Nuclear safety, ISIN at the 7th ENSREG Conference

The 7th European conference on nuclear safety of the ENSREG (European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group) was held in Brussels on 24 and 25 June, which saw the participation of a delegation from ISIN, which has been a member of the group for years as national competent authority.

The Conference, which is held every two years, is organized by the European Commission and on this occasion was dedicated to the theme of the actions underway, in the field of regulation, to respond to the growing interest in the use of nuclear energy. It took place under the presidency of Slovenia and was attended, in addition to the competent regulatory authorities, by representatives of the nuclear industry and the most important international organizations (WENRA, IAEA, OECD/NEA), as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations. The outgoing Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson held an introductory speech, recalling how the use of energy from nuclear sources in the future, in combination with renewable sources, can offer solutions both in relation to the need to guarantee energy security of member states, and to contribute to the decarbonisation objectives set to combat climate change. In this context, the technology of small-scale modular reactors appears very promising and its use with high safety standards cannot ignore the regulatory and control action carried out by the national authorities represented in the ENSREG.

Also speaking in the introductory session were William D. Magwood (Director General of the OECD/NEA), Juan Carlos Lentijo (President of the ENSREG), Mark Foy (President of the WENRA) and Jean-Luc Lachaume (President of the HERCA).

Among the topics addressed in the two days of work, the adaptation of the regulatory context in light of the new technological challenges and opportunities represented by the new generation SMRs reactors is highlighted, in order to ensure their safe use in a historical period that will be characterized by the ever-increasing use of Artificial Intelligence, and the aspects linked to the resources and skills to be preserved and developed within the security authorities. The importance of transparency in the work of the security authorities has been reiterated several times, also in relation to the degree of trust that they must command from public opinion and stakeholders. A specific focus was also made on the situation in Ukraine, where the safety of the plants, and in particular of the Zaporizhzhia plant, is always put at risk by the ongoing conflict, and the problems related to climate change and how these can influence the nuclear safety in the near future.

In view of the launch of the Industrial Alliance on Small Modular Reactors, great emphasis was given to the analysis of the organisational, regulatory and licensing aspects which involve, in full respect of the roles, designers, vendors and operators on the one hand and regulatory bodies on the other. the other, in a climate of continuous and growing discussion, in order to guarantee the nuclear safety of this new type of installations. Given the third-party nature and independence of the regulatory authorities, they will not be part of the Industrial Alliance, but will operate within an ad hoc organizational structure that will be created in ENSREG, in order to jointly carry out reviews and evaluations independent safety experts on the more mature projects that will be proposed by the Industrial Alliance.