The need to develop a single set of international standards for nuclear power plants, from design to de-commissioning, has been endorsed by safety experts from 37 countries who met 18-22 October in Beijing, China.
The IAEA Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Safety, hosted by the Government of China, the China Atomic Energy Authority and the National Nuclear Safety Administration, recommended harmonization of international standards for all lifetime phases of nuclear installations.
Although substantial progress has been made in improving the safety of nuclear power plants worldwide the growing diversification and globalization of the industry presents new challenges that must be addressed.
The recommendations of the 274 delegates at the conference, provide the IAEA with steps it can take to develop international co-operation and programmes in future, including:
- improving the analytical processes by which the data from lessons learned as a result of low level occurrences can be used to prevent higher level incidents;
- encouraging acceptance of the view that transparency plays an important role in maintaining public confidence;
- creating international management approaches regarding long term operation of nuclear power facilities.
"We must seek out ways to share lessons learned in as deep and wide a manner as possible," Tomihiro Taniguchi, IAEA Deputy Director General for Nuclear Safety and Security told the closing session of the conference.
"Self sustaining networks within and between Member States based on strategic knowledge management are key to achieving this objective. The Asian Nuclear Safety Network, supported in China by the Beijing Institute of Nuclear Engineering, China’s Atomic Energy Authority and the National Nuclear Safety Administration, is the flagship of the IAEA's safety networks. The proceedings and results of this conference will be a key input to this network."
Ken Brockman, IAEA Director of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security said that the identification of key challenges by the renowned experts attending the conference will assist the IAEA in providing the support needed to continue the improvement of nuclear safety world wide.