newcomer” countries better understand the commitments involved in introducing nuclear power, from developing a regulatory framework to building a plant and planning for its decommissioning and nuclear waste management.
In particular, the Contribution Agreement will help strengthen IAEA efforts to promote capacity building in newcomer and expanding countries in areas including nuclear safety, stakeholder involvement and the development of a national position on nuclear power.