The IAEA signed today a new agreement with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), formalizing cooperation with one of the most important nuclear industry trade associations in the United States.
The IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy has a long history of working with technical and policy organizations from the United States, home to the largest number of operational reactors in the world.
The Practical Arrangements signed today, on the sidelines of the 62nd IAEA General Conference, will focus on the safe and efficient construction, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
“Cooperation with NEI will allow the IAEA to remain better informed about the most pressing priorities of the nuclear industry,” said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy. “Armed with this information, we can optimize public-private partnerships to identify and implement valuable activities for relevant stakeholders.”
NEI develops policy on key legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry. Its members include a wide range of organizations, including reactor designers, owners and operators of nuclear power plants, fuel suppliers, radiopharmaceutical companies, law firms, labour unions, and international electric utilities, among others. It fosters the beneficial uses of nuclear technology by providing a unified industry voice on policy issues before U.S. state and federal government agencies, as well as international organizations and venues.
Under the new agreement, the IAEA and NEI have agreed to cooperate in:
- strengthening of capabilities for the safe, reliable and efficient construction, operation and decommissioning of current and future nuclear power plants;
- aligning research and innovation strategies and activities addressing key issues affecting the nuclear industry to enhance dialogue among the international nuclear community, including the relevant policy makers;
- identifying options in response to technical and economic issues for nuclear power plants, in support of nuclear energy initiatives for IAEA Member States with existing nuclear programmes;
- establishing and strengthening nuclear safety infrastructure and continuous improvement of the safety and performance of nuclear power plants in IAEA Member States, including those newly developing their nuclear capabilities;
- sharing and disseminating knowledge related to the safe, reliable and efficient operation of nuclear power plants, including training and qualification of staff;
- the field of decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear power plants; and
- in areas related to sustainable electrical and non-electrical utilization of nuclear energy.
