2022 NEA

Annual Report

Nuclear Power in 2022

NEA Activities by Sector
General Information
 2022 NEA
Annual Report

NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
 The NEA in Brief – 2022

Governing body:
The Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy
(Established 1956)

34 member countries (27 participating in the Data Bank)

64 years of international service

8 standing technical committees and 1 management board

71 working parties and expert groups

>3500 participants in NEA bodies

27 international joint projects

3 major international initiatives served by the NEA

58 publications produced in 2022

18 online events in 2022

The NEA and its mission

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is a semi-autonomous body within the framework of the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD), headquartered in the Paris region of France. The Agency is a platform for
co-operation among countries with the most advanced nuclear energy infrastructures, developing policies, data,
best practices and joint action to address issues of mutual interest. The mission of the NEA is to assist its member
countries in maintaining and further developing, through international co-operation, the scientific, technological and
legal bases required for a safe, environmentally sound and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

2 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Table of Contents

Message from the Director-General 5

Nuclear Technology in 2022 6

NEA Activities by Sector

Nuclear Development 36
Nuclear Safety and Regulation 43
Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety 57
Radiological Protection 62
Radioactive Waste Management 67
Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations
and Legacy Management  72
Nuclear Science and Education 75
Data Bank 85
Nuclear Law 89

General Information
Information and Communication 94
Global relations 97
Structure of the NEA 99
NEA Committee Structure in 2022 100
NEA Management Structure in 2022 101
NEA Publications and Brochures produced in 2022 102
NEA Online events in 2022 108

3
ONDRAF/NIRAS
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

R educing carbon emissions to address the climate crisis is among the greatest challenges and
opportunities of our time.

As a result, all countries are currently reviewing their energy priorities and seeking pathways to
net zero. The universal aim is to both maintain energy security and foster sustainable economic
growth. The reflections on this issue in each country are taking place against the background of an
increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

Many countries have understood that the prospect of “zero emissions” while assuring energy
security will be very difficult to achieve – and perhaps impossible for some – without nuclear energy.
This includes countries already operating nuclear power plants – but also states in the Middle East,
Southeast Asia and Africa. These countries are laying plans to avail themselves of the innovations
and potential of advanced nuclear energy technologies. Formal commitments to carbon neutrality
by 2050 are also helping drive the development and deployment of new technologies.

Making these commitments a reality is a major challenge for any country. It is firstly an industrial
challenge. The nuclear industry in many countries has been inactive for much of the past two
decades and an entire sector will need to be restarted. To recreate a sector’s collective expertise
will take both time and resources. And however well prepared any new implementation projects
may be, actually building them will involve significant efforts. The first new projects foreseen over
the next five years, in countries like Canada, Romania and the United Kingdom, must succeed if
nuclear energy is to play an expanding role globally.

In a significant shift from the past, much of the innovation and development enabling this future is
taking place in the private sector, often with support and encouragement from governments. The
NEA adapted to the new reality that advancing research and technologies is no longer a matter of
fostering collaboration solely between public bodies. This Annual Report details how the NEA is
now supporting governments as they seek to facilitate private sector innovation. It has done so by
identifying, and helping remove, barriers to the potential benefits of a global market. The Agency
has led collective reflection on the challenges faced in executing plans for the future and, where
appropriate, helped governments co-ordinate solutions. Throughout 2022 the NEA worked closely
with academia and other players to support the development of a diverse and gender-balanced
generation of scientists and engineers who will continue this work into the future. The frameworks,
engagements, and collaborations needed to ensure the success of these endeavours have proven
to be far more complex than what we have seen in the past.

Humanity has always advanced by inventing and by pushing the boundaries of the possible. In a
time when there is increasing pessimism about the future, there is also great cause for hope and
optimism. If we trust the younger generations, encourage them to take up the cause of science
and technological progress, then the innovations the world needs to secure the future will be
forthcoming.

We look forward to working closely with all of our members as we shape this future together.

William D. Magwood, IV,

Director-General, Nuclear Energy Agency

5
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022

Nuclear Technology
in 2022

Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant, Finland.

Developments in nuclear power Infrastructure Bank to invest in SMRs, with a loan

of CAD 970 million (EUR 685 million) to develop the
generation GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR design in Ontario by 2028.
At the end of December 2022, 423 nuclear reactors were As the third investment in SMRs through the Strategic
operational worldwide, representing 379 gigawatts electrical Innovation Fund, the federal government announced
(GWe) of capacity. NEA member countries had 312 operating CAD 27.2 million (EUR 19.2 million) to support the
units, representing 291 GWe, or around 80% of total capacity development of Westinghouse Electric Canada’s eVinci
worldwide. micro-reactor. The Government of Canada also introduced
an investment tax credit of up to 30% for clean energy
In 2022, six reactors – Fuquing 6 and Hongyanhe 6 in the technologies, explicitly including SMRs.
People’s Republic of China (China), Barakah 3 in the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), Kanupp 3 in Pakistan, Shin-Hanul 1 in
Korea, and Olkiluoto 3 in Finland – representing a total capacity
of 7 360 megawatts electrical (MWe), were newly connected
to the grid. Presently, 57 reactors are under construction, 8 of
which are located in NEA member countries. Construction Render of the CAREM-25
prototype.
projects begun in China, Türkiye and Russia in 2021 continued
into 2022. New nuclear projects started in China, Türkiye and CAREM/CNEA
Egypt in 2022. Once connected to the grid, both 2021 and
2022 construction starts will together add a further 17 GWe
of capacity.

Key developments in nuclear energy generation

throughout NEA member countries during the year 2022
are highlighted below: CAREM-25 is a small
modular reactor
• In Argentina, the utility company Nucleoeléctrica for electrical power
Argentina signed a commercial contract with the China generation currently
National Nuclear Corporation for the construction of the under construction near
the city of Zárate, in the
new 1 150 MWe Hualong One reactor at Atucha.
Northern part of Buenos
Construction has progressed for the CAREM-25 small Aires province beside
modular reactor (SMR) – a modular 100 megawatt thermal the Atucha I Nuclear
Power Plant.
(MWt) integral pressurised water reactor (PWR).

• In Canada, the federal budget for 2022 includes

CAD 120.6 million (EUR 85.2 million) over five years
to support the development of SMRs. The budget
also included an expanded mandate for the Canada

6 | NEA Annual Report 2022


Canada is well underway with its CAD 25.8 billion project
(EUR 18.2 billion) to extend the operation of the CANDU
reactors at Darlington (4 units) and Bruce (6 units). The
refurbishment at Darlington recently passed the midway
point with work beginning at unit 1 in 2022.
• In the Czech Republic, the government passed a new law
to allow a minimum 30-year power purchase agreement
(PPA) for nuclear new builds. The PPA will support plans
for the Dukovany 5 new nuclear reactor, but is designed to
suit future nuclear projects as well. The government also
acknowledged the need for more reactors at the Temelín
nuclear power plant to avoid depending on electricity
imports, with two additional new reactor units under
consideration and a potential site identified for the Czech
Republic’s first SMR.
M.Pakats/Shutterstock
out. In parallel, the new build project Hanhikivi 1 was
cancelled. Nevertheless, the possibility to build new
nuclear units in Finland remains. The utility Fortum
announced in October 2022 it would study the feasibility
of new nuclear units in Finland and Sweden. The utility
also submitted an application to the Finish regulator STUK
to extend the operating licence of Loviisa units until 2050.
If approved, this would provide Loviisa a licence to operate
for up to 70 years in all.
The construction of the deep geological repository
(DGR) site at Onkalo continues to make progress. The
final disposal of canisters containing spent nuclear fuel is
expected to begin in 2025.

• The European Commission decided in July 2022

to include nuclear energy in the EU taxonomy.
Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, Czech Republic.
A Complementary Climate Delegated Act was published in
Petr Pavlicek/IAEA (CC BY-SA 2.0).
July 2022, setting the conditions for nuclear investments to
be included in the taxonomy. This includes investments for
i) research, development and demonstration of Generation
IV reactors with a closed fuel cycle; ii) the construction and
operation of new nuclear power plants based on “best
available technology” and whose construction permits are
approved before 2045 and iii) the long-term operation of
existing reactors until 2040.
In 2022, the European Commission also launched its
“European Partnership for SMRs”, a co-ordination
platform between industry, institutional authorities, safety
authorities and member states. The partnership conducts
its work within five work streams related to i) markets,
ii) licensing, iii) financing, iv) supply chain and v) research
and development.

• In Finland, unit 3 at Olkiluoto was connected to the grid

on 12 March 2021. In 2022, several tests were carried

7
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
Hanul nuclear power plant,
Gyeongsangbuk-do province, Korea.
Korea Ulchin nuclear power plant
(CC BY-SA 2.0)
In parallel, the government has created a working group
to revamp nuclear legislation to better accommodate
SMRs, including aspects such as licensing and waste
management. The working group concluded in May
2022 that Finland does not need a new law governing
the building of small modular reactors, but should instead
modernise its nuclear law to cover the building of SMRs.
The revision of Finnish nuclear legislation is expected to
be completed by 2028.
• In France, the government announced the launch of a
programme for the construction of six EPR2 reactors,
alongside studies for eight additional EPR2 to be
commissioned by 2050. The commissioning of the first
reactor is expected in 2035.
In parallel, the objective to reduce the share of nuclear
energy is to be repealed. Based on this change of energy
policy, utility Électricité de France (EDF) started studies
on the conditions for extending the operating period of its
existing nuclear reactors beyond 50 years.
France also decided to expand investments in innovative
nuclear reactor designs. As part of the “France 2030”
recovery plan, a EUR 1 billion call for project proposals will
be launched to support innovative SMRs and Advanced
Modular Reactors (AMRs).
• In Hungary, nuclear power accounts for 48% of domestic
electricity generation and is one of the pillars for the country
to meet its environmental goals and achieve 90% carbon
neutrality in power generation by 2030. To ensure the
long-term role of nuclear power in the energy sector, the
Hungarian government is advancing its plan to build two
additional units at the Paks nuclear power plant. In 2022,
the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) issued a
general licence for the construction of two VVER-1200
reactors at the Paks site. Preparation work is underway,
with the first concrete planned for 2023. The new units are
expected to be operational by 2030. A new review of the
legal provisions relating to the status of the HAEA entered
into force in January 2022, with the aim of strengthening
the organisational and financial capabilities of the nuclear
regulator while also reinforcing its independence.
• In Japan, Prime Minister Kishida led the GX (Green
Transformation) Implementation Council to discuss the
stable supply of energy and decarbonisation from July
2022. To achieve these two outcomes, the Japanese
government discussed using nuclear power along
with renewable energy and energy conservation. In
December 2022, the council concluded that the Japanese
8 | NEA Annual Report 2022
government would i) consolidate all efforts to restart
existing nuclear power plants, ii) extend the operating
period of nuclear power plants while ensuring safety,
and iii) develop and construct next-generation innovative
reactors incorporating new safety mechanisms. As part
of this policy announcement, the Japanese government
will proceed with new nuclear policies, including the
construction of new nuclear power plants.
• In Korea, President Yoon Suk-yeol put forward a new
energy policy which reversed the previous decision to
phase-out from nuclear energy and instead aims for
nuclear power to continue to amount to at least 30% of
the country’s electricity mix. In addition, unit 1 at Shin
Hanul nuclear power plant was connected to the grid on
9 June 2022 and its test operation was completed on
19 July. The unit – the first of two APR-1400 reactors
at the site – entered commercial operation in December.
The operator, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP),
noted that Shin Hanul unit 1 is the first power reactor in
Korea that was built with all major components sourced in
domestically, including the reactor coolant pump and the
plant instrumentation and control system.
According to the draft Long-Term Basic Blueprint for
Power Supply, which was presented in November, the
share of nuclear power in the country’s electricity mix
should be increased from 23% in its Enhanced 2030
Nationality Determined Contribution (NDC) to 32% by
2030. Renewables will be decreased from the current
30% target to 21% by 2034.
• The Netherlands have included nuclear power as a
central theme of their climate and energy policy and
announced EUR 500 million in funding support by 2025
to build new nuclear power plants.
• In Poland, the government continues to make progress in
the implementation of its nuclear programme, with plans
to build six new nuclear reactors with a total capacity of
6 to 9 GWe. In October 2022, the Polish government
chose Westinghouse as the supplier of three AP1000
units for the first plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in
northern Poland. The country is also working on plans for a
second nuclear power plant. The same month, KHNP and
Polish power groups PGE and ZE PAK signed a letter of
intent to co-operate on the development of a nuclear plant
at ZE PAK’s lignite-fired plant in Patnow, central Poland. In
parallel, the private sector in Poland continues to express
interest in SMRs, with various agreements being signed
between private companies and foreign nuclear vendors.

• Romania operates the only two CANDU reactors in
Europe. Cernavodă units 1 and 2 began operation in 1996
and 2007, respectively. The country plans to refurbish
existing units to allow for 30 additional years of operation,
and has the first contract in place with Canada’s CANDU
Energy for the refurbishment of unit 1.
Romania is making progress in a 24-month preparatory
phase towards completing two partially-built CANDU-6
reactors at Cernavodă, units 3 and 4. For these units,
CANDU Energy received the contract to prepare the
licensing basis, and the US Export-Import Bank has
issued letters of interest for the financing of US-sourced
pre-project technical services.
The US government is supporting a USD 28 million
(EUR 27 million) Front-End Engineering and Design
(FEED) study for Romania’s deployment of a first-of-a-kind
SMR. Romania Nuclearelectrica and NuScale signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with E-INFRA to evaluate
and undergo licensing activities for the deployment of
Romania’s first SMR at Doicești.
• Russia, which was suspended from the NEA in 2022,
remains active in the development of nuclear power, with
two VVER-TOI reactors at the Kursk nuclear power plant
and a Generation IV BREST-OD-300 reactor in Seversk
under construction. Preparation work has started at
Leningrad nuclear power plant-2 for the construction of
units 3 and 4 with two more VVER-1200 reactors. The
Multipurpose Fast Research Reactor project (MBIR) in
Dimitrovgrad is moving forward, with the reactor vessel
delivered to the construction site and due to be installed
by the end of the year. In 2022, the BN-800 fast reactor
at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant started operating
with 100% load of uranium-plutonium MOX fuel,
reaching a long-anticipated milestone for the recycling
and re-fabrication of nuclear fuel. ROSATOM signed
a contract for the construction of a new generation of
floating nuclear power plants, four floating nuclear power
plants with RITM-200M reactors that will be deployed in
the Chukotka region in 2026-2031.
• In Spain, the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan
(INECP) adopted in February 2019 for the period 2021-
2030 foresees the country phasing out nuclear power
between 2027 and 2035. The reactors will operate for
an average age of 47-48 years. As of 2021, a licence
extension to operate beyond 40 years was granted to all
Spanish reactors, except for Trillo, for which the licence
extension is expected by the end of 2023. Spain has seven
Artist’s conception of NuScale
Power’s proposed SMR plant.
NuScale Power
nuclear units that provide around 20% of the country’s
electricity. In November 2022, the Spanish government
published the draft of the 7th General Plan for Radioactive
Waste Management. This document proposes to replace
the plans to build a centralised storage facility with several
interim storage facilities at each nuclear site.
• Türkiye is making progress with its new build project
Akkuyu. This project, developed under a 2010 agreement
between Türkiye and Russia, will consist of four VVER-
1200s, each with a capacity of 1 200 MWe. Work started
on Akkuyu unit 1 in April 2018, on unit 2 in April 2020 and on
units 3 and 4 in March and August 2021, respectively. Unit 1
is on target to start generating power in 2023, with one
additional unit to be commissioned annually through 2026.
More recently, Türkiye’s President Erdoğan confirmed that
the country plans to proceed with the development of
two additional nuclear power plants despite the failure of
previous efforts to develop such projects.
• The United Kingdom envisions a significant acceleration
of nuclear power to achieve energy security and net zero
emissions targets.
The UK government has announced GBP 100 million
(EUR 116 million) in funding to develop the Sizewell C
nuclear new build project, and also advanced a new
Regulated Asset Base (RAB) financing model for
nuclear projects. The UK government will also invest
GBP 679 million (EUR 780 million) to become a 50%
partner in the Sizewell C nuclear power plant. A long-term
operation programme is ongoing to extend the life of the
Sizewell B nuclear power plant beyond 2050, while Hinkley
Point B unit 1 was permanently shut down in July 2022.
In the United Kingdom’s Net Zero Strategy, a
GBP 120 million (EUR 139 million) Future Nuclear Enabling
Fund was announced to provide targeted support for
advanced reactors. This fund is intended to support the
commercialisation of nuclear fission technologies to help
mature potential nuclear projects ahead of the government
selection process.
• In the United States, the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act included USD 1.2 trillion (EUR 1.15 trillion) of
federal funding to address President Biden’s Build Back
Better plan. Out of a total of more than USD 62 billion
(EUR 59.45 billion) for the US Department of Energy
(DOE) to deliver a “more equitable clean energy future”,
USD 6 billion (EUR 5.75 billion) are to be allocated to prevent
premature retirement of existing nuclear plants. This
funding, through the Civilian Nuclear Credit programme,
9
 Angra nuclear power plant,
Angra dos Reis, Brazil.
Dean Calma/IAEA (CC BY 2.0)
will be available to plants that would otherwise retire and
are certified as safe to continue operations. As part of this
funding, the DOE approved in November 2022 conditional
funding of up to USD 1.1 billion (EUR 1 billion) to prevent
the closure of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in
California.
In addition, USD 2.5 billion (EUR 2.4 billion) in funding
are included for advanced nuclear projects through
the DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program
(ARDP). This programme supports the construction of two
demonstration advanced reactors that can be operational
in five to seven years.
In key non-NEA countries, the following developments
took place in 2022:
• Brazil operated two nuclear reactors, Angra units 1 and 2,
in 2022, supplying about 3% of the country’s electricity.
In June 2020, Brazil’s Investment Partnership Programme
(PPI) Council approved a plan to resume construction of a
third unit at the Angra nuclear power plant (Angra 3). The
government keeps full control of nuclear activities through
the company ENBpar. In October 2022, ENBPar took over
ownership of the country’s commercial nuclear fuel group
INB. Major work on Angra 3 resumed in August 2022. The
signing of the engineering, procurement and construction
(EPC) contract for the second and more ambitious track
of works is expected to take place at the end of 2023.
Commercial operation is planned for 2028.
• In September 2020, China stated that it intended to reach
peak emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral
before 2060. This ambition is reflected in the 14th Five-
Year Plan for 2021-2026, released in March 2021. It sets
a target of 70 GWe of installed nuclear capacity, up from
52 GWe as of mid-2021.
In 2022, there were 18 reactors under construction
in China, accounting for more than 31% of the nuclear
capacity under construction around the world.
China currently has 54 nuclear power units with a total
installed capacity of 55.78 GWe. In addition, in 2022
China approved 10 new nuclear power plants, the highest
number of annual approvals since 2010.
• In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), unit 1 at Barakah
nuclear power plant, the country’s first commercial
nuclear reactor, reached full commercial operation
in April 2021. Unit 2 was connected to the grid in
September 2021 and is undergoing testing while the
power level is progressively increased. Construction of
10 | NEA Annual Report 2022
unit 3 was completed in November 2021, and the unit was
connected to the grid for the first time in October 2022.
Overall, the Barakah project is close to finalisation, with
the construction of unit 4 at 92% of completion. The plant
will provide about 25% of the country’s electricity supply
when all four units are operational. As stated in the Dubai
Clean Energy Strategy 2050, the UAE aims for 25% solar,
7% nuclear, 7% coal and 61% gas by 2030.
Developments in nuclear fuel supply
Depressed uranium market prices in previous years
reduced exploration and development activities and led to
uranium production cuts at a number of facilities in Canada,
Kazakhstan, Niger, Namibia and the United States. The
COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on world
uranium production, with many mines closing temporarily.
Uranium output in 2021 was, as in 2020, among the lowest
in the last decade (about 48 000 tonnes in 2021). This has
not however caused any performance disruptions for nuclear
power reactors due to the significant inventories held by
utilities and fuel cycle producers. However, the market’s
ability to continue supplying an adequate amount of uranium
to the global nuclear fuel supply chain will be tested by the
ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Commercial uranium conversion facilities were in
operation in Canada, France, Russia and the United States,
with the Honeywell (Converdyn) commercial plant in
Metropolis, Illinois, expected to restart production in 2023.
High-efficiency uranium centrifuge enrichment plants
continued commercial operations through 2022 in France,
Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, the United Kingdom and
the United States. In 2022 high-assay low-enriched uranium
(HALEU) continued to attract a great deal of attention from
global nuclear fuel cycle producers, utilities and governments.
Many small modular reactors (SMRs) designers around the
world are developing advanced reactors that would require
HALEU-based fuel. Today, Russia is the only country with
a commercial supply chain for HALEU. Several countries
are looking to diversify HALEU fuel supply, including the
United States. In December 2022, the US Department of
Energy (DOE) established a HALEU consortium with the
aim to pool together entities across all the stages of the
nuclear fuel cycle, to partner and support the availability of
HALEU for domestic commercial use. In parallel, the DOE
secured a contract with the enrichment company Centrus to
demonstrate the production of HALEU at the Piketon facility
by the end of 2023.
Nuclear safety and regulation
NEA member countries continued their collaboration
to enhance the robustness of nuclear installations and
regulatory frameworks in 2022.
The regulatory bodies and technical support organisations
of NEA member countries have a common interest in
expanding their knowledge in important technical areas
through co-operative research activities. International
research has yielded more knowledge and methodologies
in the fields of severe accident phenomenology and
thermal-hydraulics, fire propagation, nuclear fuel and other
materials properties to limit uncertainties in computer code
applications and modelling.
In the area of safety technology, emphasis was put in
recent years on co-operative efforts to better understand
the risks associated with natural hazards and external events,
such as earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes and river flooding.
In nuclear regulation, member countries have been focusing
on the vital importance of developing and sustaining a strong
safety culture in both operating organisations and regulatory
bodies.
• In Canada, 12 vendors are working with the Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) on pre-licensing
vendor design reviews. In October 2022, Natural Resources
Canada announced plans to deploy the first Canadian small
modular reactor (SMR), a 5 MWe micro modular reactor
(MMR) at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ Chalk River
site, in 2026 and plans to deploy a 300 MWe SMR at the
Darlington site by 2028.
• In the European Union, the French CEA and the
European Commission held the 10 th edition of the
Euratom research and training conferences on fission
safety of reactor systems (FISA 2022) and radioactive
waste management (EURADWASTE ’22) from 30 May
to 3 June, in Lyon, France. These events were organised
under the scope of the French Presidency of the
Council of the European Union. They gathered about
200 ‑300 participants each and 500 stakeholders to
discuss the state of play of R&D and key challenges at the
national, European and international levels, synergies and
partnerships and future perspectives. The participants
shared information on achievements of some 80 projects
carried out since the previous conference edition in
2019 (as part of the Horizon 2020 Euratom Research
and Training Framework Programme) and learnt more
about the latest European Framework Programme for
Research and Innovation for the period 2021-27, the
“Horizon Europe” and “Euratom Research and Training”
programmes, and key policy recommendations from all
stakeholders and policymakers.
• France’s Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) continued to
evaluate the corrective actions taken by the licensee
Électricité de France (EDF) related to the discovery
of inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) on
a number of PWRs in France. A new technique called
“plane wave imaging, total focusing method” has been
developed to allow for more accurate detection and
characterising of IGSCC. Repairs are underway and are
expected to continue into 2023. The French Institute
for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN)
organised an event on the side-lines of the IAEA General
Conference centred on research platforms. It reviewed
the contribution of technical and experimental platforms
and research data to strengthening nuclear safety. The
IRSN Director-General stressed the need to secure their
future as nuclear programmes are relaunched in many
countries. Each organisation involved in a collaborative
research project developed on these platforms has faster
access to all research results and shares costs. These
platforms are also an essential training tool for the younger
generation and allow the development of a community of
qualified experts.
• In Japan, Kyushu Electric Power Co says that, following
inspections, it is seeking permission from the Nuclear
Regulation Authority (NRA) to extend to 60 years the
operation of the two reactors of the Sendai nuclear power
plant, in south west Japan. Under regulations which came
into force in July 2013, Japanese reactors have a nominal
operating period of 40 years and extensions may be
granted once with a limit of 20 years. Japanese Prime
Minister Fumio Kishida said in August that the country
should “mobilise the collective efforts of all parties
Aerial view of the
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’
Chalk River site.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
(CC BY-ND 2.0)
11
 High-temperature test
reactor.
Japan Atomic Energy
Agency (JAEA)
concerned towards restarting operations, and to extend
the operating period on the premise of ensuring safety”.
He also called for nine of the ten restarted reactors to be
online during the coming winter – as of August, Sendai 1
and 2 were among five that were operating. More
generally, the GX (Green Transformation) Implementation
Council established by the Japanese government held a
first meeting in July 2022 to put in place a new nuclear
policy based on promoting the restart of nuclear power
plants, maximum utilisation of existing plants through
the extension of operation periods (beyond 60 years),
introduction of a next generation of innovative reactors
and accelerating reprocessing, decommissioning and final
disposal. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has
been promoting the research and development (R&D)
of High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs).
Having superior safety features, HTGRs can supply high
temperature heat above 900°C, making it possible to
use nuclear energy to provide heat for various industries
as well as power generation. Promotion of R&D on
HTGRs and hydrogen production systems is part of
Japanese policies, e.g. in the 6 th Strategic Energy Plan
and the Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving
Carbon Neutrality in 2050. R&D on reactor technologies
is carried out by using a High-Temperature Engineering
Test Reactor (HTTR), which is the first HTGR in Japan.
On 28 January 2022, a safety demonstration test was
carried out under the NEA Loss of Forced Coolant (LOFC)
project. This test was one of several that are needed to
support an NEA computer codes benchmark involving
research organisations from six countries. The JAEA is
promoting R&D on emissions-free hydrogen production
by a thermochemical water splitting Iodine-Sulphur
process (IS process). The JAEA is conducting a design
study for various HTGR systems with a view to facilitating
commercialisation. The major system is the GTHTR300C
for hydrogen and electric power cogeneration. The JAEA
has launched a new test programme to demonstrate
hydrogen production with an HTGR. The steam methane
reforming hydrogen production system was selected for
12 | NEA Annual Report 2022
the first demonstration by 2030. Other emission-free
hydrogen production methods will be demonstrated later.
• In the United States, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) completed the safety review of the NuScale small
modular reactor (SMR) and voted to certify the NuScale
design on 29 July 2022 – making it the first SMR approved
by the NRC for use in the United States. The NuScale
SMR is an integral pressurised-water reactor, designed
by NuScale Power, LLC. The design is based on Multi-
Application Small Light Water Reactor developed at
Oregon State University in the early 2000s. NuScale is a
natural circulation light water reactor with the reactor core
and helical coil steam generators located in a common
reactor vessel in a cylindrical steel containment. The
reactor vessel containment module is almost entirely
submerged in water in the reactor building safety related
pool, which is also the ultimate heat sink for the reactor.
The pool portion of the reactor building is located below
grade. The reactor building is designed to hold up to
12 SMRs. Each NuScale SMR has a rated thermal output
of 160 MWt and electrical output of 50 MWe, yielding a
total capacity of 600 MWe for 12 SMRs.
Beyond the NEA membership, the following developments
took place in 2022:
• In the Republic of China, the Shanghai Institute of
Applied Physics – part of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences – has been given approval by the Ministry of
Ecology and Environment to commission an experimental
thorium-powered molten-salt reactor, construction
of which started in Wuwei city, Gansu province, in
September 2018. Construction was completed in 2021
and commissioning was ongoing in 2022. Operation of
this experimental reactor is expected to begin in 2023.
• In Ukraine, as the war persists, the NEA has collected
information from verifiable and reliable sources to support
its members’ efforts to maintain an understanding of the
state of nuclear safety and radiological protection in that
country. Because our Ukrainian colleagues are faced with
a highly uncertain, ever-changing and very challenging
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
situation, obtaining detailed information on a regular
basis has not always been possible. 15 pressurised water
reactors of Russian VVER design are operated by the State
Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company
“Energoatom” at four plants.The current nuclear sites in
Ukraine are:
– Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six reactors.
– Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant has two existing
reactors and two reactors under construction.
– Rivne nuclear power plant has four reactors.
– South Ukraine nuclear power plant has three reactors.
– The Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology is the
site of an experimental nuclear reactor used for research
and to produce isotopes for medical and industrial use.
The installation was placed in a deep subcritical state
(“long-term shutdown”) mode on 24 February 2022.
– The site of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant that
experienced a dramatic accident in April 1986 also hosts
an Interim Spent Fuel Facility and a Central Spent Fuel
Facility.
Human aspects of nuclear safety
Addressing the human aspects of nuclear safety, including
organisational factors and safety culture, is fundamental
for the safe operation of nuclear installations as well as for
the effectiveness of regulatory authorities. These aspects
also have an important impact on the potential future uses
and regulation of nuclear technology. The NEA assists its
member countries in their efforts to enhance and improve
the understanding and the technical basis for treating these
elements, leveraging opportunities to continue to improve
the international knowledge base.
In 2022, member countries made further progress in
adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and capturing the
lessons learnt from a human and organisational (HOF)
perspective. Members looked to the NEA and, for example,
the Working Group on Human and Organisational Factors
(WGHOF), in launching new work related to HOF lessons
learnt and best practices in organisational flexibility and
resiliency when managing a pandemic or other crises.
Also in 2022, NEA member countries have continued to
put great effort in the areas of public trust and engagement,
including public communications. The NEA has supported
efforts in Switzerland and Belgium in which local and
regional stakeholders have dialogued with radioactive waste
implementers and regulators on concepts such as effective
stakeholder engagement in long-term radioactive waste
disposal projects, in addition to involving young people to a
greater extent. With a number of NEA countries looking to
move forward with new reactor builds, siting decisions for
deep geological repositories (DGRs) and/or other projects,
their focus is expected to grow in coming years on groups
such as the Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) that
do work on stakeholder engagement, trust building and
transparency.
As the pandemic reached its third year and signs of a
gradual abatement allowed for the resumption of a number
of delayed activities, the NEA moved forward with its
efforts related to country-specific safety culture initiatives.
NEA member countries have been highly motivated to
work with the NEA to do comprehensive reviews of their
national cultural traits and attributes and the impacts of these
on nuclear safety operations, decision-making and related
topics. Following country-specific safety culture (CSSCF)
workshops in Sweden and Finland before the pandemic,
another was held in Canada in 2022. Preparations are
underway for similar workshops in Japan in 2023 and in
Switzerland in 2024, with yet other events to come. There
is a view that such national level comprehensive reviews
are essential to identify and address issues affecting safety
culture and for countries to be able to put forth effective
mitigation strategies in order to continue to strengthen the
safety culture in the operational and regulatory organisations.
Participants take part in
a role playing exercise
at the Country-Specific
Safety Culture Forum
(CSSCF) Canada,
7 September 2022.
13
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
Radiological protection
In 2022, co-ordination of research in the field of human and
environmental health risks related to low-dose exposure has
progressed in several countries where various initiatives were
implemented as follows:
• In Canada, the joint initiative COHERE (Canadian
Organization on Health Effects from Radiation Exposure)
has the immediate goal to maintain and enhance expertise,
align research priorities between the two funding
organisations (the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
and Health Canada), and disseminate information to the
public and stakeholders.
• In Europe, the European partnership for radiological
protection research (PIANOFORTE), a project co-funded
by Euratom and the governments of 24 countries gathering
58 partners started on 1 June 2022. In addition, to improve
European governance of radiological protection research,
three open research calls will be implemented until 2025.
• In Japan, the Planning and Acting Network for Low Dose
Radiation Research (PLANET) is supporting the need for a
low-dose research platform, currently under development
at the national level. In addition to priority research issues,
the platform is expected to inform radiation regulations
and communicate results at the national and international
levels.
• In the United States, at the request of Congress, the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine (NASEM) appointed an expert committee
to recommend a long-term strategic and prioritised
research roadmap for an improved understanding of low-
dose radiation health effects. In June 2022, the NASEM
published its report entitled Leveraging Advances in
Modern Science to Revitalize Low-dose Radiation
Research in the United States. This publication presents
the committee’s findings and recommendations for a
long-term strategy for low-dose radiation research in the
United States, and includes a list of eleven high-priority
topics identified in the proposed research agenda.
The NEA, through the CRPPH High-Level Group on Low-
Dose Research, is well placed to facilitate global co-ordination
in low-dose research, including through the development of
Emergency exercise.
Korea Institute of
Nuclear Safety
14 | NEA Annual Report 2022
tools/approaches to leverage research advances around the
world (from the researcher level, to the institutional, national,
regional or international level). This will provide scientific
evidence to make radiation health risk estimates less
uncertain in the low-dose/low dose rate area, accelerate the
translation of the most impactful research results into policy
and regulation, and reduce misunderstanding and mistrust of
radioprotection-related decisions in the low dose-exposure
area by improving risk communication.
Several NEA member countries reported at the annual
meeting of the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency
Matters (WPNEM), held in late October, that they are
constantly monitoring events in Ukraine and have heightened
preparations for potential radiological risks posed by the
conflict. This includes increased observation of monitoring
data, assessments of the potential impacts through
modelling, and developing briefings and public messaging
to keep stakeholders informed of the situation. Some
neighbouring countries carried out additional activities, such
as activating bilateral agreements to exchange information
with the State Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU),
verifying more frequently the measurements from radiation
monitoring stations and supplementing the pre-distribution
of iodine tablets to local areas. The NEA continues to work
with member countries and has responded to several queries
for assistance.
In the area of emergency preparedness, response and
recovery, some countries have initiated research to move
from a radiological protection-centred approach, which
has so far focused mainly on reducing radiation exposure
(e.g. through evacuation or sheltering), to a more holistic
approach that would integrate the mental health and
psychosocial impacts of these protective actions and how
to mitigate them.
• Health Canada completed research on the quantitative
comparison of health risks from radiation exposure
and health consequences related to protective actions.
This research is part of a project to develop a decision-
support framework to guide decision makers in a
nuclear emergency so that they can better balance non-
radiological (psychosocial) and radiological health impacts.
In early 2022, a proof-of-concept decision-support tool
was created, representing a first approach to balance,

on a quantifiable basis, the psychosocial (in this case
depression) and radiological impacts of evacuation and
non-evacuation for a case-study population in Canada.
A publication is being drafted to encourage feedback on
the development and use of the proof-of-concept tool
in the emergency response community. The tool will be
refined based on the feedback.
• In the United States, the NRC published a report
entitled Nonradiological Health Consequences from
Evacuation and Relocation (2021) to describe the
meta-analysis of non-radiological health impacts
(e.g. anxiety, heart disease, mortality) experienced by
evacuees and relocated populations after various types
of emergencies. The NRC report provides evidence for
a correlation between displacement and all considered
health impacts. Statistically significant increases were
observed among displaced populations compared to non-
displaced populations for most health effects including
depression, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), sleep problems and mortality. The report
underlines the need for a risk-informed approach to
selecting and implementing protective actions in a nuclear
or radiological emergency.
International organisations are supporting the development
of more holistic protection approaches. Next to the advanced
work of the NEA Expert Group on Non-radiological Public
Health Aspects of Radiation Emergency Planning and
Response (EGNR), the IAEA’s Emergency Preparedness
and Response Standards Committee (EPReSC) has created
a new working group on “managing non-radiological
consequences”. The World Health Organisation has further
released a free online training on “Introducing Mental Health
and Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS) in Emergencies”, which
includes a module on MHPSS before, during and after
radiological and nuclear emergencies.
Radioactive waste management
In 2022, NEA member countries continued to work on
the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste
following a holistic approach. Regulators, radioactive waste
managers and policy developers are increasingly recognising
the importance of transparency and public participation
in the decision-making process to enhance confidence
and address the risks associated with radioactive waste
management practices. As some NEA member countries
continue to pursue geological disposal solutions, predisposal
Embalse nuclear power plant,
Argentina.
Mrcukilo (CC BY-SA 3.0)
management of radioactive waste, including interim storage
and management options for spent nuclear fuel, are also
being discussed.
A brief summary of developments during 2022 in national
radioactive waste management programmes follows below.
For full details of ongoing national programmes, visit www.
oecd-nea.org/rwmprofiles.
• In Argentina, the operation of the Embalse nuclear
power plant, with an extended operating licence until
2049, continued in 2022. The National Atomic Energy
Commission (CNEA) continued its efforts in radioactive
waste management. The low- and intermediate-level
waste (LILW) and used fuel from research reactors are
handled at CNEA’s Ezeiza facility. Argentina has worked
towards having a repository for very low-level waste
(VLLW), low-level waste (LLW) and intermediate-level
waste (ILW) by 2030 and aims to establish its national
policy on spent fuel management with disposal in a deep
geological repository (DGR) by 2030.
On 6 May 2019, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN)
granted the Operating Licence of the Radioactive Waste
Characterization Laboratory (LABCAR), whose aim is
to improve information about radionuclides present
in waste stored and in the newly generated waste, to
determine the treatment and conditioning techniques,
to control conditioned waste quality, and to provide a
complete and updated radiological inventory of all waste.
LABCAR continued its work in 2022. Conceptual and
basic engineering is being defined for the Spent Fuel Dry
Storage System for Atucha Nuclear Power Plant Unit II
(ASECQII).
A dry fuel storage facility has been constructed at the
Atucha nuclear power plant to store spent fuel assemblies
from Atucha unit 1 in advance of the unit undergoing a
two-year refurbishment programme. Operations to
transfer used fuel assemblies from Atucha 1 used fuel
pool began on 27 August 2022.
• In Australia, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
(ARWA) is responsible for planning around the management
of radioactive waste and the establishment of a suitable
national facility. In January 2022 ARWA submitted an
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
(EPBC) Act referral (the first stage of the EPBC process) to
the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
The National Radioactive Waste Management Act 2012
gives the Australian government legal authority to establish
a national radioactive waste management facility. In
15
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
November 2021, Minister for Resources and Water
declared part of Napandee, Kimba, in South Australia, as
the site for the National Radioactive Waste Management
Facility (NRWMF). This includes LLW disposal and ILW
storage. A licence application to the Australian Radiation
Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is
expected in late 2023 to early 2024. Currently, ILW and the
returned reprocessed waste are stored in the Interim Waste
Store at Lucas Heights until a national radioactive waste
management facility becomes available. The Australian
Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is
constructing a new synroc facility to condition ILW arising
from the production of Mo-99. The project team reached
a milestone on 2 December 2021 when it completed the
building. The “fit-out” process has commenced, and cold
commissioning was planned to start in 2023.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation (ANSTO) submitted a licence application
to ARPANSA in July 2021 to prepare a site for a new
radioactive solid waste storage facility as the existing
facility is predicted to reach capacity by 2027. The proposed
facility is called the Intermediate-Level Waste Capacity
Increase (ILWCI) facility and will provide an additional
ten years (until 2037) of temporary storage of solid
intermediate waste from existing radiopharmaceutical
production processes at ANSTO. It is expected that by
this time the ARWA will have established the NRWMF.
ARPANSA called for public submissions and held a virtual
public forum in October 2021 (due to the COVID‑19
pandemic) on the licence application. In March 2022,
ARPANSA issued a licence to the ANSTO to prepare a
site for the ILWCI facility.
• In Belgium, the National Agency for Radioactive Waste
and Enriched Fissile Material (ONDRAF/NIRAS) launched
in 2019 a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
procedure for a national policy proposal for the long-term
management of high-level and/or long-lived radioactive
waste including non-reprocessed spent fuel. The
legislative process for policy adoption is ongoing at the
federal government level.
Tabloo visitor and meeting
centre, Dessel, Belgium.
Tabloo
16 | NEA Annual Report 2022
The licence application for the near-surface facility in Dessel,
submitted in 2013 and complemented in 2019, received
a positive preliminary review by the Scientific Council for
Ionising Radiation (SCIR), with a number of questions to be
addressed by ONDRAF/NIRAS. This allowed FANC to start
public consultation in the communities within 5 km of the
site and a consultation with the province of Antwerp. FANC
also started the Euratom Article 37 consultation procedure.
The questions of the SCIR where answered by ONDRAF/
NIRAS in 2022 except 2 that have been answered in the
beginning of 2023. Afterwards, as part of the licensing
procedure, FANC should present the licence application
file, together with the result of all consultations and the
proposed answers to the consultation remarks, to the SCIR
for final advice. In anticipation of the nuclear licence to start
construction of the disposal modules, ONDRAF/NIRAS
has been constructing several peripheral installations on
the site, such as the facility for the packaging of low-level
waste for disposal and a visitor centre, Tabloo, which is
now open. The ONDRAF/NIRAS daughter company
Belgoprocess completed construction of an extension to
the interim storage facility for low-level and medium-level
waste. Construction of a building dedicated to the interim
storage of the waste affected by the alkali-silica reaction
is ongoing.
At the Tihange and Doel nuclear sites, Electrabel is
preparing two new on-site dry interim spent fuel storage
facilities for the seven commercial nuclear reactors after
their final shutdown (Spent Fuel Storage Facility or SF²
with an operating lifetime of 80 years). The construction
began in May 2020 and operation is expected to begin in
2023. The nuclear licence for SF² Doel was granted by
Royal Decree on 1 July 2021. Operation is expected to
begin in 2025.
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN applied for
a licence for the RECUMO waste treatment installation
on 20 December 2019. RECUMO is an installation in
which uranium residues from the Mo-99 production at
the National Institute for Radioelements will be purified
and treated so that a reusable low-enriched uranium (LEU)
 is obtained. The licensing procedure was finished in 2022,
and the construction is expected to be completed in 2025.
• In Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), undertook
an extensive engagement process from November
2020 to May 2021 to modernise the country’s policy
for radioactive waste. NRCan has held meetings with
Indigenous peoples, non-governmental organisations,
municipalities, industry, youth organisations, academia
and other interested participants to seek their perspectives
and views on what should be included in a modernised
policy. A final report that summarises what was heard
throughout the engagement period was released on
1 February 2022 along with a draft policy and two other
engagement summaries. They are available online. A final
modernised policy is targeted for 2023. In January 2021
the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)
narrowed its focus from five to two potential areas to
host a DGR: Ignace and South Bruce, both in Ontario.
After the decision by Saugeen Ojibway Nation to not
support the proposed Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
DGR project in 2020, OPG is exploring other options and
engaging with key stakeholders to develop an alternate
site selection process. Any new site selection process
would include engagement with Indigenous peoples as
well as interested municipalities and other stakeholders.
NWMO remains on track to select a siting area in 2023.
• In the Czech Republic, the Radioactive Waste Repository
Authority (SÚRAO) carried out a siting process for a DGR
in 2022 after it reduced the number of potential sites to
host the facility from nine to four in 2019. The aim is to
select a site in 2025, with an on-site underground research
facility planned for 2030-2045. The Czech government is
also considering new legislation that will enhance public
involvement in the developmental process of DGRs.
• In Finland, Posiva Oy, the DGR implementer, continued
to demonstrate the feasibility of the disposal system in
2022. As the operator responsible for the final disposal of
spent nuclear fuel, Posiva Oy has started the excavation
of the final disposal tunnels in Olkiluoto, located in the
Eurajoki municipality.
Excavation of the first five actual final disposal tunnels of
Posiva’s spent nuclear fuel disposal facility ONKALO®
has been completed by July 2022. The total length of the
tunnels is about 1 700 metres. Now the construction of
the final disposal tunnels continues with the strengthening
of the tunnels and levelling of the tunnel floor. The
excavation contractor was YIT Suomi Oy, which has been
excavating tunnels for Posiva for several years. Holes for
approximately 180 disposal capsules will be drilled in the
first five disposal tunnels. A major milestone was reached
in the end of December 2021 by submitting the operating
licence application of the encapsulation plant and the final
disposal facility to the Government, and the safety case
for the operating licence application.
A wet pool type interim storage for the spent fuel will be
constructed at the power plant area in Pyhäjoki. Energy
company Fennovoima submitted the licensing material for
the interim storage to the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear
Safety Authority for review in 2021.
In 2022, Fennovoima terminated the plant supply
agreement with RAOS Project due to RAOS Project’s
significant delays and inability to implement the
Hanhikivi 1 project.
• In France, the National Radioactive Materials and
Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR) was issued by the
Ministry in charge of energy and is implemented by the
Ministry and the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) with the
participation of a diverse steering committee comprising
producers of radioactive waste, licensees of the facilities
managing this waste, the assessment and oversight
authorities and environmental protection associations.
The main objectives of the PNGMDR are to identify the
existing radioactive waste inventory and the expected
needs for storage and disposal; determine the handling of
radioactive waste for which there is no final management
solution; and organise research and studies related to
radioactive waste management. The fifth edition of the
PNGMDR is expected to be released in 2022.
The National Radioactive Waste Management Agency,
Andra, is in charge of three surface disposal facilities
for VLLW, LLW and intermediate-level short-lived
waste (IL-SLW). The facilities are called Cires and CSA,
in the east of France, and CSM, in the northwest. In a
project called “Acaci”, Andra is studying the possibility
Five barriers work together to
safely contain and isolate the
used nuclear fuel from people
and the environment.
Nuclear Waste Management
Organization, Canada
17
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
of increasing the authorised disposal capacity of
Cires without changing the acreage of the facility. The
conclusions of public consultation held in 2021 will be
integrated into the project, and an environmental permit
application is due by the end of March 2023. If authorised,
the extension works should start in 2025. At the CSA, the
tenth construction stage, which started in 2018, is still
in progress in 2023. The CSM has been in a monitoring
phase since 2003. The ASN and the French Institute for
Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) began
examining the safety review file in 2020 and their work
continued in 2022. The final meeting with the ASN and
the IRSN was held in February 2022.
The Prime Minister issued a decree on 8 July 2022
confirming the national importance of the Cigéo DGR
project. The Declaration of Public Convenience and
Necessity (DUP) allows other authorisation applications
to be made relating to site preparation work that is crucial
to constructing Cigéo (such as preventive archaeological
work, road and railway construction and electricity and
water supply). The licensing process for Cigéo will
continue with the construction licence application (DAC),
which was submitted on 17 January 2023. The Nuclear
Safety Authority is in charge of its review with the support
of the IRSN.
• In Germany, the Federal Waste Management Organisation
(BGE) held a Subareas Conference in 2021 to discuss
disposal siting. The participants of the Subareas Conference
published an extensive report on 7 September 2021 and
handed their recommendations to the BGE. After the
participation process a regularly scheduled public forum
and an accompanying advisory and planning group were
convened. These newly created instruments of public
participation are to accompany the site selection process
over the coming years. The Federal Office for the Safety
of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) supports them in
their work.
The BGE is preparing to conduct representative
preliminary safety analyses. This is the first comparative
step in the site selection procedure and is intended to
NW
500
Morley
MSE 101 Cretaceous
Tithonian limestone
Kimmeridgian marl
ne
0 Oxfordian limesto
dian
Callovo-Oxfor
Dogger limestone
- 500
y
Toarcian cla
0 2 Km
18 | NEA Annual Report 2022
further narrow down the number of possible disposal
sites. For this purpose, areas have been defined in which
methods to compare possible disposal sites are being
developed. The BGE plans to discuss the implementation
of the safety analyses and the associated site comparison
with experts and the public in 2023.
• In Hungary, the operating licence for the Paks Spent
Fuel Interim Storage Facility (SFISF), which has 24 vaults,
was issued by the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority
(HAEA) and is valid until 2030. On 14 July 2020, the Public
Limited Company for Radioactive Waste Management
(PURAM) submitted an application to the HAEA regarding
the modification of the operational licence of the National
Radioactive Waste Repository (NRWR). The new safety
assessment has already included the acceptance (and
disposal) of the institutional LILW waste as well. The
HAEA reviewed and evaluated the submitted documents
and as part of the regulatory process a public hearing
was also held. On 18 March 2022 the HAEA issued the
operational licence. On 4 June 2021, PURAM submitted
an additional request to the HAEA regarding the
modification of the construction licence of the NRWR.
The main reason for this modification was the planned
expansion of the repository with chambers I-N1 and I-N2
and the construction of a reinforced concrete pool inside
them. After a public hearing, the HAEA issued the new
construction licence on 9 December 2022.
• In Italy, the Technical Guide No. 32 (TG 32) on safety
criteria for near-surface disposal facilities has been
submitted for public consultation from October 2021 to
January 2022. The final version of TG 32 was issued in
May 2022. The final version of the guide was published
in July 2022. The Technical Guide proposal No. 33
establishes the criteria that must be met for a correct
management of radioactive waste, taking into account
the nature and radiological risk associated with each type
of waste, and defines the minimum requirements for
radioactive waste artefacts to be accepted for disposal or
long-term temporary storage. The Guide was under public
consultation until 28 September 2022.
Geological section of the Bure sector, France.
SuperManu (CC BY-SA 3.0)
LABORATORY
HTM 105 Cirfontaines SE
EST 103 HTM 102 500
0
- 500
H/L = 5/1
 The National Chart of Potentially Eligible Sites (CNAPI)
was prepared by Sogin, the Italian state-owned company
for the decommissioning and management of radioactive
waste, and validated by the Italian Inspectorate for
Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ISIN). The list of
potential areas and a preliminary design of the facilities to
be realised (LLW repository and ILW/HLW storage) are
the object of a national debate, with the goal of reaching
a declaration of interest by involved communities. Once
one or more regions show interest, Sogin will perform
extensive on-site investigations. In July 2022, Sogin
published on its website the observations and technical
proposals received on the CNAPI.
A project to transfer 1.7 tonnes of heavy metal (tHM) of
Elk River nuclear power plant spent fuel into dual-purpose
casks at the Treatment and Re-manufacturing Plant for
Fuel Elements (ITREC) was approved in 2020. In October
2021, the ISIN “STRIMS” system for tracing radioactive
waste and radioactive sources in the country became
operational. As of 14 March 2022, more than 11 500 items
were registered and more than 60 000 communications
(on transport, commerce, inventory, etc.) were recorded.
In 2022, Sogin continued using the AIGOR software,
which uses blockchain technology to archive and trace
radioactive waste elements. Construction of the two liquid
HLW conditioning facilities, ICPF at the ITREC site in the
south of Italy and CEMEX at the EUREX site in the north
of Italy, continued during 2022 after being discontinued
due to contractual issues.
• In Japan, in the context of the DGR siting process,
the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NUMO)
continued the Literature Survey, the first stage of the site
investigation process, in two municipalities in Hokkaido:
Suttu and Kamoenai. To confirm the feasibility of the
Literature Survey, NUMO used the existing literature and
data, which served as references for the Nationwide Map
of “Scientific Features” relevant for Geological Disposal
published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
(METI) in 2017. In parallel, NUMO and METI continued
to hold public dialogues across the country, aiming to
encourage the acceptance of the Literature Survey in
as many areas as possible. In February 2021, NUMO
published the generic safety case report, which had been
revised after a review by the Atomic Energy Society of
Japan (AESJ). The English version of the report was
reviewed by the International Review Team organised by
the NEA in 2022. In the off-site, generic Underground
Research Laboratory (URL) project, the Japan Atomic
Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting three
research tasks at Horonobe, in Hokkaido, with the main
aim of enhancing the reliability of disposal technology.
The relevant R&D was performed according to the plan
for the extension from 2020 to 2028 of the Horonobe URL
project, which targets sedimentary rock. An international
collaboration project at the Horonobe URL in co-operation
with the NEA was launched in 2022.
• In Korea, the second phase of the Wolsong LILW Disposal
Center (WLDC), an engineered vault-type repository for
the disposal of low-level radioactive waste, is under
licensing process for construction. Korea Radioactive
Waste Agency (KORAD) is undertaking the conceptual
An assessor of the regulatory authority seals a UVBA-type
container before reposition.
Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH (GNS)
design of the third phase, a near surface trench-type
repository. Korea has completed in 2022 a review of
high-level radioactive waste management policy. Based
on this, “the 2nd master plan for HLW management” was
established in December 2022. Currently, the National
Assembly is discussing the enactment of a special law on
the management of HLW. The spent fuel is stored in the
storage facilities of the respective nuclear power plants.
The national policy for spent fuel management, including
the construction of a centralised spent fuel interim storage
facility in a disposal site, will be determined at a later date.
• In Norway, the state - owned radioactive waste
management and decommissioning agency, Norwegian
Nuclear Decommissioning (NND), continued its work in
2022. The NND is also responsible for the safe handling,
storage and disposal of nuclear waste in Norway. Since the
current National Combined Disposal and Storage Facility
(KLDRA) for the disposal of LILW is reaching its capacity,
the NND is planning a new storage facility. The Norwegian
Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), as an
independent regulatory body, reviewed and assessed
the licence application for the Halden site, including the
Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) and associated
fuel storage facilities. The Institute for Energy Technology
(IFE) addresses, among other things, the organisational
capability and competence, fuel inventory, criticality safety,
and various shortfalls identified in the safety reports.
• In Poland, geological repositories are envisaged for
future disposal of spent fuel and radioactive waste, in
accordance with the Polish Energy Policy until 2040
(PEP2040). The policy also foresees the government
launching the operation of six reactors, worth 6-9 GWe
in total, in two power stations. The National Plan of
Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management
was updated in 2021 with the schedule of work related
to the construction of a new repository for LILW. The
process of selecting a location for the new repository is
in progress. The National Radioactive Waste Repository in
Rozan (NRWR), the only repository in Poland, will be filled
by about 2035 according to estimates by the Radioactive
Waste Management Plant (ZUOP).
19
 Cernavodă nuclear power
plant, Romania.
RizeaLavinia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• In Romania, according to the strategy’s Reference
Scenario, the low- and intermediate short-lived radioactive
waste (LIL-SLW) generated from the operation and
refurbishment of the nuclear units at the Cernavodă
nuclear power plant will be disposed of at the Depozit
Final pentru Deșeuri Radioactive de Slabă și Medie
Activitate (DFDSMA), a repository that is to be built in
the exclusion zone of Cernavodă nuclear power plant,
subject to the approval of the competent authorities. The
first construction phase of the DFDSMA (comprising eight
cells) is scheduled to be completed in 2028. LILW-SL
radioactive waste will be disposed of in the DFDSMA after
it has been treated and conditioned by the authorisation
holder. The safe and responsible management of the
spent nuclear fuel generated by the Cernavodă nuclear
power plant was improved by commissioning the
12th MACSTOR 200-type concrete module in 2021. Also,
the design of an improved MACSTOR 400 module has
been completed, doubling the capacity for spent fuel dry
storage, from 12 000 spent fuel bundles to 24 000 spent
fuel bundles per module. For the MACSTOR 400 project,
an environmental agreement procedure is in progress.
The spent CANDU fuel from the Cernavodă nuclear power
plant will be disposed of after a period of cooling without
treatment (other than packaging for disposal), and the
long-lived ILW (ILW-LL) will be appropriately conditioned
and packaged to produce a solid waste form suitable for
disposal. According to the national strategy, operation of
the DGR is planned to start in 2055.
• In Russia, which was suspended from the NEA in
2022, implementation continued of the third stage of
development of the Unified State System for Radioactive
Waste Management (USS RW). One of the priorities is
the creation of radioactive waste disposal facilities. The
operator has been constructing facilities in the Chelyabinsk
region (Ozersk), with a design capacity of 225 000 m3,
and the Tomsk region (Seversk), with a design capacity of
140 000 m3. Construction continued of building complexes
and structures for auxiliary and storage purposes, as well
as transport infrastructure, road access to the site, and
internal and external engineering networks. Construction
of the disposal facility in the Novouralsk region, with a
total capacity of 39 300 m3, was finished in 2021 and
the facility is now being operated. A large-scale R&D
programme is being implemented with the main focus on
field studies of the host rock in the construction area (in the
Nizhnekansk rock mass). More detailed information on the
characteristics of the accumulated vitrified HLW inventory
is being collected. Surface support infrastructure facilities
are being constructed at the future URL site (Krasnoyarsky
Kray), with its overall completion level estimated at 24%
20 | NEA Annual Report 2022
and the mining operations are expected to be launched.
Round tables were organised in the fall of 2022 with the
public, experts and all interested parties to discuss the
construction of the URL. Development was started of a
“digital URL twin” enabling the visualisation of various
operations and studies during the URL’s construction and
operation. The plans provide for the completion of the first
URL section and the start of R&D after 2026.
• In the Slovak Republic, the government approved
the National Policy and the National Programme for
management of spent fuel and radioactive waste in 2021,
taking into consideration the transposition of the EC
Directive 2011/70/EURATOM. The preparation of another
partial amendment to the Atomic Act continued. An
IAEA ARTEMIS mission was postponed partly due to the
COVID‑19 pandemic and is now planned for 12-22 February
2023. An IRRS mission was completed in September
2022. Two new facilities are being built at the Bohunice
site, one for re-melting metal radioactive waste and the
other for the incineration of radioactive waste, to add new
technologies to the processing and treatment process.
The equipment for re-melting metal radioactive waste is
currently at the stage of an inactive test. Active operation
of the facility is planned to start in the near future. For the
new incinerator, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the
Slovak Republic approved changes that improve nuclear
safety during operation and had to be consequently applied
to the phase of commissioning and complex active testing.
The active tests have been completed.
• In Slovenia, a LILW disposal facility is being planned in the
Vrbina area with sufficient capacity to accommodate all
Slovenian LILW waste from the Krško nuclear power plant
operation and decommissioning, as well as all institutional
LILW in Slovenia. Preparations for a construction licence
continued in 2021 and early 2022. The licence was granted
in July 2022, followed by a public tendering process for
repository construction and disposal containers in the
second half of 2022. Construction is envisaged to start in
the first half of 2023. The government granted the LILW
repository the status of national infrastructure facility
and made the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration
(SNSA) the authority competent for nuclear safety. The
SNSA issued an opinion on repository construction
affecting nuclear safety in January 2022. The Vrbina
repository operation will be carried out in two phases.
In the first phase, half of the operational LILW generated
in the Krško nuclear power plant and all other radioactive
waste generated in Slovenia will be disposed of by the
end of 2027. In the second phase, the remaining half of
Slovenian LILW from operating and decommissioning the
Krško nuclear power plant and all other institutional LILW
 will be disposed of by 2050. In 2028, the repository will
enter a standby phase until re-entering operation in 2050.
All spent fuel is currently stored in spent fuel pools. After
the EU stress tests, the Slovenian regulator requested
the implementation of an action plan to improve safety at
Krško. Part of the action plan was to implement the dry
storage of spent fuel on site by 2022. The project is in the
implementation stage, as Krško’s operator intends to start
building a new facility shortly, and operations are planned
to begin in 2023.
• In Spain, the 7th General Radioactive Waste Plan (GRWP)
and the Strategic Environmental Report will be submitted
to a wide public consultation. This public information
process was extended for a period of 45 working days,
from 12 April 2022 to 16 June 2022. The management
of spent fuel is currently focused on providing additional
on-site interim storage capacity to all nuclear power plants
in storage casks. Presently, all nuclear power plants in
Spain have individual spent fuel storage facilities (ISFS)
based on dry cask storage technologies, with the only
exception being Vandellòs II, where the existing spent
fuel pool capacity has recently been expanded. However,
a dry cask ISFS will be needed on this site, too, at a later
point in time. An ARTEMIS peer review was conducted
in October 2018 in Spain. The conclusions of the review
team stressed the need to progress in the licensing of
a geological disposal facility. It was recommended to
update and increase the work on establishing a DGR by
joining the efforts of the waste management organisation,
the nuclear regulatory body and the Ministry for Ecological
Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITERD). As
a consequence, a tripartite working group was created by
the MITERD, the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) and the
Spanish radioactive waste management agency (Enresa).
The objective is to study and develop a proposal for a
legal, regulatory, and procedural framework ensuring high-
level support for a disposal programme in the country. The
Terms of Reference of the Working Group were approved
in May 2020, and its roadmap in September 2021. The
El Cabril LILW and very-low-level waste (VLLW) near-
surface disposal facility keeps operating regularly. Work
to find a definitive disposal solution for HLW, spent fuel
and long-lived LILW continued in 2022, with a focus on
disposal in deep geological formations. The LILW facility
has 28 concrete vaults with a total internal volume of
100 000 m3, while the VLLW disposal installation has two
cells in operation with a joint disposal capacity of about
85 000 m3. The second of these cells started operation in
July 2016 and has clearly expanded the disposal capacity
for this type of waste.
• In Sweden, the Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) is
progressing on a major revision of its regulatory framework.
The revision encompasses enhanced consistency with
the IAEA Safety Standards, the implementation of the
EU directives on nuclear safety, waste management and
the European Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS),
as well as the implementation of the Western European
Nuclear Regulators Association’s (WENRA) applicable
safety reference levels. Key regulations governing the
construction, assessment and operation of nuclear power
reactors as well as waste management practices came
into force on 1 March 2022. In order to mitigate the effects
of the COVID-19 pandemic, task groups have been set up
to continuously analyse the situation and lend support to
decision making. Further to the SSM’s recommendation to
approve the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management
Company’s (SKB) application for a geological disposal
repository for spent fuel, and clarification requested by
the Land and Environment Court regarding the function
of the copper canisters in relation to the long-term safety
of the repository, the government issued a licence under
the Act on Nuclear Activities and positively assessed the
permissibility under the Environmental Code for the final
repository of spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark and for an
encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn on 27 January 2022.
The repository for high-level long-lived waste is planned to
be commissioned last and SKB plans to submit applications
under the Act on Nuclear Activities and the Environmental
Code in the 2030s.
• In Switzerland, the National Cooperative for the
Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) originally planned
to integrate the encapsulation plant for LILW and HLW
(“hot cell”) into the surface facility placed near the deep
geological repository. In reaction to a demand made
by various stakeholders during the public consultation
at the end of stage two, Nagra received the mandate
from the government to explore the option of placing
El Cabril Disposal Facility,
province of Cordoba, Spain.
Enresa (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
21
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
the encapsulation plant externally. After a review by the
relevant authorities, the Federal Council approved on
21 November 2018 the Waste Management Programme
submitted by Nagra in 2016. The results of the review by
the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the Swiss
Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) and the
Commission for Nuclear Safety (CNS) were published
in May 2018. In their statement, the three organisations
recommended specific conditions to the Federal Council
regarding future Waste Management Programmes. These
conditions were then decreed by the Federal Council. The
next Waste Management Programme was published by
the waste producers in December 2021 and is currently
under review by the competent authorities. In September
2021, Nagra announced that a site for the DGR in Nördlich
Lägern had been identified. The general licence application
will be compiled by 2024-2025.
• In Türkiye, the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral
Research Agency (TENMAK) is the radioactive waste
disposal operator, running this activity through its
Radioactive Waste Management Department. The
National Radioactive Waste Management Plan includes
the current radioactive waste inventory, future inventory
estimations, financial arrangements and disposal options.
As a part of this plan, TENMAK is still working on the first
national radioactive waste disposal facility project as a
near-surface disposal solution. The site selection phase
is almost complete, with some site studies continuing.
• In the United Kingdom, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority (NDA) announced in January 2022 the formation
of a new waste division, Nuclear Waste Services, to
oversee waste management activities across the NDA
group and deliver responsible long-term solutions for all of
the United Kingdom’s radioactive waste. It brings together
the Low Level Waste Repository Ltd, Radioactive Waste
Management Ltd (RWM) and the NDA group’s Integrated
Waste Management Programme.
The UK government is committed to implementing
geological disposal for the long-term, safe and secure
management of the most hazardous radioactive waste. In
December 2018, the UK government launched a process
to identify a suitable location for a geological disposal
Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
(THORP) Storage Fuel Pond,
United Kingdom.
Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority (NDA)
22 | NEA Annual Report 2022
facility. The Welsh government launched a similar process
in January 2019. The search for a suitable location is
taking place in England and Wales only. There has been
some important early progress in the siting process for a
geological disposal facility, with community engagement
beginning at four sites in England. Three of the sites are in
west Cumbria, with two in Copeland and one in Allerdale.
The fourth is in Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire.
The NDA’s Integrated Waste Management Programme
was launched in November 2020 and is being led
by Nuclear Waste Services. The programme will
be implemented in phases, with the initial focus on
identifying opportunities to deliver significant benefits
in the areas of waste at the LLW/ILW boundary, waste
management culture and packaging. The NDA published
its latest version of the Interim Storage Guidance of
Higher Activity Waste Packages based on an Integrated
Approach in December 2021. This guidance seeks to
cover the main technical issues identified from the interim
storage of packaged higher activity radioactive waste, to
be practicable in implementation, and to be relevant to
all UK storage system designs. The “Sort & Segregate”
innovation competition was launched in July 2020 and the
Aqueous Waste Management Good Practice Guide was
published in May 2021.
The government policy states that spent fuel management
is a matter for the commercial judgement of its owners,
subject to meeting the necessary regulatory requirements.
The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) ceased
operations in November 2018 and the THORP Receipt and
Storage Fuel Pond has since been used for the storage of
spent fuel arising from the advanced gas-cooled reactor
fleet. It is expected that this spent fuel will be stored until
a decision on a geological disposal facility is made. There
are currently no proposals to reprocess the spent fuel
arising from any new nuclear power stations that might
be built in England and Wales. Reprocessing Magnox
spent fuel through the Magnox Reprocessing Plant was
expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
• In the United States, the Department of Energy (DOE)
is establishing a federal consolidated interim storage
program. To that end, the DOE is developing preliminary

design concepts, analysing and updating information
on inventories of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), performing
systems analysis, planning for large-scale transportation,
and developing a siting process. The DOE plans to use a
consent-based siting process and has issued a request
for information (RFI) on using this process to identify sites
to store the nation’s SNF. The DOE’s intent is to seek
feedback from the public on a range of questions on the
consent-based siting process itself and interim storage as
a component of the nation’s waste management system.
As of March 2022, approximately 200 comments had
been submitted. The DOE plans to use the feedback from
the RFI to develop the next steps, including updating the
consent-based siting process, clarifying an integrated
waste management strategy, and possibly issuing a
funding opportunity. From the regulatory perspective,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has
completed its safety, environmental and security reviews
for the consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) of
Interim Storage Partners, LLC (ISP), a joint venture of
Waste Control Specialists (WCS), in Andrews County,
Texas. It issued a materials licence for the CISF in
September 2021. The NRC is currently reviewing the
second interim storage site application for Holtec
International HI STORE CISF in Lea County, New Mexico.
Disposal of greater-than-Class C (GTCC) LLW is the
responsibility of the Federal Government (DOE). GTCC
LLW has radionuclide concentrations exceeding the
limits for Class C LLW as provided in Title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61.55, and requires
isolation from the human environment for a longer period
of time than do Class A, B and C LLW. GTCC LLW and
GTCC-like waste consists of: activated metals from the
decommissioning of nuclear reactors; sealed sources
that are no longer needed in hospitals, universities, and
industry; and other waste made up of contaminated
equipment, debris, scrap metal, filters, resins, soil and
solidified sludge. The DOE issued the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Disposal of GTCC LLW
and GTCC-like waste, which contained an analysis of
alternatives for the disposal of GTCC LLW and GTCC-like
waste. The preferred alternative in the Final EIS is land
disposal at generic commercial facilities and/or disposal
at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) geological
repository. The DOE also submitted the alternative
analysis to Congress as required by Section 631 of the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct05). The DOE is awaiting
Congressional action before making a final decision
on disposal for GTCC LLW. In response to one of the
agreement state’s requests, the NRC prepared a draft
A load of high-activity waste en route
for disposal at the Waste Isolation
Pilot Plant, a deep geologic repository
near Carlsbad, United States.
Courtesy of the Department of Energy
(CC BY 2.0)
regulatory basis for the disposal of GTCC waste. In a
policy paper submitted to the Commission on October
2020, the staff concluded that most of the GTCC waste
streams it evaluated on the draft regulatory basis are
potentially suitable for near-surface disposal. In addition,
the staff concluded that most of the GTCC waste streams
potentially suitable for near-surface disposal do not
present a hazard such that the NRC should retain disposal
authority. Lastly, the staff recommended combining the
GTCC and transuranic waste rulemaking actions with the
ongoing Title 10 CFR Part 61 rulemaking effort.
Nuclear decommissioning and
legacy management
Over 203 reactors, including commercial power reactors and
experimental reactors, have been permanently shut down
as of the end of 2022. More than 94% of those are in NEA
member countries. Many nuclear power reactors, research
reactors and fuel cycle facilities will reach the end of their
operating lives or be shut down over the next decade or so,
resulting in growing demand for strategies and technologies
in the area of nuclear decommissioning. Significant progress
continues to be made on decommissioning and environmental
remediation projects in NEA member countries.
• In Australia, the High Flux Australian Reactor (HIFAR),
the nation’s first 10 MWe reactor, was permanently
shut down on 30 January 2007 and preparatory work
for decommissioning has been underway since then. In
2020, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation (ANSTO) completed the characterisation
report covering the reactor block (bio shield, reactor
internals), seven neutron beam instruments and redundant
plant and equipment – the main reactor ancillary circuits.
The report gives dose rate estimates, waste type/
volume estimates and radionuclide inventory for the
above. Funding has been approved for phase one of the
decommissioning process, which covers all but the reactor
block dismantling. Discussions between the project team
and the regulator (Australian Radiation Protection and
Nuclear Safety Agency, ARPANSA) have commenced and
ANSTO is planning the submission of a decommissioning
licence application (DLA) expected in mid-2023.
The Little Forest Legacy Site (LFLS) on the southern
periphery of Sydney contains low-level radioactive waste
buried in closely spaced unlined trenches between 1960
and 1968. The site has undergone an extensive scientific
evaluation in recent years and was judged to not present a
hazard in its present state. However, a process known as
23
 Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot.
Create Ltd
the “bathtub effect” has been observed in the mobilisation
of actinides at the site, and a groundwater plume of tritium
has been delineated. During 2020-21, research continued
at the site, focusing on two experimental trenches that
replicate the waste trenches and permit detailed studies
of site hydrology and response to rainfall, as well as
chemical evolution of simulated wastes. In addition, a
major study of beryllium is underway. Beryllium disposed
to the trenches constitutes a substantial non-radioactive
hazard at the LFLS. This work continued in 2022. Various
management options for the LFLS were presented to the
ARPANSA in December 2019, and then subsequently
in December 2022 a request to install a geotextile
membrane on top of the trenches was submitted for
approval to support management of the “bathtub effect”.
• In Belgium, Belgoprocess, the daughter company of
national waste management organisation ONDRAF/
NIRAS, completed new builds to extend the interim
storage capacity of low-level and medium-level waste.
These are expected to be used mainly in the dismantling
of the nuclear power reactors, as phase-out is foreseen
in 2025 in Belgium. Belgoprocess also continues the
dismantling and remediation of the former research site
Eurochemic. At the site of Fleurus, ONDRAF/NIRAS
continues the dismantling of the former medical isotopes
production plant that went bankrupt.
• In Canada, Hydro-Québec, which shut down its single-
unit CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) reactor at
the Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station in 2012, plans
to place the facility in a dry, safe storage state by the
mid-2020s. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
(CNSC) issued a 10 -year decommissioning licence
to Hydro-Québec for Gentilly-2 in June 2016. All used
fuel was transferred from wet to dry storage by the end
of 2020, permitting the drainage of the storage pool.
Hydro-Québec has adopted a deferred decommissioning
strategy, with final decommissioning expected to take
place in the 2050s. The radioactive waste is safely stored
on site in a solid radioactive waste management facility.
An ageing management programme is in place to ensure
that the installation fulfils design requirements until a
permanent disposal site is available.
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has indicated its intention
to shut down Pickering’s units 1 and 4 in 2024 and units 5
to 8 in 2025. OPG’s plan requires approval from the CNSC.
OPG’s current deferred decommissioning strategy is a
multi-decade process with distinct phases, beginning
with removal of the fuel and water to place the station in
a safe storage state. That is followed by moving the used
24 | NEA Annual Report 2022
fuel into dry storage and eventually moving it from site.
After a period of long-term monitoring and surveillance,
the facilities will be dismantled and the site restored,
approximately 40 years after the end of commercial
operation. The Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability
(CCNS) in Pickering is an innovation hub that brings
together industry, community and wider global entities
to lead the safe, cost-effective and environmentally and
socially responsible decommissioning of OPG’s nuclear
fleet. The CCNS co-ordinates the development of strategic
and innovative solutions for decontamination, dismantling,
site remediation and nuclear material management. It also
mobilises research and development opportunities and
aligns the nuclear supply chain to support sustainable
solutions for the clean energy life cycle to prove that
nuclear energy can be an enduring benefit today and for
generations to come, far into the future.
• In Finland, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority
(STUK), the national regulator, is overseeing the decom-
missioning and dismantling of the FiR TRIGA Mark II
research reactor, the first reactor to be decommissioned in
the country. In June 2021, the Technical Research Centre
of Finland Ltd (VTT) was granted the decommissioning
licence by the Council of State, after STUK performed the
safety assessment in 2019. The VTT shipped all used fuel
from FiR 1 to further use in the United States at the end of
2020, and the United States will manage the fuel when it is
no longer used. The VTT and Fortum have agreed on broad
collaboration on the decommissioning of FiR 1, including
dismantling planning, dismantling and waste management.
The plans for dismantling are essentially complete, and the
main dismantling phase is scheduled for 2023, followed by
clearance of the site. The STUK has reviewed the technical
plans and reports submitted by VTT in 2022 and given
to the Finnish Government the safety assessment on the
decommissioning of the reactor.
• In France, 36 nuclear facilities of various types (power
and research reactors, laboratories, fuel reprocessing
plants, waste treatment facilities, etc.) were either
permanently shut down or undergoing decommissioning,
which represents more than a quarter of the nuclear
facilities in operation. Électricité de France (EDF), Orano
and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy
Commission (CEA) are the main concerned nuclear
operators. In accordance with French national energy
policy, EDF shut down both reactors at the Fessenheim
nuclear power plant during 2020. Decommissioning
is scheduled to start by 2025 and should last 15 years.
The defueling phase is ongoing while EDF prepares the
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
shipment of the steam generators to its Swedish melting
facility in order to sort, reuse and recycle the material as
much as possible. This is part of EDF’s strategy to reduce
the volume of waste to be disposed of, in consideration
of the environment and raw resource preservation (which
includes disposal as a rare resource to be preserved). The
feedback from such decommissioning will allow EDF
to capitalise on its experience to benefit the entire EDF
Group worldwide as well as its partners over the long
term. This EDF strategy will continue to be applied to the
11 reactors already shut down. Nine of these reactors
are now being decommissioned in parallel. They are
spread over seven sites and are of four different nuclear
technologies: PWRs, a fast breeder reactor, a heavy water
reactor and graphite gas-cooled reactors. Regarding the
latter technology, EDF Chinon A2 will be the first of its
kind full-scale graphite nuclear power plant in the world to
be dismantled. Dismantling will start in 2032, using mainly
innovative remotely operated devices. To meet such a
challenge, EDF included a Decommissioning Graphite
Reactor Demonstrator Facility in its strategy. It will enable
the definition, testing and qualification of decommissioning
scenarios thanks to specially designed representative
full-scale mock-ups. This installation rapidly gathered
the attention of several countries, and was recognised
by international organisations (such as the NEA and
European Commission). It was acknowledged as an “IAEA
Collaborating Centre” in September 2021 and inaugurated
on 23 June 2022. It will become a testing and training
platform for operators from all over the world in the use
of remote handling and digital tools for decommissioning.
In 2022, the CEA continued its decommissioning and
waste retrieval projects, especially in three main directions.
First, historic waste retrieval remains the highest priority.
For some of the most important retrieval projects, design
phases have been completed, especially magnesium hulls
and bitumen drums in Marcoule and intermediate-level
waste in Cadarache. Meanwhile, Phénix’s fuel evacuation
remained steady and the fuel from INB 72 in Saclay
decreases regularly. Second is improving the robustness
of its strategy, especially on waste management facilities
and transportation casks. Important maintenance work
on the facilities, which deal with irradiated waste, is
being prepared. The liquid waste cementation facility
has undertaken complete pre-commissioning tests
(and was to restart in September 2022) and two solid
waste treatment facilities are being designed. Third,
ambitious R&D projects are still underway to support
decommissioning activities: waste tomography, robotics,
fast structural radiological characterisation, etc. Some of
these projects are undertaken inside the H2020 frame,
such as Inno4graph, which deals with graphite reactor
dismantling, or the LD-safe project for laser cutting of
complex components of nuclear reactors.
Orano has been engaged in the decommissioning of its
own facilities since the 1980s, often for re-purposing
older facilities at the time. The most significant
decommissioning projects at the moment are UP2-400
and Georges Besse 1. At the end of 2021, approximately
35% of UP2-400 facility decommissioning was completed.
In 2021, dismantling activities focused on the retrieval of
legacy waste and the dismantling of the main process
equipment, both in alpha contaminated and beta gamma
contaminated facilities. The three largest legacy waste
retrieval projects in La Hague are: (i) Silo 130, a large
inventory of graphite, magnesium and mixed waste stored
in a concrete silo. The construction of the retrieval and
waste conditioning equipment was completed by 2018,
and retrieval began in October 2019; (ii) Silo HAO, a large
inventory of mixed oxide fuel hulls and end pieces stored
under water in a vast metal clad silo. The construction of
the retrieval cell and equipment installation on top of the
silo is in progress; (iii) Silos STE2, a 10 000 m3 inventory
of sludge resulting from effluent decontamination. The
sludge conditioning process is currently under study while
preparatory work to allow future equipment installation
is in progress. For the Georges Besse 1 programme,
following four years of post-operation cleanout and plant
rinsing from 2012 to 2016, the decommissioning licences
were obtained in 2020. The Basic Design Phase is almost
completed, and detailed design of the decommissioning
scenario was due to start in 2022.
To assess its licensees’ ability to implement its
decommissioning projects or its legacy waste retrieval and
packaging projects (WRP) within the stipulated timeframes,
the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) developed,
jointly with the General Directorate for Energy and Climate,
an exploratory approach to monitor each project. This
exploratory approach allows a combined assessment of
compliance with deadlines, scope and cost, as these three
aspects are closely dependent on each other.
• In Germany, the Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer
Protection published the “Guide to the decommissioning,
the safe enclosure and the dismantling of facilities or parts
thereof as defined in § 7 of the Atomic Energy Act” in an
updated version on 23 November 2021. The nuclear power
plants Grohnde, Gundremmingen Unit C and Brokdorf
were permanently shut down on 31 December 2021.
Robot milling tool.
KIT
25
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
• In Italy, nine nuclear installations are in the
decommissioning phase and have reached different
stages of dismantling. All the plants are managed by the
Società Gestione Impianti Nucleari SpA (Sogin), owned
by the Italian State. They include (1) four nuclear power
plants, (2) four plants related to the fuel cycle (two for pilot
activities on the reprocessing of spent fuel of the U-Pu and
U-Th cycles, one for the handling of mixed U-Pu oxides
and production of MOX fuel, and an industrial plant for
the production of nuclear fuel LEU), and (3) the ISPRA 1
research reactor located at the Ispra Joint Research Centre
of the European Commission. All the plants have been
under permanent shutdown since the early 1990s. In
particular, the nuclear power plants of Garigliano (160 MWe
BWR), Trino (270 MWe PWR) and Caorso (870 MWe
BWR), have been defueled, low contamination systems
and ancillary components dismantled, and operating waste
treated. Following the decommissioning authorisations
about 10 years ago, common decommissioning projects
and guidelines were developed for the three vessels being
dismantled, taking into account the different layouts and
the application of tailored technical decommissioning
solutions. The fourth reactor, Latina (single 210 MWe
Magnox graphite reactor), obtained the decommissioning
authorisation on May 2020 and Sogin has begun the
initial phase of dismantling, starting with the dismantling
of the steam generators. The fuel cycle pilot plants have
completed the removal of fuel and nuclear material and
are engaged in the construction of medium-range liquid
radioactive waste conditioning plants, while the industrial
nuclear fuel production plant is in the final stage of
decommissioning. In June 2022, Sogin announced the
completion of the dismantling of the former fuel fabrication
plant at Bosco Marengo – the first decommissioned Italian
nuclear facility to be returned to a brownfield site. Italy’s
National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation
Protection (ISIN) issued the Technical Guide No. 31 on
safety criteria for decommissioning of nuclear installations
after public consultations were completed. The guidance
establishes objectives and general safety and radiation
protection criteria for the qualification of the site and the
design, construction, operation, closure and post-closure
of surface disposal facilities for radioactive waste.
• In Japan, from the viewpoint of resource utilisation, there is
an ongoing effort to promote the recycling of wastes below
the clearance level by expanding recycling destinations
and enhancing public understanding. The Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has been carrying out
a demonstration project for the establishment of a safe
recycling process with industrial operators in the 12 months
through March 2022. The 5th revision of the “Mid-and-Long
Term Roadmap towards the Decommissioning of Tokyo
Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station (FDNPS)” was published in December
2019. It remarks steady progress in the decommissioning
of FDNPS, in accordance with the “Mid-and-Long Term
Roadmap”. Other highlights include:
– Progress towards the experimental retrieval of fuel debris,
such as having proceeded mock-up tests since February
2022, with a robotic arm developed with the United
Kingdom.
26 | NEA Annual Report 2022
– Swimming robots have been deployed in the primary
containment vessel of unit 1 since February 2022 to
investigate internal circumstances.
– The IAEA released the report of a peer review on
decommissioning of FDNPS (August 2021), and
appreciated the announcement in April 2021 of the
Government of Japan’s basic policy on the handling of
the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated
water stored in the FDNPS, as it will facilitate the
implementation of the decommissioning plan.
– Based on the above basic policy, TEPCO will conduct the
discharge of the ALPS treated water into the sea, subject
to the approval of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
– IAEA officials and international experts visited Japan in
February 2022, as part of an ongoing review of safety
aspects of the handling of ALPS treated water in line with
international safety standards. This project was initiated
in 2021, and will continue for several years before, during
and after the treated water discharge.
• In Korea, the government unveiled on 17 April 2019 a
blueprint to build up the nuclear decommissioning industry,
with the aim of becoming one of the top five global players
in the field by the mid-2030s. The Ministry of Trade,
Industry and Energy said Korea hopes to account for 10%
of the world’s nuclear decommissioning market by taking
advantage of its nuclear phase-out plan to gain valuable
know-how and technology. It said the decommissioning
industry can become a new growth engine for the
energy industry. Under the phase-out plan announced
by the government, Korea would reduce the number of
commercial nuclear reactors to 14 units by 2038 from the
current 24, while increasing the share of renewable energy
in its power portfolio to 20% by 2030 from the current
7%. The ministry said the imminent decommissioning
of unit 1 at the Kori nuclear power plant will help Korea
acquire the technology needed to further develop the
industry. Kori 1 was officially shut down in June 2017
after 40 years of commercial operation. Korea Hydro &
Nuclear Power (KHNP) has applied to the Nuclear Safety
& Security Commission (NSSC) for approval to dismantle
unit 1 of the Kori nuclear power plant near Busan in 2021.
Dismantling of cooling towers
at the Caorso nuclear power plant, Italy.
SOGIN

• In Norway, the Norwegian Nuclear Decommissioning
(NND) agency is established under the Ministry of Trade,
Industry and Fisheries (NFD) and will eventually take over
responsibility for radioactive waste management and
decommissioning, as well as running the repositories for
nuclear waste and spent fuel. The NND has submitted
partial licence applications in 2021. The final licence
application will undergo thorough review, including broad
hearing. The research reactors at Halden and Kjeller
are permanently shut down, but no application has yet
been made for a licence to start decommissioning:
The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority
(DSA) regulates the current licensee and will regulate
the NND. Norway is developing a National Strategy
for the Management of Radioactive Waste, including
management of spent fuel and decommissioning. The
decommissioning process is the main focus currently.
• In Russia, nuclear decommissioning activities under
Federal Target Programme NRS-2 were performed at
17 sites and affected 36 facilities, with the following sites
worthy of note:
– FSUE Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC): the Production
Uranium-Graphite Reactor (PUGR) AD decommissioning is
ongoing. According to the selected design option, reactor
premises are being backfilled with clay-based barrier
materials. Operations on PUGR ADE-1 decommissioning
have started. The spaces of the reactor shaft and non-
reactor rooms were backfilled with barrier materials and
temperature and radiation control systems were installed,
among other things.
– JSC Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC): Preparatory work
has begun to provide the isolation of an open storage
reservoir for liquid radioactive waste, or LRW (pulp
storage), similarly to pools B-1 and B-2 (surface LRW
storage reservoirs).
– FSUE Mayak Production Association (PA Mayak): two
shutdown facilities at this radiochemical plant have been
decommissioned. Pre-decommissioning efforts are under
way at other buildings and structures to demonstrate the
hydrogeological safety of decommissioning. Pre-isolation
efforts are underway at the LRW storage reservoir V-17
(Staroe Boloto), which holds a total of 1.2 million curies
(Ci). A design assignment has been developed and agreed
upon and an expert examination of engineering surveys
has been completed.
– Other sites: The dismantling of nuclear-powered
icebreakers Arktika and Siberia, operated by FSUE
Atomflot, is ongoing. Parts of the Arktika icebreaker were
Interim storage of radioactive
waste (IS RAW) on the site of
Jaslovské Bohunice.
JAVYS
transported for long-term storage to the Sayda storage
facility. A refining radiation survey was performed for
the contaminated systems and equipment of the nuclear
icebreaker Siberia, while individual sections and structures
were dismantled and decontaminated.
A total of five nuclear facilities were decommissioned
in 2021: two buildings of the radiochemical plant at
PA Mayak site, two buildings of the NIIP complex and
nuclear-powered icebreaker Siberia operated by Atomflot.
A total of 88 800 m 2 of radioactively contaminated
areas were remediated. In 2022, the efforts on the
introduction of modern digital information technologies to
support planning and design development under nuclear
decommissioning continued. Dismantling Information
Models (DIMs) were developed for a radiochemical
production site operated by FSUE RADON, units of
MCC’s radiochemical plant to be decommissioned in the
first place and sites No. 1 and 2 operated by JSC Radium
Institute. The models were built using ground-based
laser scanning method, as well as taking into account
the available design and as-built documentation and the
comprehensive engineering and radiation survey data.
• In the Slovak Republic, the decommissioning programme
consists of two ongoing projects, both located at the
Bohunice site. The first is the decommissioning of the
A1 nuclear power plant, a heavy water gas-cooled reactor
that was shut down in 1977 after a primary coolant system
integrity accident with local damage to the fuel. The
second project is the decommissioning of two VVER‑440
reactors at the V1 nuclear power plant that were shut
down in accordance with government resolutions in
2006 and 2008. In 2022, these two projects continued
with certain restrictions and under conditions set by
decommissioning company JAVYS. Decommissioning of
the V1 nuclear power plant is currently focused on the
dismantling of large components of the reactor cooling
system, fragmentation of activated components, as well
as the fragmentation of steam generators. The first reactor
vessel and 70% of the second reactor vessel, including
reactor internals, have been fragmented and packed. All
main circulation pumps and main isolation valves have
been completely fragmented, as well as 8 out of 12 steam
generators. Activated fragments are in the interim storage
waiting for future deep disposal. The rest of the fragments
have been either disposed of at the LLW/ILW disposal
facility or released. At the A1 nuclear power plant, the
dismantling of steam generators, CO2 compressors and
main CO2 circulation valves is being performed, in addition
to the processing of historical waste.
27
 Krško nuclear power plant,
Slovenia.
Katja143 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• In Slovenia, there are three operating nuclear facilities
(the Krško nuclear power plant, the TRIGA Research
Reactor, and the Central Storage Facility for Radioactive
Waste in Brinje), none of which is being decommissioned.
Pursuant to national legislation and internationally
recognised standards, the owner or operator of a nuclear
or radiation facility is responsible for its decommissioning.
In accordance with the Ionising Radiation Protection and
Nuclear Safety Act and its implementing regulations, the
owner or operator is also obliged to ensure an appropriate
facility decommissioning programme.
The programme for the decommissioning of the
Krško nuclear power plant and the disposal of low and
intermediate-level waste (LILW) and spent nuclear fuel
from the Krško nuclear power plant (the Decommissioning
Programme) was prepared in April 2004 and approved
in 2005. The Decommissioning Programme must be
updated at least every five years. An intergovernmental
commission gave its final approval of the third revision
in July 2020. The Slovenian government decided that
starting 1 January 2022, GEN Energija, should contribute
0.012 euro per kWh towards decommissioning.
As for the decommissioning of the TRIGA Mark II Research
Reactor, a research project estimating the quantity and
composition of LILW resulting from dismantling was
carried out. A decommissioning plan for the reactor was
prepared in 2007 and revised in 2016 and 2021. It has
been estimated that about 105 tonnes of LILW would be
produced in decommissioning. There are no plans to shut
down this reactor in the near future.
In January 2021, ARAO (the national waste management
organisation) prepared a new revision of the
decommissioning programme for the Central Storage
Facility for Radioactive Waste in Brinje (CSF). It is expected
that all LILW from the CSF that meets the disposal waste
acceptance criteria will be transported to and disposed of
in the planned LILW repository in Vrbina. The CSF remains
in operation as a central storage facility for institutional
radioactive waste while the Vrbina LILW repository will
be in standby phase at least until the decommissioning
of the CSF, which is planned for 2058. According to this
scenario, the CSF’s will be decommissioned in 2058 and
handed over for unrestricted use in 2059. Demolition of
the facility is not planned.
• In Spain, unit 1 at Vandellòs nuclear power plant (graphite-
gas UNGG-500 MWe) remains in dormancy (safe store of
28 | NEA Annual Report 2022
the pre-stressed thick concrete reactor vessel). Level 3
of the dismantling process is expected to start by 2030.
The decommissioning of José Cabrera (Zorita), a PWR-
type 160 MWe reactor, is close to its final stages. Once the
dismantling of systems and components, the removal of
activated/contaminated structures and embedments and
the decontamination of buildings have been completed,
the focus will turn to the implementation of the clearance
methodology, the demolition of buildings and structures
and the remediation of the site. The objective of the soil
washing works is to reduce the volume of contaminated
materials to be managed as VLLW. The latest review
showed the works programme to be 97.5% complete.
A third nuclear power plant, Santa María de Garoña (BWR-
460 MWe), was permanently shut down in 2017. A report
explaining the approach of dismantling in two phases was
presented to the Ministry for Ecological Transition and
the Demographic Challenge (MITERD). The Framework
Agreement on Activities Prior to the Dismantling of the
Nuclear Power Plant between the Spanish radioactive
waste management agency (Enresa) and the nuclear
power plant owner, NUCLENOR, was approved.
According to Enresa’s forecasts, the authorisation could
be effective in 2023, which would be the starting point for
work in the first phase of decommissioning. This phase,
which is expected to last three years, will focus on loading
spent fuel in casks and transferring it from the pool to
the plant’s individual spent fuel storage facility, as well
as on the dismantling of the turbine building, with the
aim of preparing it to be an auxiliary dismantling building
necessary for the execution of the second phase. The
second phase of the decommissioning will also require
authorisation from MITERD after a favourable report from
the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN). In this phase, which is
expected to start in 2025 and last seven years, the reactor
and the rest of the buildings with radiological implications
will be dismantled. The phase foresees decontamination
and declassification activities, the demolition of buildings
and, eventually, the environmental restoration of the site.
The Almaraz nuclear power plant’s units I & II are the next
installations to be dismantled. They are scheduled to be
shut down by 2027 and 2028, with Enresa starting initial
engineering studies in 2022.
• In Sweden, the two boiling water reactors (BWRs) at
the Barsebäck site were permanently shut down in 1999
and 2005, respectively. All spent nuclear fuel, control
rods and core instrumentation were transferred to SKB’s
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
Central Interim Storage Facility (CLAB) by 2007. The first
decommissioning activities, the segmentation of the
reactor internals, were conducted between 2016 and
2018. The nuclear waste from these activities is stored
on site in a purpose-built interim storage facility until the
final repository for long-lived radioactive waste is available
around 2045. The licensee of the Barsebäck nuclear power
plant, Barsebäck Kraft AB, was granted all the necessary
authorisations for the dismantling and demolition of the
units in 2019. Since 2020, the licensee has completed the
segmentation of the reactor pressure vessel in Barsebäck
unit 1, the dismantling of the turbines and generators in
both units, and the dismantling of part of the systems in
the containment of unit 1. The current work is focused
on the dismantling of the condensers in both units, of
the biological shield in unit 1 and of part of the systems
in the reactor buildings of both units. The radiological
dismantling and demolition of Barsebäck units 1 and 2
is planned to be completed by 2028. Clearance of the
remaining structures of unit 1 and 2 and their conventional
demolition is planned to be completed by 2030. At this
point, only the three interim storage facilities will remain
in operation on a smaller part of the Barsebäck site. These
facilities will be decommissioned once the nuclear waste
has been transferred to the respective final repository or
an external interim storage facility. No shallow land-fill
exists on the Barsebäck site.
At the Oskarshamn site, the two oldest boiling water
reactors, units 1 and 2, were permanently shut down in
2017 and 2015, respectively. All spent nuclear fuel, control
rods and core instrumentation from these units were
transferred to the Central Interim Storage Facility (CLAB) by
2019. The first decommissioning activities (segmentation
of reactor internals) were conducted between 2018 and
2020. The nuclear waste from these activities will remain
stored on-site in an existing interim storage facility until
the final repository for long-lived radioactive waste is
available around 2045. In 2019, the licensee, OKG AB,
was granted all necessary authorisations for the remaining
dismantling and demolition activities. Since 2020, the
licensee has completed the dismantling of the turbines
and generators in both units. The ongoing work comprises
the dismantling of systems in the containments and
the dismantling of the condensers in both units. The
radiological dismantling and demolition of the two units
should be completed by 2028. Clearance of the remaining
structures and conventional demolition are planned to be
conducted in the mid‑2040s, after permanent shutdown
of unit 3 at the Oskarshamn site.
At the Ringhals nuclear power plant, unit 2 (a pressurised
water reactor, PWR) was permanently shut down at
the end of 2019. Unit 1 (BWR) was permanently shut
down on 31 December 2020. The licensee, Ringhals AB,
commenced with the decommissioning program. Transfer
of the spent nuclear fuel and control rods to CLAB was
completed in mid-2022. Chemical decontamination of
the primary circuits in Units 1 and 2 was performed in
2021. The complete separation of the two units under
decommissioning from Units 3 and 4, which are planned
to be in operation until the early 2040s, is ongoing. The
applications for dismantling and demolition of Units 1
and 2 are planned to be submitted to the Radiation Safety
Authority (SSM) in early 2023.
The decommissioning project of the test and research
reactors in Studsvik, which started in February 2015, was
planned to be completed in 2022 with the clearance for
free release of the remaining buildings.
The Ågesta pressurised heavy water reactor was
permanently shut down in 1974. The licensee, Vattenfall
AB, was granted all the necessary authorisations for
the decommissioning activities in 2020. After certain
preparatory activities, e.g. installation of new equipment,
the dismantling of systems and components commenced
in 2020. Dismantling of the reactor pressure vessel began
in early 2022. The radiological dismantling and demolition
activities are planned to be completed by the end of 2024.
The uranium mining and milling facilities in Ranstad were
constructed and operated in the 1960s. All remaining
nuclear installations are now demolished. The restoration
and final radiological survey of the site are finished. Site
release for industrial use with restrictions was approved
at the end of 2019. The mill tailings area close to the
industrial site will remain under institutional control. As a
last regulatory oversight activity, the SSM reviewed the
final decommissioning report in 2021.
Central Interim Storage Facility (CLAB),
Oskarshamn, Sweden).
Dean Calma/IAEA
29
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
• In Switzerland, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy
(SFOE) approved in 2018 the decommissioning plan
for the commercial nuclear power plant of Mühleberg.
Immediately after the shutdown in 2019, BKW Energy
Ltd started dismantling activities with spent fuel on site.
Activities in the first two years included the clearing out
of the turbine floor and the installation of decontamination
and waste treatment facilities as well as the removal
of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) internals. Nearly
all decontamination and waste treatment facilities in
the turbine building were installed and the logistics
infrastructure was extended with the installation of
four new freight elevators. Due to transport route and
logistics optimisations, a new zone for free release
measures in the turbine building could be set up and
put into operation. Dismantling activities in the turbine
and reactor building were continued and intensified. The
focus of the dismantling work in the turbine building is on
the area of the condenser. In dealing with conventional
pollutants, the main focus is on asbestos remediation.
In the reactor building, the systems no longer required
for cooling the spent fuel elements were taken out of
service and successively dismantled. In addition to other
minor dismantling activities, the internals of the torus
were removed. The completion of the dismantling of the
torus itself was planned for 2022. After the preparatory
assembly work for cutting, packaging and removal of the
RPV internals was completed, dismantling of the steam
dryer started. These activities had to be stopped in the
end of 2021 to allow necessary preparatory work for the
transport of spent fuel to the Swiss central interim storage
in Würenlingen (ZWILAG). Transport will be carried out
within the next two years. According to the plans of BKW,
decommissioning will be completed in 2030.
Project HERON (the decommissioning of the Beznau
nuclear power plant) was set up in 2016 to prepare a
final decommissioning plan, which includes obtaining
a decommissioning licence before power production
ceases. HERON wants to use the preparation time to
create an optimal technical and organisational set-up
Swiss central interim storage in
Würenlingen (ZWILAG).
Nagra
30 | NEA Annual Report 2022
for decommissioning, including post-operation, nuclear
dismantling and disposal of radioactive waste.
In addition, there are three nuclear facilities that have already
been completely decommissioned (VAKL Lucens, Uni
Genève Research Reactor and Uni Basel Research Reactor).
Four nuclear facilities (DIORIT, SAPHIR, PROTEUS and the
Paul Scherrer Institute [PSI] test incinerator facility) are in
the process of being decommissioned.
• In the United Kingdom, the Energy Act requires the
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to review its
strategy at least every five years, setting out its strategic
direction and objectives. In 2020 the consultation
process of the NDA’s strategy was carried out and the
new strategy published in March 2021. The NDA is
responsible for delivering the decommissioning and
clean-up of the United Kingdom’s 17 public sector civil
nuclear legacy sites. Tackling the legacy safely, securely,
cost-effectively and in ways that protect the environment,
while minimising the burden to taxpayers, remains a
national priority. The NDA’s funding has been maintained
at around GBP 3 billion a year, enabling it to continue to
make progress on decommissioning, with a particular
focus on tackling the highest hazards at Sellafield. In
November 2021, NDA published its latest iteration of
the Mission Progress Report (MPR), which focuses on
the key themes that form the milestones by which it will
deliver its mission across these nuclear sites.
The Magnox reactor decommissioning strategy has been
under review and has reached an important milestone.
In 2016, the NDA committed to reviewing this strategy
with Magnox Limited to take account of new experience
and developments in the decommissioning landscape.
Having completed the review of the Magnox reactor
decommissioning strategy, the NDA and Magnox Limited
have concluded that whilst the deferred decommissioning
strategy continues to have benefits in some cases, it is
not appropriate as a blanket strategy for all reactors in
the Magnox fleet because of different designs, locations,
age and physical conditions. Consequently, the NDA
 has endorsed a site-specific approach to Magnox
reactor decommissioning that will involve a mix of
decommissioning strategies. For some sites this will
result in their decommissioning being brought forward,
whilst for others a deferral strategy with varying care
and maintenance periods will be the chosen approach.
Magnox Limited is now preparing business cases,
informed by local and national stakeholder views, for
implementing this strategic change.
Sellafield is home to some of the highest hazard facilities
in the NDA estate: the Legacy Ponds and Silos and
the Special Nuclear Materials Facilities. The retrievals
programme to remove the inventory of radioactive waste
from the Legacy Ponds and Silos is being accelerated
with the use of innovative technology and first-of-a-kind
solutions. Recent achievement includes:
– Nuclear clean-up teams have removed the huge diffuser
at the top of the Windscale Pile Chimney on the Sellafield
site after 3 years of careful dismantling. The diffuser
gave the 125-metre chimney its distinctive top heavy
appearance. The achievement has also removed the
seismic risk associated with the chimney.
– Sellafield Ltd’s supply chain team received national
recognition in three categories at a prestigious Excellence
in Procurement awards in London. The company was
highly commended in the Best Supplier Relationship
Management Initiative category alongside supply
chain partner State of Flux at the Chartered Institute of
Procurement and Supply (CIPS) ceremony, and shortlisted
for two other awards.
Britain’s most hazardous nuclear building is now a step
closer to being decommissioned and is one of the NDA’s
priority programmes. The demolition of Sellafield’s tallest
stack is almost complete.
The UK government and the devolved administrations are
currently considering an update of the policy framework
on nuclear decommissioning and radioactive substances
management, with the aim of bringing forward proposals
for consultation in due course.
• In the United States, as of March 2022, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) provides regulatory
oversight of 25 permanently shut down power reactors in
various stages of decommissioning. Of these 25 reactors,
17 are undergoing active decommissioning (DECON)
and 8 have elected to defer dismantlement (SAFSTOR),
as permitted by regulation to allow for radioactive decay.
The 8 safe store plants include Dresden unit 1, Fermi unit 1,
GE Vallecitos-ESADA-Vallecitos Experimental Superheat
Reactor (EVESR), Millstone unit 1, Peach Bottom unit 1,
Three Mile Island unit 1, and Kewaunee. The 8th safe store
plant is Duane Arnold, which permanently shut down in
August 2020. The NRC approved the licence transfer of
Kewaunee to EnergySolutions, which will also be moving
to active decommissioning. The 17 power reactors in
active DECON are: San Onofre Units 1, 2, and 3, Indian
Point unit 1, 2 and 3, Zion Units 1 and 2, GE Vallecitos
BWR, La Crosse, Fort Calhoun, Crystal River, Nuclear Ship
Savannah (which possesses an NRC licence under 10 CFR
Part 50 for power reactors), Oyster Creek, Pilgrim, Three
Mile Island unit 2 and Vermont Yankee. San Onofre units 1,
2 and 3 are on a 20-year schedule to perform radiological
decommissioning. Zion Units 1 and 2 have completed
all physical decommissioning after being in SAFSTOR
for 15 years; the remaining regulatory activity includes
Decommissioning at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating
Station, California, United States.
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (CC BY 2.0)
the review of the licensee’s final status survey prior to
license termination. The La Crosse licence termination
plan was approved in 2019. In May 2022, NRC approved a
partial site release of La Crosse site Class 2 and 3 survey
units that constituted a significant portion of the site for
unrestricted use. In early 2023, NRC expects to approve
the remaining areas under the licence for unrestricted
use, leaving only the on-site Independent Spent Fuel
Storage Facility (ISFSI) under NRC license and continued
inspection. Fort Calhoun started active decommissioning
and has submitted its licence termination plan for NRC
approval. In late 2020, the Crystal River licence was
transferred to Accelerated Decommissioning Partners
(ADP) and the installation is in active decommissioning
with plans to decommission the site by 2028. The TMI
unit 2 licence was transferred to TMI-2 Solutions, a
subsidiary of EnergySolutions. GE Vallecitos Boiling
Water Reactor (GE-VBWR) is expecting to complete the
removal of the remaining reactor components in 2023. The
Nuclear Ship Savannah has completed modifications to
allow access to the reactor compartment and is beginning
active dismantling activities. Vermont Yankee is making
significant progress and NorthStar expects to complete
decommissioning by 2030. With the licence transfer
approvals with asset sales of Oyster Creek, Pilgrim, and
Indian Point 1, 2, 3 to Holtec International, these sites
are also in active decommissioning, with accelerated
schedules to complete decommissioning. Three additional
reactors, Palisades and Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2, have
issued press releases or submitted formal notifications
to the NRC stating that they will permanently shut down
between 2022 and the end of 2025. Palisades ceased
operations in May 2022 and is planning to begin active
decommissioning.
The progress in power and early demonstration reactor
decommissioning is expected to continue. In 2021,
the NRC terminated the Humboldt Bay power reactor
licence and terminated the licences of the two General
Atomics TRIGA Research Reactors. The NRC expects
power reactor decommissioning activities to increase in
the coming years and several power reactor licensees
have announced they are considering licence transfers
to facilitate decommissioning of the plants. The NRC
continues to work with other Federal agencies, States, and
other interested parties to address the varied challenges
at sites with technical or financial issues.
31
 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022
A view of the Moab uranium
mill tailings pile.
United States Department of
Energy (CC0)
The NRC is currently overseeing nine complex materials
sites that are undergoing decommissioning. Complex
materials sites are defined as sites where the complexity
of the decommissioning process will require more
than minimal technical and administrative support. The
decommissioning process is expected to take more
than a year to complete for these sites. Examples of
complex materials sites include sites with groundwater
contamination, sites containing significant soil
contamination, sites in which the owners are in bankruptcy,
any site where a decommissioning plan is required, all fuel
cycle facilities undergoing decommissioning, and sites
where there is significant public and/or Congressional
interest. In 2021, decommissioning activities were
completed at the United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) site in
Connecticut, and the site was released for unrestricted use.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for and
has regulatory authority over most of the spent nuclear
fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste management activities
for DOE-owned and generated waste and materials,
mostly located on government-owned sites. This
includes disposition of low-level waste, transuranic waste,
government-owned SNF, and greater-than-class-C waste.
Significant progress continues to be made on dismantling,
decommissioning and environmental remediation projects
across the DOE complex. The United States has a legacy
of radioactive waste from past government activities
spanning five decades. A total of 107 sites covering
more than 0.8 million hectares of land have been used by
the government for nuclear research and development
and nuclear weapons production activities. Only a small
fraction of this land has detectable contamination. Full
remediation is complete at 91 of 107 DOE sites.
Recent significant achievements in DOE cleanup efforts
include the following:
– Oak Ridge: With demolition of the legacy gaseous diffusion
plants complete, the DOE has established agreements to
transfer over 3 500 acres (1 400 hectares) of cleared land
for conservation and recreational use, and additional land
to house the Manhattan Project National Historic Park.
Cleanup work at the site is now focused on Y-12, the
national center for handling, processing and storing highly
enriched uranium. Crews there are now in various stages of
deactivation and demolition preparation inside 23 facilities,
including former research reactors, uranium processing
facilities, isotope and fission development laboratories and
support buildings. Oak Ridge National Laboratory ( ORNL)
and Y-12 house hundreds of excess contaminated facilities
32 | NEA Annual Report 2022
that comprise the largest inventory of high-risk buildings in
the DOE complex.
– Moab: The Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action
(UMTRA) Project reached a milestone in October 2021,
commemorating 10.8 million tonnes of residual radioactive
material shipped from a former uranium ore processing
facility in Moab, Utah, to the disposal cell near Crescent
Junction, Utah. This represents 75% of the 14.5 million
tonnes originally at the site.
– Portsmouth: In 2021, following more than nine years
of safe and systematic deactivation, workers began the
structural demolition of the 240 000 square metre X-326
process building, one of the three large former uranium
enrichment facilities at the site. By the end 2021, 40%
of the building’s structure had been demolished, with
the expectation that the remaining structural demolition
would be completed in 2022. Also, the Portsmouth
site began operations of a new on-site waste disposal
facility for debris from demolition of the diffusion plant.
In total, the facility expects to receive up to 3.8 million
cubic metres of demolition debris and soils from the
Portsmouth cleanup project.
– Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC):
Significant progress on cleanup at ETEC continued for
a second year as the DOE safely demolished its final
18 buildings, covering approximately 7 000 m2, in just over
15 months. With the buildings removed, workers sealed
the vaults, basements, and other remaining subgrade
structures; those will be remediated in a future part of
the project. ETEC safely transported 350 shipments
(17 000 m 3 ) of demolition debris for disposal. ETEC
continued groundwater interim measures by capturing
and removing approximately 34 m3 of solvent-impacted
groundwater, keeping it away from the deeper bedrock
groundwater.
In 2021, the NRC Commission directed its staff to proceed
with a rulemaking entitled, Regulatory Improvements
for Decommissioning Power Reactors. The rulemaking
will facilitate the transition for power reactors from an
operational status to the permanently shut down and
defueled condition. Notably, power reactor licensees
in the process of decommissioning have routinely
requested licensing actions and exemptions from certain
requirements, based on the fewer types of potential
accidents and reduced risk of radiological releases. The
goals of the rulemaking are to provide for an efficient
decommissioning process; reduce the need for exemptions

from existing regulations; and support the principles
of good regulation, including openness, clarity, and
reliability. The NRC obtained public input on an advance
notice of proposed rulemaking, a draft regulatory basis,
and a draft regulatory analysis. To date, the NRC has
completed the regulatory basis (published in November
2017) and the associated regulatory analysis (published
in February 2018). The proposed rule was published for
public comment on 3 March 2022, and the rulemaking is
expected to be completed in 2024.
Nuclear science, technology and
education
In a drive to reach targets associated with net zero carbon
emissions, the NEA member countries unveiled ambitious
plans in 2022 to deploy both conventional and advanced
nuclear technologies. Several countries made significant
commitments to nuclear energy. France announced plans to
build six new European pressurised reactor (EPR2) plants,
with the potential for a further eight plants. In addition,
an initiative was launched to support the development of
small modular reactors (SMRs) and breakthrough innovative
projects to close the fuel cycle and reduce nuclear waste.
Poland chose US Westinghouse to build its first nuclear
power plant, with three AP100 reactors and the first
block to be built by 2033, and signed an agreement with
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to develop plans for
another nuclear power plant. The UK government gave the
go-ahead to the Sizewell C nuclear plant and launched an
energy security strategy to increase research funding that
will benefit advanced nuclear technologies. Policy towards
nuclear energy in Asia has also seen the governments of
Japan and Korea plan to enhance energy generated from
nuclear power.
The technology within the plants has become more
robust, with years of research and development (R&D)
translating to significant improvement to plant performance
and safety. Framatome announced the completion of the
second 18-month fuel cycle of its GAIA PROtect Enhanced
Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) technology at the Vogtle
plant in Georgia, United States. Lead test rods and lead
test assemblies are being irradiated in various American
and European commercial reactors with post-irradiation
examination showing promising performance. The first
tests with accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding have been
completed within the NEA Framework for Irradiation
Experiments (FIDES), which was established in 2021 to
Sizewell Nuclear Power
Plant, Suffolk,
United Kingdom.
Phil Silverman/Shutterstock
face the dwindling availability of material test reactors. In a
similar way, the NEA QUENCH-ATF joint project conducts a
joint assessment of the performance of Cr-coated Zr cladding
under an extended loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) scenario.
New reactor technologies also saw progress over the
past year. China’s High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor
– Pebble-bed Module (HTR-PM) demonstration plant was
connected to the grid in December 2021 and achieved over
30% of nominal power. The UK government is also pursuing
advanced high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) technology
and has funded the development of advanced modular HTGRs
with TRi-structural ISOtropic particle (TRISO) fuel, with the
intent of demonstrating the technology by early 2030.
To address the timely topic of advanced reactor fuel
cycle issues, two reports have been released: a report
by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Mathematics (NASEM) and a study of the United States
Department of Energy (DOE) released by Argonne National
Laboratory (ANL), which affirms that the fuel cycle needs of
a fleet of new reactors can be met and points to near-term
research and planning needs.
Countries are collaborating on fuel cycle topics, including
within the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) Task Force on
the Demonstration of Fuel Cycle Closure including Partitioning
and Transmutation (P&T) for Industrial Readiness by 2050
(TF-FCPT). To this end, molten salt reactors (MSRs) are
considered attractive, given their potential to act as burners of
nuclear waste. To investigate the underlying technologies, the
US Southern Company and TerraPower built a non-nuclear,
externally heated, multi-loop test facility called the Integrated
Effect Test (IET), to validate the thermal-hydraulics and safety
analysis codes and advance their Molten Salt Chloride Fast
Reactor (MCFR) technology. The IET will also support the
development of the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment
(MCRE) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which will be the
first fast spectrum MSR, with the first criticality scheduled
for late 2025. Meanwhile, the European Commission funds
the MultI-recycling with MOlten SAlt technology (MIMOSA)
project, which intends to develop a multi-recycling strategy
for used nuclear fuels (UNFs) from light water reactors
(LWRs) utilising chloride-based MSR. In the United States,
twelve projects have been funded to advance UNF recycling,
exploring multiple (aqueous, pyro-processing and fluoride
volatility) reprocessing technologies. Notably, Russia’s
BN-800 sodium-cooled fast reactor was first fully loaded
with uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, making a
considerable step towards closing the fuel cycle.
33
 Many of the advanced reactor designs depend on the
deployment of advanced fuels. The US Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) reviewed and approved an Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) topical report providing a technical
basis that demonstrates the functional performance of
uranium oxycarbide (UCO) TRISO fuel to support the use
of these particles in a variety of high-temperature reactors.
Additionally, France has begun a safety assessment of
the development of high-assay low-enriched uranium
(HALEU) fuel in the French nuclear energy systems. Given
the aforementioned scarcity of material test reactors, it is
expected that countries will need to co-operate to efficiently
develop and test innovative fuels.
Advances in machine learning are being used to
accelerate the production of nuclear fuel, as demonstrated
by recent Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
work in the United States on the prediction of grain
structure after thermomechanical processing of U-10Mo
alloy using sensitivity analysis and machine learning.
Advanced modelling and simulation is also being coupled
with experimental data to provide first-of-a-kind information
on three-dimensional tomographic data on the composition
of irradiated fuel.
Similar to material test reactors, the scarcity of both
critical facilities and zero power test reactors is of increasing
concern, given the amount of experimental support that will
be needed to deploy advanced technologies. Efforts such as
the NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and uncertainty
analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS) Task Force on Zero
Power Reactors (ZPRs) act as multinational fora to gather
the needs and requirements among NEA member countries.
The United States has seen all four critical experiment
machines at the National Criticality Experiments Research
Centre (NCERC) – Planet, Godiva, Comet, and Flattop
– utilised heavily to help meet national and international
experimental needs and to train a new generation of experts.
Measurements performed included: completion of a series
of experiments to provide validation cases for plutonium
systems. Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) and Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL) are collaborating on the design of
heating and cooling systems for the water of the SNL critical
facility; and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
is working with the Los Alamos Laboratory (LANL) and the
UK National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) to design temperature-
dependent critical experiments with uranium within the
Thermal Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) programme.
Member countries’ efforts in nuclear education and training
have exploited virtual technologies to increase accessibility and
affordability to scale up education capacity building. This has
led to a substantial rise in the number of attendees at webinars
and career events that underpin the skills development
needed to support the burgeoning nuclear sector. To attract
more students to the workforce, the Central Plateau Cleanup
Company (CPCCo), a contractor of the US Department of
Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Richland
Operations Office, hosted 20 college interns and co-operative
education students this summer as part of an initiative to build
and inspire the future workforce. The internship programme
offered local students hands-on employment opportunities
in the field at the Hanford Site while earning a degree,
preparing them for potential careers in the nuclear clean-up
industry. In Asia, the Asian Network for Education in Nuclear
Technology (ANENT) is finalising the development of a
Guidebook for Secondary Schools Education, which will better
inform curricula and teaching methods throughout nuclear
34 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Individual TRISO fuel particles at 100 um scale.
Idaho National Laboratory (CC BY 2.0)
education programmes. In Canada, the University Network
of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) has developed
a survey for industry to gain an informed assessment of the
demand for education and training activities. By analysing
the number of students and types of educational degrees,
the discussions with universities will aid in the establishment
of current programmes and capabilities for the future. They
will also allow for an education directory of Canada – a living
guide to university education services for its nuclear sector
organisations.
Nuclear law
On 1 January 2022, the Protocols to amend the Paris
Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear
Energy and the Brussels Convention Supplementary to the
Paris Convention entered into force. The two Protocols were
formally ratified in Paris on 17 December 2021 at the OECD
headquarters by all Contracting Parties, except for Türkiye,
which deposited its instrument of accession on 4 January
2022. A total of 16 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye
and the United Kingdom) are parties to the amended Paris
Convention, covering 99 operating reactors and 7 under
construction out of a total of 423 operating reactors
worldwide and 56 under construction as of December
2022. Of those countries, 13 are also party to the amended
Brussels Supplementary Convention (all except Greece,
Portugal and Türkiye).
The two conventions were amended twice before the
most recent and significant improvements, which were
agreed in 2004 to reflect the lessons learnt from the effects
of the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the Chernobyl
accident in 1986. These changes increase the minimum
amount of compensation available in case of an accident
involving nuclear substances, whether at an installation or
during transport. In the revised Paris Convention, it is set at a
minimum of EUR 700 million, up from the previous minimum
of 5 million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) and maximum
of SDR 15 million, which were worth approximately
EUR 6.3 million and EUR 19 million respectively as of
17 November 2022. The revised Paris Convention also
provides now for a minimum of EUR 70 million and
EUR 80 million in case of accidents at low-risk installations
and during transport of nuclear substances, respectively.
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022

The amended Paris Convention also includes a more

detailed definition of “nuclear damage”. The Three Mile
Island and the Chernobyl accidents made it clear that
preventive measures for the former and economic losses,
the cost of preventive measures, and the cost of restoring the
environment for the latter were major parts of the damage
resulting from a nuclear incident. The Paris Convention was
changed to clearly specify these and other categories of
damage to the existing ones of personal injury and damage to
property, such as personal injury or loss of life and for a wider
range of damage suffered, such as economic loss, the cost
of preventive measures and of measures of reinstatement
of an impaired environment. Further, victims are now able to
file claims over a longer period of time (30 years following a
nuclear accident, instead of 10 years).

Equally important is the expansion of the geographical
scope of coverage of the Paris Convention, which allows
victims situated in certain countries that are not parties to
the Convention to make claims in case they suffer damage
or loss as a result of ionising radiation emitted from a Paris
Convention state. Previously, the convention applied only to
damage suffered in countries party to the Paris Convention.
The revised convention now also benefits affected persons
situated in a country that is not party to the Paris Convention
as long as it is a party to the Vienna Convention on Civil
Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Joint Protocol relating
to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris
Convention (Joint Protocol) (both adopted under the auspices
of the International Nuclear Energy Agency, IAEA), or it has
no nuclear installations in its territory or maritime zones, or it
has adopted legislation that is based on the principles of the
Paris Convention and offers reciprocal benefits to the Paris
Convention state where the accident occurred.
The key improvement to the Brussels Supplementary
Convention is the increase of public funds that will be made
available in case of a nuclear accident to persons situated in
countries that are parties to this convention, i.e.:
• 1st tier, corresponding to the operator’s liability amount
under the Paris Convention, will rise from its current
minimum of SDR 5 million to a revised minimum of
EUR 700 million;
• 2nd tier, the amount to be paid by the state in which
the liable operator’s installation is located, will increase
from a maximum of SDR 170 million to a maximum of
EUR 500 million, unless the 1st tier is equal or above
EUR 1.2 billion;
• 3 rd tier, to be provided by contributions from all the
states party to the Brussels Supplementary Convention,
will increase from a maximum of SDR 125 million
(approximately EUR 158 million as of 17 November 2022)
to a maximum of EUR 300 million.
The revised Brussels Supplementary Convention also
includes provisions to facilitate the choice made by some
parties for the unlimited liability of the operator.
Together, the amended Paris/Brussels regime provides
for a minimum of EUR 1.5 billion of compensation, up
from an equivalent of SDR 300 million (approximately
EUR 372 million) previously.
Worker at a power plant inspecting output.
Shutterstock, Marcin Balcerzak
The entry into force of the 2004 Protocols was delayed
due to several reasons. Among these was a decision of the
Council of the European Union (EU) of 8 March 2004 that
required that the contracting parties to the Paris Convention
that are also member states of the EU take the necessary
steps to deposit simultaneously their instruments of
ratification of, or accession to, the 2004 Protocol to amend the
Paris Convention. This decision was taken due to provisions
of the Paris Convention regarding the judicial resolution of
disputes, a subject that falls within the exclusive competence
of the EU. As for any other international instrument that
requires ratification or accession, there were also delays due
to national legislative processes.
Other international treaties on nuclear liability include the
Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, the
Protocol to amend the Vienna Convention and the Convention
on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage. They
were adopted under the auspices of the IAEA and have 44,
15 and 11 parties, respectively. The Joint Protocol relating
to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris
Convention allows in addition to establish treaty relations
between the 33 contracting parties to these two conventions
to eliminate conflicts that may arise from their simultaneous
application. Of NEA member countries, Argentina, Canada,
Japan, Romania and the United States are parties to the
Convention on Supplementary Compensation, which is the
only IAEA convention that also provides for additional public
funds, as in the Brussels Supplementary Convention. To date,
28 out of the 34 NEA member countries have adhered to
one or more of the international nuclear liability conventions
and 18 are parties to the Joint Protocol. The trend since the
Fukushima Daiichi accident has been for countries, especially
newcomer or potential newcomer countries, to adhere to
at least one of the enhanced conventions – i.e. the Revised
Paris Convention, the Vienna Convention as amended by
the 1997 Protocol (Revised Vienna Convention) or the CSC.
However, based on the most recent accessions, there seems
to be a tendency for countries to join the CSC, the Revised
Vienna Convention and the Joint Protocol, which allows
them to have treaty relations with all countries party to a
nuclear liability convention. This is the case for Benin, Ghana,
Montenegro, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.  ■

35
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights
In 2022, the NEA launched its Small Modular
Reactor (SMR) Strategy as a cross-cutting

Nuclear approach to ensure proper and efficient co-ordi-

nation of the SMR-related activities implemented
across the different NEA bodies, as well as serving

Development
as a structured way to communicate NEA’s work
and results in this field. The NEA SMR Strategy
creates an analytical framework for understand-
ing and analysing the conditions for successful
development and deployment of SMRs across
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to provide governments various power and non-power markets.
and other relevant stakeholders with authoritative, reliable In May 2022, the NEA published the report enti-
information and analyses on the role of nuclear energy in tled Meeting Climate Targets: The Role of Nuclear
Energy. Building on the 90 net zero pathways
meeting policy priorities, including with respect to climate
reviewed by the International Panel on Climate
change mitigation and adaptation, energy security and Change (IPCC), the report concludes that tripling
economic development. The NEA provides information and installed nuclear capacity by 2050 with 1 160 GWe
is an ambitious but achievable target.
analysis to decision makers in the areas of nuclear energy
economics and financing, electricity and uranium resource The NEA also published in 2022 a series of pub-
lications focused on non-electric applications of
markets, nuclear technologies, as well as innovation and nuclear power: Beyond Electricity: The Economics
disruptive technologies from within and outside the nuclear of Nuclear Cogeneration, High-temperature Gas-
sector. The NEA Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Strategy cooled Reactors and Industrial Heat Applications
and The Role of Nuclear Power in the Hydrogen
includes work related to reactor concepts and configurations Economy: Cost and Competitiveness. Both tech-
and the markets and applications for power and heat, nical and economic aspects are assessed in these
and seeks to enable conditions for SMR demonstration, publications.
deployment and commercialisation. The NEA engages with On behalf of the Clean Energy Ministerial
the private sector to obtain information, knowledge and (CEM) NICE Future initiative, the NEA co-ordinated
the Nuclear-Hydrogen Digest, a collection of initi-
data relevant to the NEA’s work. NEA staff work closely atives from both public and private stakeholders
with the Committee for Technical and Economic Studies on around the world elaborating how nuclear energy
Nuclear Energy Development and the Fuel Cycle (NDC) and could provide an actionable path to decarbonise
hard-to-abate sectors.
its associated expert groups. Staff ensure co-ordination
with other NEA and OECD programmes of work as needed. In 2022, the NEA strengthened its engagement
with industry and convened the first meeting of the
Nuclear Industry Engagement Set (NIES) on SMR
and Generation IV reactors in October in Toronto,
Nuclear Technolo
Canada, on the margins of the 4th International
Conference on Generation IV and Small Reactors
gy Developm
2022 ent and Economi

Change
cs

Climate
Meeting rgets: (G4SR-4), and the first GIF Industry Forum. The
Ta Energy
lear
e of Nuc NEA also organised the first meeting of the NIES on
The Rol Beyond Electricity:
Beyond Electricit

The Economics
Nuclear Cogen
of SMR Industrial Applications (SMIA) in June 2022.
y: The Economi

eration
cs of Nuclear
Cogeneration

(MWe), with some as small as 1-10 MWe. The reactors are

designed for modular manufacturing, factory production,
NE A
NE A
transportability and scalable deployment. SMRs are designed
to use nuclear fission reactions to create heat that can be
used directly, or to generate electricity. Some SMR designs
are based on currently deployed technologies, while others
are based on so-called “Generation IV” and advanced reactor
Small modular reactors concepts.
Small modular reactors (SMRs) continue to build momentum In the light of some NEA member countries’ increasing
among policymakers and industry players as a promising interest in SMRs – and in line with the priorities reflected
nuclear technology, as SMRs are smaller, both in terms of in the NEA Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 – the NEA has
power output and physical size, than conventional gigawatt- developed its SMR Strategy. The NEA SMR Strategy
scale nuclear reactors. Typically, SMRs are nuclear reactors facilitates gap analysis and work planning across the Agency
with a power output of less than 300 megawatts electric to ensure NEA programmes of work directly support the

36 | NEA Annual Report 2022


priorities of member countries related to SMRs, and supports
dialogue and co-operation with member countries as well as
partners and stakeholders. Beyond technical feasibility, the
NEA SMR Strategy connects the technology push in this
field with the market pull for innovative nuclear technologies,
capturing the full set of conditions required for deployment.
It is also designed to increase internal co-ordination and
transparency on SMR-related activities within the Agency.
In 2022, two additional activities of interest were
advanced on SMRs:
• Case studies on specific SMR applications: Case
studies were initiated in 2022 for completion in 2023-
2024 that will inform policymakers about the main drivers
and characteristics of the market demand for three initial
SMR applications: coal replacement for on-grid power;
fossil fuel cogeneration replacement for industries; and
diesel replacement for off-grid mining.
• The NEA SMR Dashboard: The NEA SMR Dashboard
was developed in 2022 for launch in early 2023. It
will provide a snapshot in time of the progress of
SMRs deployed internationally in six areas: licensing
readiness; siting; financing; supply chains; partnerships
and engagement; and fuel. The NEA SMR Dashboard
analysis is based on information from public sources and
consultations with industry.
Meeting Climate Targets: The Role of
Nuclear Energy
In May 2022, the NEA released Meeting Climate Targets:
The Role of Nuclear Energy. Initially prepared as part of the
strategic briefing to the NEA Steering Committee in October
2021, this publication explores the full potential of nuclear
energy to contribute to net zero pathways by 2050 and
systematically assesses the opportunities and challenges
associated with four main nuclear technology options: long-
term operation (LTO), the construction of large Generation
III reactors, SMRs (including advanced nuclear) and the
development of non-electric applications.
According to NEA estimates, putting the global economy
on track to meet net zero targets would require nuclear
capacity to triple to 1 160 GW by 2050. This target can be
achieved through a combination of long-term operation of
existing plants and future deployment of Generation III new
builds, as well as small modular and Generation IV reactors for
electric and non-electric applications, including industrial heat
and hydrogen production, in particular to reduce emissions
Artist’s impression of
SMRs for data centres.
Third Way
in hard-to-abate sectors such as industry. To achieve this
ambitious increase in capacity, the nuclear sector must
reduce costs and move quickly to demonstrate and deploy
near-term and medium-term innovations. For those countries
that choose to pursue SMRs, governments also have a key
role to play in securing affordable financing for new nuclear
projects. A system costs approach is required to understand
the full costs of electricity provision and to ensure that
markets place value on desired performance and outcomes:
minimal emissions; high reliability and dispatchability; with
advances in safety and security.
Non-electric applications
In 2022, the NEA produced a series of publications related
to non-electric applications of nuclear power:
The Role of Nuclear Power in the Hydrogen Economy:
Cost and Competitiveness: Hydrogen will play important
roles in decarbonised energy systems, as a clean chemical
input for industrial processes as well as an energy vector for
hard-to-electrify applications or to enhance power system
flexibility. However, hydrogen is not a primary energy
source and has to be produced through different chemical
processes. Water electrolysis, which uses electricity to split
water molecules to extract hydrogen, is expected to become
a leading solution in this context. It will, however, only be a
coherent solution if the electricity used as feedstock comes
from low-carbon sources.
A significant number of countries are therefore considering a
role for nuclear energy in their hydrogen strategies. This report
provides an assessment of the costs and competitiveness of
nuclear-produced hydrogen across the hydrogen value chain
and explores the impacts of hydrogen production on the overall
costs of integrated electricity and energy systems. It shows, in
particular, that nuclear energy could be a competitive source
to produce and deliver low-carbon hydrogen for a centralised
industrial demand. Indeed, the large scale and dispatchability
of nuclear energy could contribute to improve the cost-
efficiency of hydrogen transport and storage infrastructures,
and reduce the overall costs of electricity systems.
Nuclear-Hydrogen Digest: Nuclear Energy in the
Hydrogen Economy: The NEA co-ordinated on behalf of
the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) NICE Future initiative
the Nuclear-Hydrogen Digest, a collection of initiatives from
public and private stakeholders around the world showing
how nuclear energy could provide an actionable path to
decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors.
37
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Beznau nuclear power plant,
Switzerland.
Swissnuclear
High-temperature Gas-cooled reactors and Industrial
Heat Applications: The decarbonisation of the industrial
sector is essential but one of the most difficult challenges
to achieving carbon neutrality. Over decades, nuclear power
has contributed to the supply of low-carbon heat to industrial
sectors that need relatively lower temperature heat – up to
around 150°C. High-temperature reactor technologies now
under development can produce heat of 700°C or above and
are expected to expand the opportunities for the nuclear sector
to contribute to the deep decarbonisation of heavy industry.
This study presents the latest development for high-
temperature reactors, and discusses their potential and
limitations for decarbonising industrial heat applications. This
analysis draws from the virtual workshop “High-Temperature
Reactors and Industrial Heat Applications” held in October
2021 that focused on the enabling environment for the
deployment of these innovative nuclear designs. It was an
opportunity to benefit from the insights of a diverse set of
experts, including nuclear technology developers, industrial
heat users, economic and market analysts and policymakers.
Beyond Electricity: The Economics of Nuclear
Cogeneration: Nuclear energy is an important source of
low-carbon electricity and thus plays a significant role in
avoiding carbon emissions. It has the potential to decarbonise
energy usage even further by also providing low-carbon heat
for a range of applications in the industrial or building sectors,
both of which continue to use mainly fossil fuels. More than
65 nuclear reactors around the world (about 15% of the total
deployed fleet) with decades of experience demonstrate
on a daily basis the feasibility of non-electric applications of
nuclear energy.
This report discusses the ways for nuclear cogeneration
to be deployed further in order to contribute to greater and
faster carbon emission reductions in an economic and safe
manner. Indeed, until recently the economic competitiveness
of thermal energy produced by nuclear power plants has
been limited. Not accounting for climate change impacts,
heat produced by gas- or coal-fired power plants has
frequently been cheaper. Yet, as fossil fuel prices rise and
carbon costs are increasingly accounted for, the economics
of nuclear cogeneration become more favourable. A good
understanding of the technical realities and economics of
nuclear cogeneration, including its implications for electricity
and energy systems, is essential to take advantage of this
changed environment. This NEA report provides a thorough
overview of nuclear cogeneration, with a view to helping
38 | NEA Annual Report 2022
energy decision makers and experts assess the costs and
benefits of having nuclear energy provide both low-carbon
electricity and low-carbon heat.
Country data and analysis
In 2022, the NEA published the 2021 edition of Nuclear
Energy Data (commonly known as the “Brown Book”) as
well as a country-level system costs study of Switzerland.
System costs in decarbonising the electricity
system – an NEA country-specific systems cost study
for Switzerland: In 2021-2022, the NEA performed an
in-depth study of the Swiss energy system. The 2022 report,
Achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions in Switzerland in 2050:
Low Carbon Scenarios and their System Costs, which was
financed through a voluntary contribution of Switzerland,
assesses the total costs of different scenarios to achieve
net zero emissions in 2050. In addition to the current
hydropower, the two key options that are being modelled
rely on: (i) exclusively variable renewable energy sources
(VRE), mainly from solar PV, or (ii) a combination of VRE and
nuclear long-term operation (LTO). For comparison purposes,
an additional option with a mix of VRE and two nuclear new
builds with Generation III+ reactor was also considered. Each
scenario was analysed with different levels of interconnection
capacity, which remains a crucial determinant for the total
system costs of the Swiss electricity sector due to its
geographical position in the middle of Europe.
The study led to the conclusion that scenarios built on
a generation mix of renewables and nuclear baseload have
consistently lower system costs than scenarios based
exclusively on VRE. The analysis shows that the most cost-
effective scenario to reach net zero carbon emissions in
2050 is to engage in the LTO of the two youngest Swiss
nuclear power plants while maintaining current levels of
interconnection capacity. Switzerland’s high level of domestic
flexibility renders a VRE-only strategy technically feasible
as long as the level of interconnection capacity remains at
today’s levels. However, this option is much more expensive
than going for a mix of LTO and VRE.
Other than providing valuable insight about the contribution
of nuclear LTO, the work provided an opportunity to build up
the NEA’s modelling capabilities, which now include a state-
of-the-art linear and mixed-integer optimisation model, called
POSY, for the analysis of integrated electricity systems.
Nuclear energy economics and
financing
As a dispatchable and scalable low-carbon generating
technology, nuclear energy could play an important role in
attaining the net zero targets to which an increasing number of
OECD countries are committed. Achieving the required levels
of new nuclear capacity in the coming years and decades,
however, will require the ability to leverage considerable
amounts of capital at competitive rates.
In this situation, the NEA and the International Framework
for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), in collaboration with
the government of Poland, organised from 2020 to 2022 a
series of webinars to identify key challenges in the financing
of nuclear new build and to identify promising avenues to
overcome them.
In parallel, the NEA launched the first in a series of reports
exploring different aspects of financing nuclear new build.
The first of these reports, Financing New Nuclear Power
Plants: Minimising the Cost of Capital by Optimising Risk
Management, was published in late 2022 and develops
a new framework for analysing financial risk in this area.
The report focusses on the mitigation of financial risk and
presents two key conclusions. First, in a carbon-constrained
world, the true capital costs of nuclear energy and other low-
carbon generators are lower than customarily assumed due
to their ability to offset systemic financial risk. Including low-
carbon generation investments thus reduces overall portfolio
risks. Second, there exist effective policies and measures to
radically reduce the economic and financial costs of other
risk components such as construction risk, price risk and
political risk.
The findings of this report apply equally to private and
public investments. There does, however, remain important
roles for governments. First and foremost, governments
need to ensure credible and effective commitments to net
zero carbon emissions by 2050. They also need to implement
the measures required to eliminate or reduce the economic
costs of construction risk, price risk and political risk. Finally,
governments may come in as direct project promoters in the
case of market failures when private actors do not realise
the true economic value of a nuclear power project. Beyond
the reduction of financial risks, governments have a role in
ensuring efficient project management structures in large
and complex projects such as nuclear new build as well as
macroeconomic stability.
The report is intended as a contribution to ongoing
discussions about the conditions for successful nuclear new
build and will be followed by additional reports focusing on
empirical experiences, the interplay of financing and project
management or the role of environmental, social and
governance (ESG) criteria in nuclear finance.
Resources and supply chain
In 2022, the NEA advanced work on the security of supply of
medical radioisotopes as well as uranium resources:
Security of supply of medical radioisotopes: In 2022,
the NEA conducted a study on Mo-99 demand and capacity
projections, covering the demand and supply capacity for the
2022-2027 period, building on the 2019 report The Supply of
Medical Radioisotopes: An Economic Diagnosis and Possible
Solutions. The publication of the tentatively entitled Mo-99
Demand and Capacity Projection report is planned for 2023.
An international workshop on medical radioisotopes
will be organised in 2023. The event will bring together
producers, end users, policymakers and other stakeholders
to identify new challenges and to discuss actions needed to
ensure the economically sustainable, long-term and secure
supply of key medical isotopes.
Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand: In
2022, the joint NEA/International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) Uranium Group continued its efforts to address global
uranium supply and demand issues and continued preparing
the 29th edition of Uranium 2022: Resources, Production and
Demand.
The 2022 edition will provide a complete review of world
uranium market fundamentals and will include data on global
uranium exploration, investments, resources, production
and reactor-related requirements for the reporting period
2019-2021. It will offer information on established uranium
production centres and mine development plans, as well as
projections of nuclear generating capacity and reactor-related
requirements through 2040, in addition to the latest trends
and developments in the nuclear fuel cycle area. Publication
is planned for early 2023.
On 3-5 November 2021, the joint NEA/IAEA Uranium
Group held its 57th meeting, hosted by the NEA. Various
sessions brought together guest speakers from across
industry, academia and international organisations to
explore the most pressing uranium mining issues, including
uranium market volatility, supply and demand dynamics, ESG
considerations, discoveries, and technology and innovation
in uranium mining. The 58 th meeting of the Uranium Group
will be held at the IAEA in February 2023.
Medical-isotope producing reactor.
Sandia National Laboratory/Randy
Montoya (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
39

Left to right: Henri Paillere, Head of Planning and Economic
Studies, IAEA; Michel Berthélemy, Nuclear Energy Analyst, NEA;
John Arthur Gorman, President & CEO, Canadian Nuclear Association;
Hannah D’Arcy Fenwick, Senior Commercial Officer, National
Nuclear Laboratory; Diane Cameron, NEA Head of Nuclear
Technology Development and Economics.
Nuclear innovation 2050 (NI2050)
Nuclear innovation 2050 (NI2050) is an Agency-wide initiative
to support member countries that aim to accelerate market
deployment of nuclear innovations to help meet global
emissions reduction targets for 2050. The NEA is preparing
for the launch of the third phase of NI2050. This will include
the creation of a new Innovation Advisory Panel (IAP) to drive
the appropriate focus and provide strategic review and advice
on key documents concerning innovation at the NEA.
Within the context of NI2050, in 2021-2022 the NEA
collaborated with the Electric Power Research Institute
(EPRI), the IAEA, EDF Energy and the United Kingdom
National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) to organise the Global
Forum for Nuclear Innovation, which took place in London,
United Kingdom, on 17-19 July 2022. This Global Forum
had initially been planned for 2020 but was postponed
twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brought
together likeminded people from all over the world to create
a common understanding of the challenges of deployment
and to embrace innovation.
In 2022, the NEA worked on the organisation of an
International Workshop on Disruptive Technologies for
Nuclear Safety Applications with the Korean Atomic Energy
Research Institute (KAERI) and the Korean Nuclear Society
(KNS). It will be held in the International Convention Center
(ICC) in Jeju, Korea, on 16-17 May 2023. The aim is to
gather experts from inside and outside the nuclear sector
to share insight on the potential for disruptive technologies
to drive nuclear innovation and to have a positive impact on
the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. In
preparation for the workshop, four webinars on disruptive
technologies were organised by the NEA, KAERI and KNS
in March-April 2021.
The 2020 NEA report Unlocking Reductions in the
Construction Costs of Nuclear: A Practical Guide for
Stakeholders identified three main innovative technological
approaches that could be implemented to deliver cost
reductions in the short-term: i) digital transformation,
ii) advanced construction methods and iii) seismic
analysis. A first workshop entitled “Digital transformation:
Opportunities and Challenges for the Nuclear Sector”
was organised in May 2021. A second workshop entitled
40 | NEA Annual Report 2022
NEA panel session “The Role of
Nuclear Energy in the Hydrogen Economy”,
COP 27, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
IAEA
“Advanced Construction and Manufacturing Methodologies
for New Nuclear Build” was held in March 2022. The
objective in these workshops was to assess the opportunities
and challenges of the innovative technologies in reducing the
costs and risks of new nuclear energy projects.
Engagement with other elements of
the OECD
In 2022, the NEA supported OECD Directorates in
contributing to the International Programme for Action
on Climate (IPAC). The programme helps countries move
towards net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a
more resilient economy by 2050. Through regular monitoring,
policy evaluation and feedback on results and good practices,
IPAC helps countries strengthen and co-ordinate their climate
action. It complements and supports the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris
Agreement monitoring frameworks.
The NEA was part of the OECD delegation to COP 27,
contributing to over a dozen official side events, including
official side events hosted by the United Kingdom and
France.
The NEA continued to support the International Energy
Agency (IEA) on in-depth reviews of member country energy
policies in 2022, contributing to the review of Finland and
Switzerland. It also contributed to other key IEA publications,
such as Nuclear Power and Secure Energy Transitions.
The NEA started contributing to the Policy Dialogue on
Natural Resource-based Development, co-ordinated by the
OECD’s Development Centre.
Contact:
Diane Cameron
Head, Division of Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics
+33 (0)1 73 21 29 50
diane.cameron@oecd-nea.org
 Secretariat-serviced bodies
Generation IV
International Forum
(GIF)
Established in 2001, the Generation
IV International Forum (GIF)
brings together 13 countries, as
well as Euratom (representing the
27 European Union members), to
co-ordinate research and develop-
ment on advanced nuclear energy
systems.
GIF provides a forum for collab-
orative R&D on six reactor con-
cepts and a variety of cross-cutting
issues. The six reactor concepts are:
sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR),
ver y-high-temperature reactors
(VHTR), super critical water-cooled
reactors (SCWR), gas-cooled fast
reactors (GFR), lead-cooled fast
reactors (LFR), and molten salt
reactors (MSR). GIF is also one of
the partners of the “NICE Future”
initiative under the Clean Energy
Ministerial framework.
In January 2022, the GIF Policy
Group members thanked the outgo-
ing Chair Hideki Kamide of the Japan
Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and
acknowledged the notable accom-
plishments of the past three years
under his leadership. Alice Caponiti,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Reac tor Flee t and Ad vanc ed
Reactor Deployment in the Office of
Nuclear Energy at the United States
Department of Energy, was elected
GIF Chair for the period 2022-2024.
The priorities for GIF in the near-
term focus on accelerating the
readiness of four th generation
nuclear systems to meet net zero
targets. In this context, a GIF forum
with industry partners was organ-
ised in October 2022 in Toronto,
Canada, along with the International
Conference on Generation IV and
Small Reactors (G4SR-4).
The 2022 GIF Industr y Forum
focused on supporting the transition
from research and development to
demonstration and deployment of
Generation IV reactor systems, as
well as on supporting initiatives
that aim to develop a talent pipeline
to run those systems. It also aimed
to strengthen relationships with the
nuclear industry with a new policy
statement to serve as a framework.
The 2022 GIF Industry Forum gath-
ered more than two hundred par-
ticipants, from both the public and
private sectors, and showcased
some key GIF products that could be
useful to industry and Generation IV
technology developers.
Further expanding on the potential
uses of nuclear energy, GIF organ-
ised a workshop on non-electric
applications of nuclear heat during
the Industry Forum, in collaboration
with IFNEC. The workshop estab-
lished connections between the
research community and industry,
engaging both nuclear technology
developers and energy end users.
It reviewed multiple scenarios in
which nuclear energy systems could
be used to support heat and elec-
tricity demands outside the power
sector, covering a variety of topics
including district and industrial heat
applications, desalination and large-
scale hydrogen production.
To streamline the ability to share
nuclear technology with nations as
they develop their nuclear energy
infrastructure, GIF made substan-
tial updates in 2021 and 2022 to the
proliferation resistance and physical
protection white papers for the six
Generation IV reactor systems.
The GIF Economics and Modelling
Working Group (EMWG) issued the
second report of the “Advanced
Nuclear Technology cost reduction
strategies and Systematic Economic
Review” (ANTSER) Framework, a
report that adds to the ANSTER
framework through an investigation
of modularity for nuclear energy
applications at different scales.
The 16 th GIF-IAEA Interface meeting
took place on 12-13 July 2022 in vir-
tual mode. It served as an opportu-
nity to strengthen the links between
these two organisations and to pre-
pare future joint work.
Monthly webinars on GIF reactor
systems and cross-cutting subjects
have been held since 2016 (a total
of 72 by the end of 2022) by the GIF
Education and Training Working
Group (ETWG), reaching a grow-
ing audience worldwide. A spe-
cial joint webinar between GIF, the
NEA and IAEA was organised in
April 2022 addressing the role of
nuclear energy in reducing carbon
emissions. In 2023, the ETWG will
launch the second edition of a com-
petition for young people to pitch
their Generation IV research ideas.
Throughout 2022, in light of
improvements with regards to the
COVID-19 pandemic, GIF members
resumed in-person meetings and
managed to make substantive pro-
gress in their work. The NEA con-
tinued to provide support to the GIF
technical bodies in charge of devel-
oping the different systems, to the
methodology working groups, and
to the Senior Industry Advisory
Panel and task forces. The NEA also
maintained and enhanced the GIF
website and organised several GIF
meetings, including the 48 th Experts
Group and 54th Policy Group meet-
ings in Toronto, Canada. The NEA is
fully compensated for its support of
GIF through voluntary, financial and
in-kind contributions made by GIF
members.
International Framework
for Nuclear Energy
Cooperation (IFNEC)
T he Interna tional Framewor k
for Nuclear Energy Cooperation
(IFNEC) is dedicated to exploring
the beneficial approaches and uses
of nuclear energy for peaceful pur-
poses. IFNEC has a diverse mem-
bership consisting of 33 participant
countries, 31 observer countries
and 5 international observer organ-
isations through which it promotes
exchanges and learning on the
global, regional, and national lev-
els. In 2022, IFNEC focused on prior-
ity areas such as nuclear financing,
small modular reactors (SMRs) and
the role of nuclear energy in climate
change mitigation.
On 28 June 2022, the IFNEC Steering
Group held its first in-person meet-
ing since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Steering Group members des-
ignated Zhijun Qin as Co-Chair
41
41
 Secretariat-serviced bodies (cont’d)

of the Nuclear Supplier and
Customer Countries Engagement
Group (NSCCEG) and re-desig-
nated Sean Tyson as Co-Chair of
the Reliable Nuclear Fuel Services
Working Group (RNFSWG). The
members discussed the next steps
for the NEA-IFNEC initiative on
“Multilateral financing for Nuclear
Power Project”. During the meet-
ing, key findings of the NEA-IFNEC
Nuclear Financing series report
were also presented. The working
groups provided updates on their
work and discussed cross-cutting
activities.
The IFNEC working groups also
relied on vir tual meetings and
events to continue their planned
activities in 2022. Organised by
the NSCCEG, a virtual event on
“Oppor tunities and challenges
for nuclear energy in the context
of carbon neutrality” was held on
15 September 2022. As a low-car-
bon source, nuclear energy can play
a significant role in contributing to
climate change mitigation efforts
as well as in addressing the energy
supply issues. This webinar focused
on the role of nuclear energy in the
context of reaching carbon neutral-
ity, the synergies between nuclear
energy and renewables, as well as
the multipurpose applications of
nuclear energy.
In co-operation with the NEA and the
Ministry of Climate and Environment
of Poland, IFNEC organised the
Warsaw Conference on Nuclear
Financing, the last in a series of
events on nuclear financing. The
conference brought together poli-
cymakers, finance industry repre-
sentatives and nuclear financing
experts for in-person discussions
in Warsaw, Poland, on 8 December
2022. Effective nuclear financing
requires national policies that sup-
port nuclear power and research to
advance technological readiness
while also improving the economic
competitiveness of nuclear projects.
NEA Chief Energy Economist Jan
Horst Keppler presented key insights
from the report Financing New
Nuclear Power Plants: Minimising
the Cost of Capital by Optimising
Risk Management. The roundtable
discussion that preceded the pres-
entation brought together research-
ers and analysts in nuclear finance
and economics.
Taking advantage of their existing
collaboration, the NEA and IFNEC
are partnering to lead action-ori-
ented discussions in the field of
SMR heat applications and climate
finance in 2023. Based on the NEA’s
analysis and expertise in nuclear
development, this collaboration will
provide the opportunity to engage
with a wider community of experts,
thought leaders and members from
IFNEC.
The NEA continued to support
IFNEC, including through co-opera-
tion with its working groups and in
its social media strategy plan. IFNEC
activities, including NEA Secretariat
services, are fully covered through
voluntary, financial and in-kind con-
tributions by IFNEC members.

Anna Moskwa, Minister of Climate and Environment of Poland,

IFNEC-NEA Warsaw Conference on Nuclear Financing,
held in Warsaw, Poland on 8 December 2022.
Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland

42 | NEA Annual Report 2022

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Nuclear Safety
and Regulation
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to assist member
countries in their efforts to ensure high standards of safety
in the use of nuclear energy. It does so by supporting
collaboration in the development of effective and efficient
regulation for current and advanced nuclear plants and
oversight of nuclear installations and activities, and by
helping to maintain and advance the associated scientific
and technological knowledge base. The staff works closely
with the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations
(CSNI), the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities
(CNRA) and their subsidiary groups in this area.
Safety
Nuclear
2022
ated
ivity-Initi od Codes
Reacten
t Fuel R es I-III
Accid
ark Phas
Benchm
Synthesis
Report
NE A
Nuclear safety technology
Safety issues
The NEA continues to monitor trends and respond to the
current and emerging safety challenges in its member
countries. As nuclear power gains momentum, with many
countries considering long-term operation of existing plants
as well as new builds, it becomes vital to ensure robust and
efficient safety assessment demonstrations. The Expert
Group on Small Modular Reactors (EGSMR), established
in 2021, handles safety challenges and develops a solid
scientific basis which supports safety demonstration of the
advanced and innovative technologies used for SMRs. The
group addresses a wide range of technologies, from water-
cooled reactors to innovative reactors under development,
and sets priorities for nuclear safety research to be
undertaken together by NEA member countries. This group
supports safety assessment and licensing reviews performed
at the national level, which help make progress towards the
deployment of SMRs. The CSNI working groups support the
Highlights
In 2022, the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory
Activities (CNRA) reached consensus on several
items related to the governance of the CNRA and
its working groups under the new structure that
will take effect on 1 January 2023, to be aligned
with reforms intended to improve the Committee’s
efficiency and effectiveness.
The NEA and the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) worked on the eighth edition of
Nuclear Power Plant Operating Experience: from
the IAEA/NEA International Reporting System
for Operating Experience (commonly referred to
as the “Blue Book”). It will summarise several
hundred event reports submitted by member
countries to the International Reporting System
during the 2018-2020 period.
In 2022, the Committee on the Safety of
Nuclear Installations (CSNI) reviewed four joint
projects and twelve new activity proposals.
Committee members also reviewed seven
reports. Several NEA reports were published,
including the Reactivity-Initiated Accident (RIA)
Fuel Rod Codes Benchmark Synthesis Report.
In June, the NEA and the UK Office for Nuclear
Regulation organised a symposium in Liverpool,
UK, on probabilistic safety assessments (PSA) for
Nuclear Safety
2022
Technology
and Regulat
ion
reactors with a singular design.
Ha rmonising
the
Process for Em Nuclea r Licensing In November 2022, the NEA organised an
erg ing Techno
A Global Pat h log ies:
For ward
international conference on “Regulators’ Views
and Priorities on Nuclear Safety and Radiation
Protection 10 Years After TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi
NPS Accident” in Tokyo, in close co-operation
with the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan
(NRA).
Also in 2022, Effective Nuclear Regulation
NE A
and Safety Management in a Pandemic, which
deals with the long-term consequences of the
Covid-19 pandemic on safety, and Harmonising
the Nuclear Licensing Process for Emerging
Technologies: A Global Path Forward, to provide
key recommendations on what policymakers
should consider when harmonising the nuclear
licensing process for emerging technologies.
development of modern safety assessment codes and tools
and the preparation of technical opinion papers and guidelines
for addressing important safety issues. The committee
continues to monitor topics such as the ageing and associated
safety concerns of nuclear power plants and nuclear fuel
cycle facilities. It reviewed new activity proposals in 2022,
including the organisation of an international benchmark on
methods for the evaluation of leak rates in safety analyses
for nuclear power plants and an international benchmark on
a seismic base-isolated nuclear power plant that experienced
a real earthquake. Activities such as benchmarking, the
development of assessment methodologies and the
preparation of databases of international knowledge help NEA
member countries address ageing challenges and ensure safe
43
 Accident tolerant fuel research.
Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (CC BY 2.0)
long-term operation of nuclear installations. The improvement
of fire safety also continues to be the focus of many of the
NEA activities. The Senior Expert Group on Preservation of
Key Experimental Datasets (SEGPD), established in 2020,
continues to work on ensuring the NEA’s essential safety
knowledge is well preserved.
In 2022, the CSNI and CNRA held a Topical Session
dedicated to the long-term impact on safety of the COVID-19
pandemic. Two years on from the outbreak of the global health
crisis, it was important to analyse how the nuclear industry
developed business continuity modalities under constraints
including sanitary measures, limited staff availability, supply
chain complications and the shutdown and restart of nuclear
facilities and/or services, as well as to explore the long-term
impact of COVID-19 on safety management. The response of
the nuclear sector was compared with those of the aviation
and health care sectors and participants drew conclusions
on the identified challenges and opportunities to strengthen
safety. A brief summary report of the session was published
in September 2022: Effective Nuclear Regulation and Safety
Management in a Pandemic.
Safety assessment
The NEA Working Group on Analysis and Management of
Accidents (WGAMA) continued to focus on activities related
to potential accidental situations in nuclear power plants,
including thermal-hydraulics, computational fluid dynamics
(CFD), severe accidents addressing in-vessel and ex-vessel
conditions, reactor coolant systems, containment behaviour
and protection, fission product release and transport, and
source term. Reports were finalised in 2022, including a
revision of Best Practice Guidelines for the Use of CFD in
Nuclear Reactor Safety Applications and reports on Best
Practice Guidelines for the Use of CFD in Nuclear Reactor
Safety Applications and on The Fluid-structure Interaction
(FSI) Benchmark based on nuclear engineering company
OKBM experiments to validate coupled computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) and computational structural dynamics
(CSD) Calculations. The group also prepared a technical
opinion paper on advances in the analysis and management
of accidents and future challenges.
The main objective of the NEA Working Group on Risk
Assessment (WGRISK) is to advance the understanding and
use of the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) as a tool to
support nuclear safety decision making. In 2022, the group
updated the status of PSAs and PSA applications in NEA
member and non-member countries, conducted a Symposium
on PSAs for singular design nuclear power plants, and
launched a benchmark of PSA level 3 and an activity on the
treatment of uncertainties for novel aspects in risk analyses.
Fuel safety
The NEA Working Group on Fuel Safety (WGFS) continued
its work on fuel behaviour under design-basis accident
conditions and finalised the Status Report on Fuel Safety
Implications of Extended Enrichment and High Reactivity/
High Suppression Core Designs. The group supported
establishment of an international research framework for fuel
irradiation testing both for conventional and innovative fuels
and worked on the identification and prioritisation of research
needed to support licensing readiness for Accident-Tolerant
44 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Fuels (ATF) with near-term deployment. A new activity was
started to establish a basis for nuclear fuel data preservation
recommendations.
Safety of components, structures
and systems
The work of the NEA Working Group on Integrity and Ageing
of Components and Structures (WGIAGE) focuses on the
integrity, ageing and seismic behaviour of metal components
and concrete structures. In 2022, the WGIAGE worked
on improving robustness assessment methodologies for
structures impacted by missiles. It prepared the final report
from the benchmark analysis on the application of the leak-
before-break (LBB) concept to understand the effects of
weld residual stress and crack morphology on crack opening
displacement and leak rates and to compare code capabilities
to consider such effects in LBB analyses. The group initiated
a unique international benchmark on a seismic base-isolated
nuclear power plant that had experienced a real earthquake
to analyse for the first time real data from such operational
events.
Fuel cycle safety
The NEA Working Group on Fuel Cycle Safety (WGFCS) brings
together regulatory and industry specialists to address a broad
range of topics related to fuel cycle facilities, including safety
assessments, nuclear criticality safety, safety management,
decommissioning, site remediation, chemical hazards, human
factors and fire protection. The working group periodically
reviews the joint IAEA/NEA Fuel Incident Notification and
Analysis System (FINAS), which is the only international
system providing regulators and government bodies with
information about lessons learnt from safety-significant events
at fuel cycle facilities. In 2022, the group held a workshop on
process and safety improvements experienced in fuel cycle
activities and initiated work on the application of a graded
approach for fuel cycle facility safety assessments.
External events
The objective of the Working Group on External Events
(WGEV) is to improve the understanding and treatment of
external hazards in order to support the safety of nuclear
installations and improve the effectiveness of regulatory
practices.
In 2022, the WGEV had two workshops – one in March on
high winds and tornadoes and another in April on uncertainties
in the assessment of natural hazards (excluding earthquakes).
It also launched a new activity on the characterisation of
local intense precipitation. Furthermore, it is working with
WGRISK on combinations of external hazards.
Robustness of electrical systems
The NEA Working Group on Electrical Power Systems
(WGELEC) collaborates on enhancing the robustness of
electrical systems, improving the analysis of electrical
system performance and addressing safety challenges
associated with electrical systems. In 2022, the WGELEC
continued to evaluate the design robustness of electrical
systems to withstand beyond-design-basis events, including
station blackouts. Progress was also made on studies on the
management of geomagnetic-induced currents on electrical
systems caused by solar weather, as well as a benchmark
simulation exercise of electrical systems that is based on real
data and was started in 2021.

Regulation of Nuclear Installations

Regulatory issues
The NEA continued to exchange information on the safety and
regulation of nuclear installations in 2022 with the objective
of better understanding national regulatory requirements and
harmonising regulations. In order to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of CNRA’s work, the Committee structure
was reformed in 2022, with six groups that will be launched
in January 2023: The Working Group on Policy and Licensing
(WGPL), the Working Group on Reactor Oversight (WGRO),
the Working Group on New Technologies (WGNT), the
Working Group on Leadership and Safety Culture (WGLSC),
the Working Group on Supply Chain (WGSC) and the Working
Group on Public Communication (WGPC. In addition to the
working groups, the CNRA approved the Expert Group on
Operating Experience (EGOE) under the WGRO and the
Expert Group on Public Communication directly under CNRA.
Other subsidiary bodies under CNRA will be considered in
Approximately 50 people attended the workshop and the
host country provided a tour of its National Centre for Nuclear
Research facility, which includes a research reactor, hot cells
and mobile detection equipment.
Operating experience
The NEA Working Group on Operating Experience (WGOE)
continued to share information and carry out follow-up actions
related to trends and lessons learnt from national events.
From 25-27 April 2022, the WGOE hosted a workshop
in Budapest, Hungary. The objective of the workshop was
to exchange best practices on the topic of evaluating the
effectiveness of a licensee’s operating experience (OE)
programme. The workshop contained three tracks:
• Preparation to inspect licensee OE programmes;

June 2023. • Methods that can be used to inspect licensee OE

The CNRA also approved a series of reports, including
a consensus position paper dedicated to Regulatory
Inspections of Digital Instrumentation and Control (I&C)
Systems and Components Important to Safety used at
Nuclear Power Plants and one proposal for a workshop to
be held in 2023 to bring together stakeholders involved in
nuclear supply chain activities (regulatory bodies, vendors,
licensees, international NGOs, etc.) to discuss a range of
topics related to supply chains.
programmes;
• Evaluating the results of inspections.
The event included breakout sessions among the
participants as well as plenary sessions from the host country,
the IAEA and several participating countries. To capture
insights from another industry that relies on OE, commercial
aviation, the workshop contained a plenary presentation from
HungaroControl, the air traffic controller for Hungary.

Inspection practices Nuclear fuel inspection.

The Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP) held Idaho National Laboratory (CC BY 2.0)

one in-person and one virtual meeting in 2022. During those

meetings, the WGIP exchanged best practices for inspection
and finalised a guidance document related to inspecting the
safety-security interface (i.e. areas where nuclear power
plant features intended to improve physical security could
have an effect on nuclear safety, and vice versa).

The WGIP also hosted the “15th International Nuclear

Regulatory Inspection Workshop (INRIW)” in Warsaw,
Poland, on 2-6 October 2022. The objective of the workshop
was to identify commendable practices in three main areas:

• Performing inspections during a pandemic or other

national emergency;
• Applying a graded approach towards inspection
(i.e. scaling the level of inspection effort according to the
safety significance of what is being inspected);
• Inspection techniques related to ageing management.

45
 Inspection of Digital
Instrumentation and Control.
Shutterstock, Vladimir Mulder
The WGOE continued to examine events submitted to the
joint IAEA/NEA International Incident Reporting System (IRS)
for Operating Experience, which is the only international
system that provides regulators with information about
safety-significant events at nuclear power plants. The
WGOE also completed technical work on the next edition of
Nuclear Power Plant Operating Experience from the IAEA/
NEA International Reporting System (commonly known as
the “Blue Book”), which covers several hundred events that
occurred at commercial nuclear reactors during the 2018-
2020 period.
Finally, in 2022, the WGOE enhanced its system for
rapidly sharing information about non-conforming structures,
systems, components or services. The system was used to
share information about manufacturing non-conformances,
falsifications of tests, falsifications of certificates and
counterfeit circuit breakers. Several new events were added
to the system, which contributed to rapid awareness and
ability to respond in member countries.
In 2022, the CNRA agreed to host the EPR working group
(EPRWG) as a subsidiary body of the WGOE. The working
group members continued to discuss challenges and to
share lessons learnt on the commissioning of EPRs and the
early phase of operation. Among the many regulatory focus
areas addressed during the three meetings held in 2022,
participants discussed the reactor core physics test during a
meeting in Finland. This meeting was the occasion to meet
the Finish utility TVO and to visit the OL3 reactor, which was
close to reaching its nominal power.
Evolving designs and technologies
The NEA Working Group on the Regulation of New Reactors
(WGRNR) focuses its activities on regulatory activities in
the area of siting, licensing and overseeing new commercial
nuclear power plants. The group has finalised two reports
entitled Regulatory Approaches to Licensee Oversight
of Construction Activities and Regulation of Corporate
Governance for Nuclear Safety. The WGRNR is also continuing
to work on a report that will address the engagement and
performance measures during the application assessment
phase of a licence for construction of a new nuclear project.
The NEA Working Group on the Safety of Advanced
Reactors (WGSAR) provides regulatory perspectives on
selected advanced reactor designs, including the identification
of required safety research. It is currently focusing on areas
such as analytical codes and fuel qualification for advanced
reactors. The working group has started to gather the
interested parties for the new international benchmark that
considers a core damage scenario in a lead-cooled fast
reactor (LFR) to assess code capabilities and knowledge
gaps that may be relevant to regulators. It has developed a
46 | NEA Annual Report 2022
technical report on common regulatory practices to ensure
appropriate qualification and through-life performance of
materials in advanced reactors. The WGSAR members also
continued to interact with the Generation IV International
Forum (GIF), in particular on an initiative examining a risk-
informed approach to event selection and component
classification, and on the review of a second safety design
criteria report for sodium fast reactors and safety design
guidelines for lead-cooled fast reactors.
The Working Group on Digital Instrumentation and
Control (WGDIC) addresses regulatory issues associated
with the use of digital technologies in existing and new
nuclear installations. The WGDIC has published a series
of consensus positions on current and emerging technical
challenges in the digital instrumentation and control (I&C)
field, first under the MDEP and now under the CNRA. An
in-depth report entitled Consensus Position on the Impact
of Cyber Security Features on Digital I&C Systems Important
to Safety at Nuclear Power Plants [CP-08] was published on
7 November 2022. The WGDIC also used the report from the
Regulator Task Force on Safety Critical Software as input.
Additionally, the output of a recent workshop on digital
I&C inspections, organised jointly with the WGIP, will be
used as input for a forthcoming consensus position to provide
guidance on the inspection of both hardware and software for
“important-to-safety” components and systems. The WGIP
and the Vendor Inspection Co-operation Working Group
(VICWG) will collaborate to offer expertise on inspections.
The report is expected to be issued in early 2023.
The Working Group on Codes and Standards (WGCS)
facilitates and promotes international co - operation,
convergence and reconciliation of codes, standards and
regulatory requirements for pressure-boundary components
in nuclear power plants. In 2022, the working group held
an international virtual workshop on In-Service-Inspection
(ISI), during which experts discussed related challenges. The
proceedings of the workshop are expected to be issued in
2023. In addition, the working group developed consensus
positions on the qualification of existing and new material
manufacturing techniques within codes and standards.
The paper will provide common expectations of regulators
regarding the qualification of existing and new material
manufacturing techniques. The report has been approved
and is expected to be finalised in 2023.
Contact:
Véronique Rouyer
Head, Division of Nuclear Safety
Technology and Regulation
+33 (0)1 73 21 29 10
veronique.rouyer@oecd-nea.org
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Joint Projects
Nuclear safety research
The Halden Reactor
Project – fuel and
materials part
The Halden Reactor Project (HRP),
operated by the Norwegian Institute for
Energy Technology (IFE), was estab-
lished in 1958 and is the oldest of the
NEA joint safety research projects. It
brings together a large international
technical network with approximately
80 organisations in 17 countries. In the
fuel and materials (F&M) part of the
project, it addresses nuclear fuel safety
and operational margins in commercial
reactors, including fuel and cladding
performance and behaviour at normal
operation and transient conditions, with
an emphasis on extended fuel utilisation
and ageing and degradation of boiling
water reactor (BWR) and pressurised
water reactor (PWR) core materials
under the combined effects of water
chemistry and nuclear environment. The
project programme of work is updated
every three years and the current man-
date is from January 2021 to December
2023. Since January 2021, the project
has been split into two projects: one
addressing nuclear fuels and materials
and one addressing the human, technol-
ogy and organisation (HTO) area.
The 2018-2020 fuel and material
work programme, which was devel-
oped after the Halden reactor closed
in 2018, was not yet fully completed
as of 2022 due to delays in the trans-
port of material to Studsvik, where
post-irradiation examinations (PIE) and
experiments in hot cells (including loss-
of-coolant accident [LOCA] tests) are
planned in the areas of:
• fuel safety and operational margins;
• cladding performance and behav-
iour; and
• ageing and degradation of core
material.
The 2021-2023 programme aims
to close the Halden fuel and material
project with the establishment of syn-
thesis reports in the following topical
areas: fission gas release, dimensional
changes and pellet-cladding mechan-
ical interaction, loss-of coolant acci-
dent transients, cladding corrosion and
creep and crack growth initiation and
rate for core material. Some activities
are also planned to enhance data qual-
ity assurance and preservation in the
Halden legacy database, which was
made available to project members in
2021. Some of the synthesis reports
were completed in 2022 but others
require the completion of pending
investigations at Studsvik from the
2018-2020 programme.
In addition, preparations were made
in 2022 for the transfer of the Halden
legacy database to the NEA by the end
of 2023, as the NEA will administer
the database after the Halden project
closure.
The Halden HTO Project
The Halden Human Technology
Organisation (HTO) programme of work
progressed well throughout 2022. The
HTO research programme is focused
on areas such as human-automation
collaboration, digital systems for oper-
ation and maintenance, digital trans-
formation of decommissioning and
cybersecurity of the main control room,
as well as human performance, reliabil-
ity and organisational design. There are
11 participating countries and 19 organ-
isations, with 42 approved third parties,
participating in this initiative. The total
project budget is EUR 13.29 million.
The 2021-2023 project’s research
programme consists of seven topics
of Human Factors and Digital Systems
Research for Existing and New
Reactors. This project is financially
managed by the NEA, with the Institute
for Energy Technology (IFE) acting as
Operating Agent.
Some of the key highlights in 2022
include: an HTO meeting on best prac-
tices and the state of the art related
to digital instrumentation and controls
(I&C); the study of the impact of over-
view displays on human performance;
a review of theories, models and meas-
ures of human-automation trust; the
presentation of a conference paper on
“Improving learning by adding the per-
spective of success to event investiga-
tions”; the finalisation of two technical
reports on the prioritisation of research
topics and selection of test platforms
for future small-scale experiments
on operator performance in highly
automated plants; and the Halden
HTO Project Workshop on Adaptive
Automation. The second quarter pro-
ject status report recorded 16 HTO
reports, 5 journal articles and 13 papers
to conferences. One of the articles pro-
duced, “Human Performance Benefits
of the Automation Transparency Design
Principle: Validation and Variation”,
received the Human Factors and
Ergonomics Society’s 2022 Jerome H.
Ely Human Factors Article Award.
From 28 March to 1 April, the
Enlarged Halden HTO Programme
Review Group (EHPRG) held its meet-
ing, which marked the first virtual
meeting organised over the course of
one week by the project team. NEA
Director-General William D. Magwood,
IV gave the opening address to the
meeting, which featured 45 presenta-
tions and 120 attendees from participat-
ing organisations, including Norway’s
Institute for Energy Technology (IFE)
and the NEA Secretariat.
With regards to HTO research on
small modular reactors (SMRs), the new
SMR simulator was installed in IFE’s
Halden Human-Machine Laboratory
(HAMMLAB) and activities continued
on examining scenarios and workload
assessment methods for an empirical
study, with the “Small Modular Reactors
– State of the Art Review 2021” in the
finalisation phase. A number of other
topical papers and presentations were
delivered and several literature reviews
were completed in 2022.
47
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Progress in the seven topics is on
track, and the Operating Agent has
conducted visits to a number of par-
ticipating countries to discuss the next
project cycle for 2024-2026.
The CIP Project
The CABRI International Project (CIP) is
investigating the ability of high burn-up
pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel to
withstand the sharp power peaks that
can occur in power reactors due to pos-
tulated rapid reactivity insertions in the
core, or RIAs. The project participants,
from 12 member countries, intend to
determine the limits for fuel failure and
the potential consequences of possible
ejection of fuel into the coolant environ-
ment. Different cladding materials and
fuel types are being studied. The project
is operated and managed by the French
Institute of Radiological Protection and
Nuclear Safety (IRSN) and performed
in the CABRI reactor, which belongs
to the French Alternative Energies and
Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), in
Cadarache, France. While the reactor
is operated by the CEA, the project is
funded by the IRSN.
The IRSN and CEA worked in 2022
to fix the leak that was detected in
2021 in the CABRI reactor pool at the
level of the hodoscope channel as well
as a leak in one of the water storage
vessels of the reactor, and to get the
authorisation from the French Safety
Authority to restart the reactor. At
the same time, preparation continued
for the programme’s two next tests,
CIP1-2B, which will investigate a boil-
ing crisis with a UO2 rod at 75 GWd/
tU and M5 cladding, and CIP3-3, which
will investigate a boiling crisis with a
UO2 rod at above 64 GWd/tU and opti-
mised Zirlo cladding. The CABRI reac-
tor was restarted in September 2022,
with one test successfully performed in
November 2022 and a second planned
for the first semester of 2023.
The agreement of the CABRI
International Project was extended until
March 2026.
The SCIP Project
The Studsvik Cladding Integrity Project
(SCIP) started in 2004 with Studsvik,
Sweden, as the principal investigator.
The first five-year phase (2004-2009)
focused on cladding failure mechanisms
48 | NEA Annual Report 2022
at high burn-up; the second (2009-2014)
on fuel pellet-clad interaction (PCI) miti-
gation and additive fuels; and the third
(2014-2019) on LOCA fuel fragmenta-
tion, relocation and dispersal (FFRD)
and overheating transients, PCI mitiga-
tion at low ramp rates and the effect
of oxygen. The project utilises the large
library of irradiated fuels at the Studsvik
hot cells and involves integral heating
and LOCA testing, small-scale heating
tests, mechanical testing of weakened
and damaged rods, pre-test, in-situ and
post-test examinations to obtain data
on microstructure and microchemistry,
fission gas release tests and analyses
using different techniques.
The current, fourth phase of the pro-
ject (2019-2024) addresses back-end,
LOCA and PCI studies and is supported
by 38 organisations from 15 countries.
The first task of the project includes
experimental investigations related
to the back-end: creep of irradiated
cladding and fuel under dry storage
conditions, hydride reorientation in
irradiated cladding, mechanical behav-
iour of spent fuel rods in transport and
handling accidents, and treatment of
failed fuel. The second task investi-
gates phenomena in LOCA transients
(FFRD, fuel burst, fission gas release)
in reactor and also includes LOCA
tests for spent fuel pool transients.
The third task addresses the detailed
understanding of PCI and stress cor-
rosion cracking (SCC) mechanisms.
The fourth task includes analytical and
modelling activities (pre- and post-test
calculations, benchmarking).
In 2022, the first creep and hydride
reorientation tests under simulated
dry storage conditions were com-
pleted for back-end investigations.
Microstructural characterisations
related to fuel fragmentation in LOCA
were performed. Different LOCA and
heating tests were conducted to inves-
tigate FFRD in LOCA. Separate effect
tests and transient fission gas release
tests related to LOCA have mostly
been completed as well as investiga-
tions related to spent fuel pool LOCA.
Work to design, validate and test dif-
ferent pieces of equipment for future
testing was performed. The boiling
water reactor (BWR) and pressurised
water reactor (PWR) fuel rod model-
ling benchmarks initiated in 2021 were
continued, with completion of the blind
phases. The results were presented
and discussed at a dedicated modelling
workshop at the end of 2022.
The ATLAS Project
The Advanced Thermal-hydraulic Test
Loop for Accident Simulation (ATLAS)
is a thermal-hydraulic integral effect
test facility for advanced light water
reactors (LWRs) operated by the Korea
Atomic Energy Research Institute.
Tests to investigate design-basis and
beyond-design-basis accident (DBA
and BDBA) transients have been con-
ducted in the facility since 2014 as part
of the NEA ATLAS project.
Cabri Reactor.
CEA

The current Phase 3 of the project,
involving 19 partners from 10 countries,
was launched in early 2021 and will last
until December 2024 to address knowl-
edge gaps identified in the ATLAS
phase 2 and in other NEA joint projects
on nuclear thermal-hydraulic safety,
e.g. the PKL Project. Phase 3 aims to
extend the database on the effective-
ness of passive heat removal safety
systems, investigate reactor safety
during design extension condition sce-
narios, asymmetric natural circulation
phenomena, resolve scaling issues,
and perform integrated tests simulat-
ing both reactor coolant system and
containment responses during accident
transients.
In 2021, tests related to intermedi-
ate break LOCA and design extension
conditions scenarios were performed
and a benchmark exercise was defined.
In 2022, tests to investigate the effec-
tiveness of passive heat removal sys-
tems and the thermal-hydraulic and
heat transfer characteristics in the
CUBE facility, a mock-up of a contain-
ment, were completed. In addition, a
benchmark was started and a joint ana-
lytical workshop with the ETHARINUS
project is planned for November 2023.
The ETHARINUS
Project
The Experimental Thermal Hydraulics
for Analysis, Research and Innovations
in Nuclear Safety (ETHARINUS) pro-
ject was launched in October 2020
to address knowledge gaps identi-
fied from the PKL (Primärkreislauf-
Versuchsanlage [Primary Coolant
Loop Test Facility]) phase 4 project
and other NEA joint projects on
nuclear thermal-hydraulic safety, such
as the ATLAS project. The project will
last until October 2024 and involves
24 partners from 14 countries. The
ETHARINUS project was established
with the intention to extend the data-
base on the effectiveness of passive
heat removal safety systems, reactor
safety during design extension condi-
tion (DEC) scenarios, two-phase flows
in intermediate break (IB) LOCA tran-
sients, core cooling under partial core
blockage and cool-down procedures
after multiple steam generator tube
rupture (M-SGTR) transients.
The ETHARINUS project involves
a large scope of experimentation
mainly in the modified PKL facility at
Framatome GmbH, Germany. A few
additional test series on small break
(SB) LOCA will be performed at the
PACTEL facility at the Lappeenranta-
Lahti University of Technology, LUT
University, Finland. A further contri-
bution focused on specific technical
issues related to natural circulation
investigations is planned at the PSB-
V VER facility at the Electrogorsk
Research and Development Center
for Nuclear Power Plants Safety, JSC
ENIC, Russia.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
some tests were not completed as ini-
tially planned and have been resched-
uled. However, this does not affect the
overall project plan. At the end of 2022,
tests were successfully conducted on
DEC SB LOCA, on parametric studies
on DEC IB LOCA and on the effective-
ness of passive heat removal systems.
LUT University has performed a test
on a SB LOCA scenario with a break
in the hot leg and one with a break
in the cold leg with concurrent loss
of off-site power. The data analysis
and other analytical activities are in
progress. The participants agreed to
benchmark thermal-hydraulic codes on
a test addressing passive heat removal
system response in a station black-
View of the ATLAS
experimental loop.
KAERI, Korea.
out (SBO) scenario. Project members
also defined the two open tests to be
performed in the PKL facility: one test
will investigate the impact of a reactor
coolant pump trip time on the peak
clad temperature excursion during a SB
LOCA and the other test will study the
efficiency of safety condensers.
The ETHARINUS and ATLAS phase 3
projects are designed to be complemen-
tary in scope and testing. An analytical
workshop, common to both projects, is
planned for November 2023.
The RBHT Project
Modelling reactor core behaviour under
accident conditions with delayed re-in-
troduction of cooling water (commonly
referred to as reflood) is a challenge for
safety analysis computer codes. Reflood
thermal-hydraulics (e.g. post-criti-
cal heat flux flow and heat transfer,
entrainment, quench) remain a major
contributor to code uncertainties in the
simulation of many accident scenarios
and must be more deeply understood
to enhance nuclear safety. Moreover,
as the nuclear industry evolves, there
is a need for additional data for power
up-rates and new designs.
The objective of the three-year
(2019-2022) Rod Bundle Heat Transfer
(RBHT) project, supported by 20 part-
ners from 12 countries, was to con-
duct new experiments in the Rod
Bundle Heat Transfer (RBHT) facility
at Pennsylvania State University under
the co-ordination of the United States
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The high-quality data and measure-
ments generated (flow rates, temper-
ature distributions, heat fluxes, droplet
size distribution and velocity, spacer
grid dry-out and rewet, carryover
and quench front movement) served
to evaluate system hydraulics and
49
 sub-channel codes in the simulation of
reflood tests in a full height rod bundle,
prototypical of PWRs, for complex var-
iable or oscillatory inlet flows which are
more likely in accident scenarios. The
project was conducted in two phases:
one “open” phase comprising eleven
tests and a first benchmark exercise
with comparison of data and code
calculations for the eleven tests, and a
“blind” phase comprising five tests and
a second benchmark exercise where
the five tests were pre-calculated.
Two of the five blind tests were used
for detailed uncertainty evaluation.
The experimental campaign pro-
duced data for a total of sixteen
reflood tests. Reflood rates ranged
from 0.5 cm/sec to 15 cm/sec, pro-
ducing data applicable to dispersed
flow film boiling and inverted annu-
lar flow film boiling. Inlet subcooling
ranged from 2.8 K to 80 K. Tests with
variable reflood rates and oscillatory
reflood rates were included in the test
matrix. Most tests were conducted at
constant bundle power, but tests sim-
ulating a decay heat scenario were also
performed. The evaluation of the data
produced a detailed quench profile for
each test in addition to bundle mass,
carryover and steam exhaust fractions
to characterise the mass distribution
during the transient. New experimental
findings included the observation that
entrainment and carryover could occur
even at a very low reflood rate (0.5 cm/
sec) and that spacer grids that rewet
early in a transient could dry out later
in time for variable reflood rate tests.
Each project participant used for
the benchmark a code of their own
selection and simulated the reflood
tests. Codes used included APROS,
ATHLET, CATHARE, CTF, MARS,
RELAP5, TRACE and SPACE. There
were no guidelines on the modelling
approach or on the uncertainty analysis
method applied, but participants were
requested to compare their analytical
results to a set of Figures Of Merits
(FOMs) to characterise code perfor-
mance and accuracy.
The participants compared the
predicted and experimental results
extensively for all tests, and made an
in-depth evaluation of two types of
experiments, comparing the perfor-
mance of the various codes. They eval-
uated the code performance for a low
reflood rate test and a high reflood rate
test for each of the “open” and “blind”
test series. The comparisons gave the
following findings:
50 | NEA Annual Report 2022
• Most codes overpredicted the
amount of carryover from the bun-
dle, while underestimating the mass
retained in the bundle and amount
of steam exiting the bundle. This
suggests that prediction of liquid
entrainment at the quench front
is overestimated and models for
entrainment need improvement.
• Many codes overpredicted the bun-
dle peak cladding temperature (PCT)
for low reflood rate tests. This sug-
gests that the dispersed flow film
boiling heat transfer model is con-
servative in those codes and could
be improved.
• The so-called “User Effect” rep-
resents an important uncertainty
in the simulation of a reflood test.
Users were free to model the RBHT
facility as they considered appropri-
ate. However, it was clear that users
of the same analysis code could
obtain significantly different results.
This suggests that the development
of User Guidelines for thermal-hy-
draulic analysis codes should be
developed and/or improved in asso-
ciation with the validation process.
The participants recommend that
research into reflood thermal-hydrau-
lics be continued. Results from this
project showed that several analysis
codes used for safety analysis do not
predict some phenomena with suffi-
cient accuracy. Additional experiments
at low flooding rates would be benefi-
cial to further code development and
assessment activities. A second phase
of the project to address these gaps is
being discussed. This new phase is
planned to start in 2023.
High-temperature Engineering Test Reactor.
The LOFC Project
Following a recommendation of the
CSNI Task Group on Advanced Reactor
Experimental Facilities (TAREF) for
gas-cooled reactor safety studies, the
Loss of Forced Cooling (LOFC) project
started in April 2011, with nine partners
and seven countries participating. The
LOFC experiments study the effects
of a reduction in reactor cavity cooling
system performance and are highly
relevant for safety assessments of
advanced reactors such as high-tem-
perature reactors. The objectives are
to conduct integrated large-scale tests
of LOFC in the High-Temperature
Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), in
Oarai, Japan, to examine high-tem-
perature gas-cooled reactor safety
characteristics in support of regulatory
activities, and to provide data useful
for code validation and improvement
of simulation accuracy. The objectives
of the experimental programme are to
provide experimental data to:
• clarify the anticipated transient
without scram in case of LOFC with
occurrence of reactor re-criticality;
• validate the most important safety
aspects regarding reactor kinetics,
core physics and thermal-hydraulics;
• verify the capabilities of the codes
regarding the simulation of phenom-
ena coupled between reactor core
physics and thermal-hydraulics.
Three tests are to be conducted
by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency
(JAEA) in the HTTR. The first test
was completed in December 2010.
The project was put on hold after the
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
CHIP experimental facility to study fission product transport and deposition in the primary circuit.
IRSN, France
11 March 2011 Tokohu earthquake and
tsunami while active discussions were
conducted between the JAEA and the
regulator on the requirements for the
safe operation of the HTTR. In June
2020, after implementing modifications
requested by the regulator, the JAEA
was given permission to restart the
reactor, which it did in July 2021. A sec-
ond test was performed in January
2022 and the last test is planned for
the end of 2023. All project partici-
pants verify the codes’ capabilities to
simulate phenomena investigated in
the project. The project was extended
until the end of 2024 to complete all
experimental and modelling activities
and discussions on additional testing
with the HTTR are ongoing.
The ROSAU Project
The NEA Reduction of Severe Accident
Uncertainties (ROSAU) project aims to
reduce knowledge gaps and uncertain-
ties associated with severe accident
progression and mitigation. Following
the Fukushima Daiichi accident, sys-
tematic re-evaluations of assumed
accident initiators were carried out
worldwide. These re - evaluations
examined plant responses to severe
accident conditions and operator
actions for coping with and terminating
severe accident progression. Based on
these analyses, gaps were identified
in two areas of severe accident pro-
gression where additional knowledge
was needed and uncertainties could
be reduced. These areas are: 1) the
spreading of melt in the containment
cavity after the reactor pressure vessel
rupture and the effect of metal content
in the melt on molten core-concrete
interaction; and 2) in-vessel and ex-ves-
sel melt and debris coolability.
The ROSAU Project, supported
by 15 partners in 8 countries, com-
prises 10 tests in the above two areas.
Experiments are conducted at the
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in
the United States, under the co-ordina-
tion of the NRC, and include five large
underwater melt spreading tests (MST)
with up to 300 kg of molten prototypic
material in a newly designed facility
and five smaller melt-core-concrete
interaction (MCCI) and coolability tests
(DCAM) with up to 80 kg of molten pro-
totypic material. Tests are conducted at
temperatures up to 2 500°C, with dif-
ferent metal and concrete contents in
the melts, with different cooling water
flow rates and sub-cooling. In addition
to these experiments and with the sup-
port of project partners, the ANL will
carry out a parallel analytical activity to
refine and validate models and codes
for each test category, so as to form
the technical basis needed to extrapo-
late experiment findings to plant condi-
tions. The project started in June 2019
and is planned to end by mid-2024. In
2022, reporting of the first two DCAM
tests was completed. The third DCAM
test specifications were finalised. The
MST test facility was fully commis-
sioned and performance of the first
test is planned for early 2023. Small-
scale melt spreading experiments have
been completed at KTH, Sweden, and
contributed in-kind to the project.
The ESTER Project
The Experiments on Source Term
and Delayed Releases (ESTER)
Project (2020 -2024) was launched
in September 2020 to experimen-
tally investigate delayed radionuclide
remobilisation phenomena in a severe
accident which, based on Fukushima
Daiichi accident analyses, were identi-
fied as potentially significant contribu-
tors to the radionuclide release into the
environment. ESTER focusses mainly
on chemical remobilisation from radi-
onuclides deposited on containment
and reactor coolant system surfaces
during the accident. Another part of the
project addresses the further develop-
ment of the experimental database on
the formation of organic iodides in the
containment during a severe accident,
largely developed in the now concluded
Behaviour of Iodine Project (BIP) and
Source Term Evaluation and Mitigation
(STEM) Project. The ESTER database
will support the enhancement of chem-
ical models predicting airborne radionu-
clide concentrations in the containment.
These models are key to assessing radi-
onuclide releases during an accident,
particularly for caesium and iodine.
During the ESTER project, exper-
iments will be conducted mostly at
the IRSN in facilities developed for the
STEM Project. The CEA will conduct
experiments with prototypical radio-
nuclide deposits from the VERDON
radionuclides release tests from actual
fuel pellets. The project is supported
by ten partners from seven countries.
Related to radionuclides remobilisation,
ESTER provides investigations that are
complementary to the THEMIS project
operated by Becker Technologies.
In 2022, the IRSN continued tests
in the EPICUR facility to investigate
the influence of methane (CH 4 ) on
the formation of organic iodides and
continued small-scale remobilisation
tests in the dedicated ATMIRE exper-
imental device. Additional organic
iodide tests in 2023 await new sup-
plies of irradiation Co 60 sources at the
EPICUR facility. The first semi-integral
remobilisation test in the CHIP facility
was performed in 2022, with the aim
of studying the remobilisation of rep-
resentative deposits involving major
fission products, such as caesium,
iodine and molybdenum. Preparations
also continued at the CEA for tests with
deposit samples from real fuel testing
which are planned in 2023.
51
 The THEMIS Project
Following investigations performed
in the Thermal-hydraulics, Hydrogen,
Aerosols and Iodine (THAI) project in
three phases between 2007 and 2019,
as regards hydrogen and fission prod-
uct behaviour in a reactor containment
during a severe accident, a new project
was launched in November 2020 called
THAI Experiments on Mitigation meas-
ures, and source term issues to sup-
port analysis and further Improvement
of Severe accident management
measures (THEMIS). It follows up on
outstanding questions in the area of
combustible gas and iodine-aerosol
behaviour in the containment.
The project is supported by 25 part-
ners from 13 countries and is due
to be completed by mid-2024. The
issues identified as needing additional
research relate to the ex-vessel phases
of a severe accident with a H2 /CO mix,
the presence of fine aerosols (iodine
oxides and aerosols resulting from
remobilisation phenomena), as well
as topics such as passive auto-cata-
lytic recombiners (PARs) performance
and interaction with fine aerosols, gas
combustion, the evolution of airborne
iodine oxides and other aerosols, and
retention of fission product under
pool scrubbing conditions. Regarding
remobilisation phenomena, THEMIS
provides investigations that are com-
plementary to the ESTER project con-
ducted by the IRSN.
In 2022, testing related to pool
scrubbing and remobilisation of fine aer-
osols was completed. Testing related
to combustion and flame propagation
in a H2 /CO mix was initiated and is due
to be completed in early 2023. A tech-
nical report was released on PAR per-
formance tests in a H2 /CO mix carried
out in 2021. A benchmark exercise on a
pool scrubbing test was launched after
a first benchmark exercise on a PAR
performance test was initiated in 2021.
The PANDA project
The PANDA project was launched in
July 2021 to contribute to the extension
of the database on large-scale contain-
ment thermal-hydraulic phenomena.
The thematic areas studied include jets
or plumes impacting complex compart-
ments, radiative heat transfer, activation
of PWR containment spray systems,
issues related to pressure suppression
pools of BWRs and in-containment
refuelling water storage tanks (IRWST)
of PWRs, as well as tests related to
52 | NEA Annual Report 2022
SMR phenomenology such as the
Passive Containment Cooling System
(PCCS) and natural convection heat
transfer (HT) from the external wall of
the containment to the water pool.
PANDA is a four-year project (2021-
2025) supported by 13 organisations
from 10 countries. A kick-off meeting
was held in November 2021 with dis-
cussions on the definition of the test
series. In 2022, facility upgrades were
completed and characterisation tests
for plumes interacting with a simulated
steam generator compartment were
started. The signature process of the
agreement is ongoing and is expected
to be completed in early 2023.
The PRISME project
Fire is a significant contributor to over-
all core damage frequency for both
new and old nuclear reactor designs.
Furthermore, it may severely affect
plant safety in nuclear fuel cycle facili-
ties. Some of the technical issues that
need to be addressed in fire probabilis-
tic safety analysis are: the propagation
of heat and smoke between rooms,
including the effects of openings and
ventilation systems, resulting stresses
to sensitive safety equipment, fire
spreading in real complex fire sources
such as cable trays and electrical cab-
inets and the performance of various
fire detection and extinction systems.
The Fire Propagation in Elementary,
Multi-room Scenarios (PRISME) project
operated by IRSN, France, is address-
ing these technical issues experimen-
tally, mostly in the SATURNE facility
designed to investigate fires in real
complex sources and in the DIVA large-
scale, multi-room facility designed to
investigate fire propagation in nuclear
facility buildings. Experiments provide
data for the development and validation
of fire safety simplified zone model and
CFD codes.
Phase 3 of the PRISME project
(2017-2022), supported by nine part-
ners in eight countries, was completed
in 2022. It addressed, through tests
that were complementary to those
performed in the two first phases of
the project, fire, heat and smoke prop-
agation inside a plant. Its tests were
specifically tailored for fire code valida-
tion and fire spread in electrical cabinet
and cable trays and used real sources.
Five tests related to fire propagation
in plants were completed in 2019 and
the test reports were issued in 2020.
Eight tests investigating fires in electri-
cal cabinets were completed in 2020.
Eight tests investigating cable fire prop-
agation were performed in 2021. The
final reporting is completed and the
discussions on the conclusions and
outcome of the project took place in
a final open seminar in October 2022.
A combined benchmark between
the PRISME and the NEA Fire Incident
Records Exchange (FIRE) Database
project on a real cable fire event from a
heater bay in a nuclear power plant was
concluded in 2022.
A new five-year project phase,
named Fire risk Assessment through
Innovative Research (FAIR), is planned
to be launched at the beginning of
2023 with a focus on cable fire prop-
agation on long horizontal and vertical
cable trays as well as with aged cables.
Other topics will include poorly venti-
lated combustion and fire and smoke
propagation in multi-source and mul-
ti-compartment scenarios.
The HEAF Project
Massive electrical discharges, referred
to as high energy arcing faults (HEAF),
have occurred throughout the world
in nuclear power plants switching off
components. These incidents have
been increasing because of ageing infra-
structures and growing energy demand.
The Prisme
Project DIVA
facility
for fire
propagation
studies.
IRSN, France
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Co-ordinated by the NRC, the HEAF
Project was initiated in 2012 to perform
experiments on a variety of electrical
cabinets in order to obtain scientific data
on HEAF phenomena through carefully
designed experiments. Phase 1 of the
HEAF project was completed in 2016.
The report concluded with recommen-
dations for areas requiring further test-
ing, in particular to better understand
the importance of specific variables,
such as bus bar material, operating volt-
age, current and arc duration, on the
severity of the HEAF.
In February 2017, an International
Phenomena Identification and Ranking
Table (PIRT) exercise was held to
identify phenomena of the highest
importance with the least amount of
knowledge available on HEAF events.
This exercise tentatively identified alu-
minium oxidation, pressure effects, the
characteristics of target structures and
mitigating factors (e.g. HEAF shields)
as being areas for further research.
Discussions were completed with rep-
resentatives from ten partners in nine
countries to initiate a second phase of
the project. The second phase of the
project (2019-2022) comprises elec-
trical enclosures and bus duct tests.
Electrical enclosure tests have been
designed using the same enclosure
configuration for repeatability and based
on typical plant design for representa-
tiveness. Some of the enclosures were
dismounted from nuclear power plants
under decommissioning to be tested
in the project. The bus bar tests were
designed for a known and reliable arc
location and plasma ejection direction.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
first tests were postponed to the middle
of 2022. A first series of six tests was
conducted at the end of August 2022
together with additional domestic tests
whose results will be shared with the
project. The focus of these tests was on
bus bar and bus duct, comparing mate-
rial effects between aluminium and cop-
per. The HEAF project was extended
by the project partners until the end of
2022 and will need to be extended again
to cover completion of the second and
final test series.
In parallel with the HEAF-2 project,
the NRC is conducting a domestic test
programme together with the Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI), focus-
ing, among other things, on the influ-
ence of aluminium oxidation. Relevant
test results are shared with HEAF-2
project members.
The ARC-F Project
The Analysis of Information from
Reactor Buildings and Containment
Vessels of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station (ARC-F) project was
initiated in January 2019 for three
years as one of the near-term projects
proposed by the Senior Expert Group
on Safety Research Opportunities
Post-Fukushima (SAREF) to follow the
Benchmark Study of the Accident at
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant (BSAF project). It addressed the
following objectives: i) to resolve major
open issues identified in BSAF2, ii) to
collect, compile and analyse publicly
available data and information from
the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and iii) to
propose a next-phase project to further
support management of the conse-
quences of the accident at the plant site.
Three main tasks were conducted:
activities relevant to the refinement of
the analysis of accident scenarios and
related fission product (FP) transport
and dispersion, compilation and man-
agement of data and information and
discussion for a next-phase project.
The first task included improve-
ment of the accident scenario analysis,
in-depth analysis for specific uncertain
phenomena and backward source term
analysis and off-site consequence
analysis.
The plant modelling was refined,
which improved replication of availa-
ble measured thermal-hydraulics data.
Analyses emphasised the significant
impact of differences in material inter-
action models on core damage pro-
gression and that the remobilisation of
FPs is an important phenomenon that
needs to be better addressed. A code
benchmark on MCCI for unit 1 was
performed. Similarly to BSAF2, contin-
uous concrete erosion was calculated,
though with narrower scatter. The most
important models and conditions for
further development were identified.
The work for FP transport and
source terms covered FP transport and
behaviour in the buildings, FP specia-
tion, pool scrubbing, iodine chemistry
and uncertainty analysis. Significant
advances were made in the descrip-
tion of FP chemistry, particularly for
Cs and I. The results will be used to
enhance understanding of the radio-
logical consequences of accidents and
to determine the causes of major FP
release events.
H2 transport and combustion were
investigated for units 1 and 3. Unit 1
analysis implied the likelihood of early
H 2 combustion in the reactor well,
which might be a possible cause of the
failure of the shield plugs. The analy-
sis of H2 combustion in unit 3 aimed
at explaining the formation of orange-
coloured flames and the rise of a black
smoke plume during hydrogen explo-
sion. Combustion of organic gases
generated by thermal decomposition
of organic materials in the containment
vessel could explain the observations.
S everal improvements were
achieved in techniques for backward
source term. In particular, the identifi-
cation and resolution of specific release
episodes could be enhanced. In the
forward off-site consequence analy-
sis, differences arose due to the use
of different weather data sets. It was
proposed to evaluate weather data set
uncertainties in the future.
Two databases storing publicly
available information collected from
websites of relevant Japanese organ-
isations were built and provided to the
project partners. They contain records
based on documents and samples
taken from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Finally, the scope of the work and
technical tasks of a next-phase project
were discussed among the partners
of the ARC-F and Preparatory Study
on Analysis of Fuel Debris (PreADES)
projects. This resulted in the launch of
the FACE project.
The final summary report of the pro-
ject was completed in December 2022.
The FACE Project
The FACE project is a constructive
and integrative extension of already
completed projects (BSAF, PreADES
and ARC-F) related to the Fukushima
Daiichi accident analysis and the
preparation of the fuel debris retrieval
operations. The FACE project will run
from July 2022 to June 2026 and is
supported by 12 countries and the
European Commission.
53
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Based on the Japanese organisa-
tions’ needs and the expected needs
of project partners, the FACE project
has the following general objectives:
• refining the interpretation of the
Fukushima Daiichi accident sce-
narios, including the effects of
accident management measures in
light of insights obtained from plant
investigations;
• clarifying current capabilities and
directions to further improve model-
ling for severe accident progression;
accident and which fuel debris analy-
sis technology and evaluation methods
may be most useful. An international
round-robin analysis with debris simu-
lants is also included in this scope.
Japanese organisations collect data
and information from the Fukushima
Daiichi plant investigation and shared
them with the project partners in the
third task. This is a continuation of one
of the tasks initiated in the ARC-F pro-
ject with an expansion of the informa-
tion that is contributed.

• interpreting the results of analysis of The SMILE Project

uranium-bearing particles collected
on site and determining suitable hot
cell laboratory analysis techniques
and procedures for future applica-
tion to fuel debris analyses;
• maintaining communication
between Japanese organisations
and international partners to share
data, information and expertise
towards the resolution of issues
related to Fukushima Daiichi plant
decommissioning and dismantling
(D&D) and the improvement of reac-
tor safety in various countries.
Three tasks are proposed in light of
the general objectives. The first task is
to carry out in-depth discussions and
analyses of the accident progression in
the damaged units and related fission
product (FP) behaviour and hydrogen
(H2) combustion. This task considers
technical issues identified in recent
Fukushima Daiichi plant investigations
that are far from previous knowledge,
and the quantification of uncertainties
in severe accident modelling (melt
progression, Molten Corium Concrete
Interaction (MCCI), FP and H2 issues),
taking into account uncertainties in
boundary conditions such as the rate
of alternative water injection and leak-
age from the containment vessels. It
is also important to maintain flexibility
in the choice of technical tasks based
on new insights obtained from on-site
investigations.
The second task is related to the
characterisation of uranium-bearing
particles and the establishment of
techniques for future fuel debris analy-
sis for D&D. It includes a study on the
plausible mechanisms for the formation
of uranium-bearing particles collected
on-site. This will contribute to the
understanding of the progression of the
The Studsvik Material Integrity Life
Extension Project (SMILE) was
launched in 2021 with the aim of inves-
tigating metallic components and mate-
rials from nuclear power plants (BWR
and PWR) under decommissioning to
better understand and predict ageing
phenomena. The information obtained
from the experimental investigations
can be used to support plant ageing
management activities, life extension
programmes, and operating licence
renewals. The 5-year project (2021-
2025) is supported by 13 organisations
from 7 countries. Discussions were
ongoing in 2022 for the adhesion of two
additional countries: China and Finland.
SMILE is conducted by Studsvik
Nuclear AB, Sweden, based on experi-
mental examinations and the testing of
aged materials that will be harvested
from Swedish LWRs that are being
decommissioned after more than
40 ears of operation: Oskarshamn 1
and 2 (BWRs) and Ringhals 2 (PWR).
Material replaced 30 years after opera-
tion is already available and will also be
investigated, e.g. the reactor pressure
vessel (RPV) upper head and pressur-
iser from Ringhals 3 and 4.
The project is structured into four
main tasks. The first task is to build a
material library by retrieving the mate-
rials and documents to the greatest
extent possible, with all the known
information on the materials selected
to be harvested from the three retired
Swedish LWRs and the major replaced
components from Ringhals 3 and 4. All
data collected and generated within
SMILE will be organised and structured
so that they can be easily transferred
to a database, in case the necessary
resources to create such a comprehen-
sive database become available in the
Studsvik pool facility for storage and
inspection of SMILE materials.
Studsvik
future. The second task investigates
irradiation and thermal embrittlement
of low alloy steels used for reactor
pressure vessels and other large ves-
sels in the primary coolant circuits of
LWRs. The third task is to address the
stainless steel alloys of core support
structures and internals and is divided
into two subtasks focusing on irradia-
tion embrittlement, including welds
and irradiation-assisted stress corro-
sion cracking, and corrosion fatigue
susceptibility. The fourth task is to
evaluate pressure boundary stainless
steels, nickel base alloys and their
welds, where irradiation effects do
not play a significant role. The task is
divided in two subtasks focusing on dis-
similar metal welds and stainless steel
welds, stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
resistance in BWRs and PWRs and
alloy 690/152/52 primary water stress
corrosion cracking (PWSCC) resistance
and thermal stability in PWRs. The
fourth and fifth project meetings were
held in 2022, with participants refining
priorities in material selection, test
matrices and test procedures. Crucial
background information on material
properties and earlier test programmes
were obtained and dose calculations of
the materials were conducted. The fist
materials arrived at Studsvik and test-
ing has started in the various project
subtasks. Further preparation of the
test equipment and planning of the
material extraction is ongoing.

54 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Nuclear safety databases
The CODAP
The Component Operational
Experience, Degradation and Ageing
Programme (CODAP) started in 2012,
building on two earlier NEA projects:
The Piping Failure Data Exchange
(OPDE) Project that ran from 2002 to
2011 and produced an international
database on piping service experience
applicable to commercial nuclear plants,
and the Stress Corrosion Cracking and
Cable Ageing Project (SCAP), which
ran from 2006 to 2010 to assess stress
corrosion cracking and the degradation
of cable insulation. Both have implica-
tions for nuclear safety and for plant
ageing management.
The objectives of CODAP include:
• collecting information on passive
metallic component degradation
and failures of the primary system,
reactor pressure vessel internals,
the main process and standby
safety systems, support systems
(i.e. ASME code classes 1, 2 and 3,
or equivalent), and components not
related to safety (non-code) but with
significant operational impact;
• developing topical reports on degra-
dation mechanisms in close co-or-
dination with the CSNI Working
Group on Integrity and Ageing
of Components and Structures
(WGIAGE).
CODAP is in its fourth phase (2021-
2023) and has produced a number
of insight reports analysing events in
the database. The year 2022 marked
the 10 th anniversary of the project,
which welcomed UAE as a new par-
ticipating country. In 2022, the topical
report A Review of the “Post-1998”
Experience with Thermal Fatigue in
Heavy Water and Light Water Reactor
Piping Components was published.
A review of operating experience
involving passive component material
degradation in periods of extended and
long-term operation was concluded
and is expected to be published soon.
By the end of the third phase (2018-
2020), the CODAP database included
about 5 097 records on degraded and
failed metallic piping and non-piping
passive components. In 2022, data
continued to be collected and analysed
to support long-term operation of oper-
ating plants. The operating experience
is also of interest for the design of
future advanced reactors.
The FIRE Project
The Fire Incidents Records Exchange
(FIRE) Project started in 2002 and
phase 6 of the project began in 2020 for
a duration of three years, with 14 coun-
tries currently participating. The main
purpose of the project is to collect and
analyse, on an international scale, data
related to fire events in nuclear environ-
ments. The specific objectives are to:
• collect fire event experience
(through international exchange) in
a quality-assured and consistent
database, and to define its format;
• collect and analyse fire events data
over the long term to better under-
stand such events, their causes and
their prevention;
• generate qualitative insights into the
root causes of fire events that can
then be used to derive approaches
or mechanisms for their preven-
tion or for the mitigation of their
consequences;
• establish a mechanism for the effi-
cient feedback of experience gained
in connection with fire events,
including the development of
defences against their occurrence,
such as indicators for risk-based
inspections;
• record event attributes to enable the
quantification of fire frequencies and
risk analysis.
The structure of the database has
been well defined and arrangements
have been made in all countries to col-
lect and validate data. The quality assur-
ance process is frequently refined and
has proven to be efficient in assessing
the quality of the data provided by part-
ners. A special emphasis is put on the
usability of the database for probabilis-
tic analyses. The participating countries
are continuously updating the structure
and functions of the database in order
to increase its usability and applicability
and to take operating experience into
account.
The last version of the database
(version 2019:01), which contains
about 550 records of fire events, was
distributed in early 2021. The next ver-
sion (2021:01) is expected to be made
available to the project partners soon.
The project members defined dur-
ing 2022 the work programme of the
7th phase of the project. This work
programme includes consideration of
an extension of the FIRE database to
fires in research reactors and other fuel
cycle facilities as well as fires during
decommissioning. These aspects will
be further discussed and refined in the
coming meetings.
A number of topical reports are
under discussion.
The ICDE Project
The International Common-cause Data
Exchange (ICDE) Project collects and
analyses operating data related to com-
mon-cause failures (CCF) that have the
potential to affect several components
or several systems, including safety
systems. The project has been in
operation since 1998, and has been
extended with a new phase-9 agree-
ment from 2023 to 2026.
The ICDE Project comprises com-
plete, partial and incipient CCF events.
It currently covers the key components
of the main safety systems, such as
centrifugal pumps, diesel generators,
motor-operated valves, safety relief
valves, check valves, control rod drive
mechanisms, reactor protection sys-
tem circuit breakers and batteries.
These components were selected
based on several probabilistic safety
assessments (PSAs) that identified
them as major risk contributors in the
case of CCFs.
Qualitative insight from data will help
reduce the number of CCF events that
are risk contributors, and member coun-
tries can use the data for their national
risk analyses. As of February 2022, the
database included 12 028 records.
In phase 8 (2019-2022), the com-
ponent reports for motor-operated
valves, safety and relief valves and
batteries have been updated. Also,
topical analyses have been performed
for the following topics: external envi-
ronmental factors, severe emergency
diesel generator events, plant modifi-
cations, improving testing, multi-unit
events, inter-system dependencies
and pre-initiator human failure events.
Lastly, an example using ICDE data to
quantify CCF in PSA models is under
development.
55
 Secretariat-serviced bodies
Multinational Design
Evaluation Programme
The Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP) is an initiative
to develop innovative approaches to
leverage the resources and knowl-
edge of national regulatory author-
ities engaged in new reactor power
plant design activities.
The main objective is to enable
increased co-operation and estab-
lish a reference for regulatory prac-
tices so as to enhance the safety of
new reactor designs. The enhanced
co-operation among regulators
will improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of the regulatory design
reviews, which are part of each
country’s licensing process. The
programme focuses on co-opera-
tion on regulatory practices that aim
at harmonising regulatory require-
ments. The IAEA safety standards,
which provide a general level of
harmonisation, provide input to
the work and can benefit from the
final results. MDEP is primarily
focused on design evaluation, but
also includes inspection activities
and generic issues. As the designs
moved into the construction, com-
missioning and eventually the oper-
ational phases, the scope expanded
to continue co-operation on over-
sight of construction and commis-
sioning, and to share experience
from the first two years of operation,
as it pertains to design. The MDEP
framework in 2021 included the
EPR, AP1000, APR1400, VVER and
HPR1000 working groups and one
issue-specific working group ded-
icated to vendor inspection co-op-
eration to support the programme
by addressing cross-cutting issues.
The MDEP entered a new phase
from the beginning of 2022. Having
successfully operated for 15 years,
and being widely recognised as an
56 | NEA
NEA Annual
AnnualReport
Report2022
2022
effective framework for regulatory
co-operation and harmonisation, the
MDEP Policy Group, its governing
body, agreed to conclude the exist-
ing MDEP terms of reference and
adopt a new organisational struc-
ture. As such, MDEP now operates
with two design-specific working
groups: the VVERWG will focus on
new-build nuclear power plant pro-
jects using Russian VVER designs,
and the HPR1000WG will focus on
safety evaluations of the Chinese
HPR1000 design.
A key concept behind MDEP is
that it will better inform the deci-
sions of regulator y authorities
through multinational co-operation,
while each regulator retains sover-
eign authority to make licensing
and regulatory decisions. Active,
constructive engagement among
regulators has led to a productive
year in terms of sharing information
on regulatory decisions and identi-
fying lessons learnt, especially for
EPR, VVER and HPR1000 designs.
MDEP is ready to proceed with
its revised framework. This revised
approach is governed by new terms
of reference and can accommodate
interactions with emerging coun-
tries if members agree.
2022 MDEP highlights
The Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP) entered a new
phase from the beginning of 2022
to support the MDEP designs that
are to be active after 2022 (VVER
and HPR1000). The work has con-
tinued to enable these technologies
to gain the full benefit of the MDEP
approach. The MDEP Management
Board (MB), its new governing body,
held its second meeting in June
2022 and the third one in September
2022. To facilitate the transition to
a new framework, MDEP issued
a summary report of the MDEP
phase 1, which lasted from 2006
to 2021. The report highlights the
key points of each MDEP product
published during the last 15 years,
i.e. 39 common positions on a vari-
ety of technical topics identified
during design reviews, as well as
43 technical reports. It also lists a
number of qualitative successes of
the programme.
In 2022, MDEP design-specific
working groups made progress in
their programme of work. The VVER
working group issued two common
positions: one addressing ex-vessel
melt retention in the core catcher
and one related to the reliability of
reactor pressure vessels and pri-
mary components in AES-2006
designs. Two technical reports were
also issued, one on ex-vessel melt
retention in the core catcher and
one on hydrogen recombiners. The
HPR1000 working group completed
two common positions. The first
addressed the in-containment refu-
elling water storage tank (IRWST)
strainer performance and the down-
stream effects of the HPR1000 after
LOCA. The second was related to
in-vessel retention strategies for
the HPR1000. The group issued one
technical report on internal and
external hazards.
MDEP plans to hold its 5th confer-
ence on 24-25 April 2023 in Antalya,
Türkiye.
For more information on MDEP’s
structure, and to consult publicly
available technical reports and
common position papers, see www.
oecd-nea.org/mdep. The NEA is
fully compensated for its support to
MDEP through voluntary, financial
and in-kind contributions made by
MDEP members.
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Human Aspects
of Nuclear Safety
The NEA places great focus, through the work of this
division, on ensuring that human aspects are taken into
account for the safe operation of nuclear facilities. The
main areas of work to this effect include strengthening
public communication and stakeholder engagement in
decision-making, safety culture and other related issues.
In addition, robust work is carried out on improving the
understanding and treatment of human and organisational
factors within the nuclear industry, as well as targeting
the improvement of gender balance in the nuclear sector.
The work of this division falls under the auspices of the
Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA), the
Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI),
the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC)
and the Committee on Decommissioning and Legacy
management (CDLM) as well as directly under the Steering
Committee on Nuclear Energy. As human aspects are cross-
cutting and support many of the mandates of the standing
technical committees at the NEA, the work of the Division
of the Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety (HANS) is jointly
implemented with the collaboration of other NEA bodies.
Safety culture, leadership
and capacity building
The Working Group on Safety Culture (WGSC) continues to
facilitate open exchanges between regulators on safety culture.
The group’s scope of work ranges from factors influencing
licensees’ safety culture to the wider interconnected system
in order to consider the relevant implications for regulatory
effectiveness. For many years, nuclear safety culture was
treated as an issue primarily related to operators. However, it
is now widely understood and agreed that nuclear regulatory
bodies deeply impact the safety culture of the organisations
they regulate and oversee. The group held biannual meetings
on 5-7 April 2022 via video conference and 18-20 October
2022 in Paris to review its ongoing work on safety culture and
leadership in nuclear regulators.
The WGSC is engaged in two projects, building upon prior
work that developed principles and attributes for the safety
Highlights
In October 2022, the Steering Committee
approved the principles of a draft policy framework
developed by the NEA Task Group on Improving
the Gender Balance in the Nuclear Sector (GB-TG).
The goal of the framework is to support member
countries to improve the gender balance and
enhance the role of women in the nuclear sector.
Also in October 2022, the NEA signed a
five-year Memorandum of Understanding with
Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global to co-operate on
improving the gender balance in the sector through
mentoring, youth engagement, communication,
education, training, joint research and events, and
other activities.
Throughout the year, the HANS team
co-organised four in-person NEA International
Mentoring Workshops and one international
mentoring session in hybrid format. The events
reached approximately 150 students and young
professionals from Argentina, Bulgaria, France,
Japan, Romania, Spain, Thailand, the United Arab
Emirates and other countries.
The first Nuclear Risk Communications
Training Course was delivered in December 2022 in
Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Participants included
experts from nuclear regulatory agencies,
radiation specialists, engineers, researchers and
communication specialists.
culture of an effective nuclear regulatory body as well as
methods to assess and strengthen its safety culture. The
first project focuses on how regulatory bodies impact the
organisations they oversee, and vice versa, from a safety
culture perspective; the second is a systematic investigation
into the characteristics and competencies of leadership at all
levels of an organisation from a safety culture perspective.
In 2022, data was collected in two phases and analysed in
workshops held virtually on 21-22 June 2022 and in Paris on
17-18 October 2022. The results complement and strengthen
previous initiatives.
Country-Specific Safety Culture
Forum
The Country-Specific Safety Culture Forum (CSSCF) examines
the national attributes of a country that can influence its safety
culture, and aims to support organisations in maintaining a
57
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
healthy safety culture in order to safely operate nuclear
facilities and effectively undertake regulatory activities. The
third edition of the CSSCF was held in Ottawa, Canada,
on 7-8 September 2022. Leading up to the Forum, a data-
gathering mission was carried out in June by an NEA team
who visited Canadian utilities to conduct interviews and
convene focus groups to identify national characteristics that
could have an impact on the country’s nuclear safety culture.
The information gathered resulted in a snapshot study and
complemented an initial study that had been developed
from virtual interviews conducted with nuclear organisations
in Canada in 2019 and 2020 (as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic). The two studies informed the scenario script for
the Forum, which resulted in excellent discussions about
Canada’s national traits and their impact on safety culture.
Around 80 participants from the Canadian nuclear industry
and other related stakeholders joined the Forum, which also
involved a number of international observers.
In 2022, the NEA engaged in meetings with key partners in
Japan and Switzerland, leading to the confirmation of CSSCFs
to be held in Japan in 2023, and in Switzerland in 2024.
Human and organisational factors
The CSNI Working Group on Human and Organisational
Factors (WGHOF) held its biennial meetings on 21-23 March
and on 2-4 November 2022. The discussions centred
around the five activities that the WGHOF launched in
2022: the impact of COVID-19 on the nuclear sector from
an organisational behaviour perspective; the development
of a human and organisational training catalogue; human and
organisational factors (HOF) in event analysis processes;
regulatory oversight and its effects on HOF and safety
culture (looking at the Boeing MAX 737 accidents); and
the examination of trust as an industry and organisational
capability. Currently the task groups are developing literature
reviews in support of these activities, and the catalogue of
Human and Organisational Factors Training is nearly finalised.
Country-Specific Safety
Culture Forum (CSSCF)
Canada participants take part
in a role playing exercise,
7 September 2022.
58 | NEA Annual Report 2022
The plenary meetings featured key external speakers from
other industries, such as medicine and aviation, who provided
insights that support the tasks focusing on COVID‑19 impacts
and regulatory oversight.
In 2022, two WGHOF reports were published:
Organisational Capabilities for Decommissioning Nuclear
Installations and Human and Organisational Performance
in Nuclear Installations. The first was presented during the
Committee on Decommissioning and Legacy Management’s
plenary meeting and at the Working Party on Management
and Organisational Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy
Management meeting.
Forum on Stakeholder Confidence
Stakeholder involvement in nuclear decision-making is a
global issue of increasing importance. In this context, the
NEA Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) facilitates the
exchange of experiences on decisions and approaches to
the management of radioactive waste and the conduct of
decommissioning activities. The FSC also organises national
workshops to bring together stakeholders to foster dialogue
and the advancement of knowledge on long-term radioactive
waste management.
On 17-18 May, the FSC held in Bern, Switzerland, the
3rd joint workshop with the Integration Group for the Safety
Case (IGSC). Local stakeholders and experts in radioactive
waste management convened to discuss the challenges
faced while communicating with civil society on the scientific
safety evidence for deep geological repositories (DGRs).
These exchanges aimed at sharing experiences and finding
ways to effectively communicate technical details regarding
radioactive waste repository safety cases so as to enhance
the stakeholders’ confidence in the proposed technical
options. The workshop helped IGSC and FSC participants
better understand what inputs local stakeholders may need
to gain confidence in the safety case, starting with openness,

transparency on the technical facts and the process
itself, direct answers to questions, acknowledgement of
uncertainties, and access to models.
The FSC held its annual plenary meeting in Dessel,
Belgium, on 3-5 October 2022. The delegates representing
12 countries and 16 organisations discussed the FSC’s future
programme of work. Among the topics was an upcoming
publication entitled The Role of Regions in Siting Procedures.
A future survey on the effects of the pandemic on ways to
engage with stakeholders was also discussed.
The annual meeting was followed by the 11th FSC national
workshop, on “Fostering stakeholder involvement across
generations - participation after site selection”, held in the
same venue on 5-7 October. More than 50 local stakeholders,
students from several countries and experts in stakeholder
engagement and radioactive waste management convened
to discuss the challenges faced when trying to proactively
engage the public on long-term technical and social issues
such as radioactive waste disposal facilities. Enlightening
examples of engagement were presented, based on
experience drawn from academic research, but also from
the Belgian National Orchestra and from citizen science
projects. The workshop helped all participants gain a better
understanding of the type of actions they could implement
to foster a more active and sustainable engagement from
stakeholders on the issue of radioactive waste disposals.
Public communication and
stakeholder involvement
The NEA Working Group on Public Communication of
Nuclear Regulatory Organisations (WGPC) held its biannual
meetings on 3-4 May 2022 and 7-9 November 2022.
The WGPC was established in 2001 under the umbrella
of the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities
(CNRA) in response to participating countries’ needs
regarding the policies of nuclear regulatory organisations
in the area of public communication. During the past
two decades, the group has provided a forum for nuclear
regulatory organisation communicators and outreach officers
to exchange information, experience and practices. It has
also promoted efficient collaboration between countries in
this field.
NEA Director-General Magwood
welcoming the group of
communications experts and
technical professionals to the risk
communication training workshop
in Bratislava, Slovak Republic,
7-9 December 2022.
In 2022, the group worked on establishing a first edition
of a Nuclear Risk Communication Training Course (RCTC)
for communication and outreach officers, technical staff
and inspectors working in relevant public organisations
(regulatory bodies, technical safety organisations and
agencies for radioactive waste management).
The group also continued its work on the characteristics
of a trusted regulator. Public trust in nuclear regulatory
authorities is essential for effective nuclear regulation and
is as important as technical competence, independence
and having adequate resources. Its report will complement
previous NEA reports: The Characteristics of an Effective
Nuclear Regulator (2014), and The Safety Culture of an
Effective Nuclear Regulatory Body (2016).
The WGPC continues its collaboration with other NEA
working parties, including the WGSC, WGHOF and FSC, on
the work on trust. These groups met throughout the year to
share information and collaborate on their cross-cutting work
related to better understanding the concept of trust between
nuclear organisations and the public.
The NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education Working
Group 3, focusing on “rethinking the relationship between civil
society and the nuclear sector”, has been working towards
finalising its roadmap, which details its programme of work.
The group also started working on three topics identified
as “values”, “socio-environmental impacts” and “nuclear
futures”. The “values” task group is investigating the values
and rationales underlying both critical and supportive stances
towards nuclear energy. To support this research, a survey on
“Values, Science, Risk perception and Nuclear Energy” has
been launched. As a second task, the group is studying the
qualitative and quantitative benefits and burdens that result
from developing and using nuclear technology. The group
seeks to identify new connections between the technology
attributes and their impact on communities and the external
environment. The third task is to launch a foresight study on
nuclear futures to provide a basis for discussion of future
scenarios between stakeholder groups.
Optimisation is a crucial aspect in decision-making.
However, there is no common understanding across nuclear
sectors of what an “optimised” decision implies. A key
aspect is the involvement of stakeholders, especially civil
society, in the decision-making process. While an optimised
decision depends largely on the prevailing circumstances,
there is a need for generic guidance in the implementation
59

of more holistic, inclusive and sustainable decision-making
processes. Better cross-sector communication is one
approach to optimise decisions and appropriately consider
and balance their societal, health, environmental, and
economic impacts. The third NEA Stakeholder Involvement
Workshop, planned for September 2023, will build on the
findings of three preparatory webinars during which a broad
range of stakeholders will be invited to discuss the key
phases of a decision: (1) identifying and framing the purpose
of the decision (i.e. pre-decision-making activities); (2) finding
and evaluating options for solutions (i.e. analysis of options
for making the decision); (3) selecting, executing and post-
assessing the decision (i.e. executing and implementing
a decision and gaining insight/feedback on the process
post-decision). The webinars aim to identify similarities and
differences in the understanding of optimisation during each
of the three phases across sectors and across countries.
During all of the three phases, the question should be how
to empower stakeholders to play a solution-oriented role in
the decision-making process, and to identify the types of
triggers or goals that drive the optimisation process and its
influencing factors.
Nuclear Risk Communication
Training Course
In December 2020, the WGPC started its project to design
and implement a Nuclear Risk Communication Training
Course (RCTC) that aims to provide communication
and technical professionals working in relevant public
organisations (regulator y bodies, technical safety
organisations, agencies for radioactive waste management,
etc.) with the fundamentals of risk communication,
excluding crisis communications. The scope of the training
includes understanding risk communication principles and
building trust by learning how to communicate effectively
before, during and after a regulatory and radiological
protection decision is made. This task is being carried out
in close collaboration with the CRPPH and the FSC. The
first edition of the training course was held in December
2022, in Bratislava, Slovak Republic. This training course is
60 | NEA Annual Report 2022
The third international mentoring
workshop for female high school
students co-organised with
Women in Nuclear Global (WiN) Spain,
27 September 2022.
intended to evolve and be offered on an ongoing basis so
that it can continue to meet the needs of the NEA member
countries and participants in the critical area of effective risk
communications.
International mentoring workshops
in STEM
The NEA works continuously with its member countries
towards achieving a robust, qualified workforce and
developing the next generation of nuclear professionals and
leaders. The under-representation of women in the nuclear
sector has a direct impact on member countries’ capabilities
to maintain a highly skilled and diverse nuclear labour pool.
Accordingly, attracting and retaining more women into
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM), and highlighting the prospects for women at
each stage of their education and career development is
an important goal that the NEA works with its member
countries in advancing.
To help address the gender gap and ensure a robust
and diverse pipeline of talent for the nuclear sector, the
NEA co-organises international mentoring workshops
with member countries and partners that seek to create
motivating connections between female students and
senior female representatives in the field. The workshops
are instrumental in motivating girls and young professionals
to remain in STEM fields and nuclear education and careers.
In 2022, the HANS team co-organised workshops in
Japan, Romania, Spain and France (by order of occurrence).
The first workshop in 2022 was held on 23-25 July in
Fukushima, Japan, jointly organised with Japan’s Nuclear
Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation
Corporation (NDF). The three-day “Joshikai” workshop
linked four national and four international, inspirational, female
representatives with 36 high school students from all over
Japan. It also provided the opportunity to visit the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant site and the Nahara Center for
Remote Control Technology Development. The second
workshop was held on 28-29 July in Brasov, Romania, and
 The fourth international mentoring
workshop for female graduate and
post-graduate students,
ESIX University, Cherbourg, France,
7-9 December 2022.
was co-organised with Romania’s Nuclear and Radioactive
Waste Agency (ANDR). The workshop welcomed 23 female
high school students from Romania and Bulgaria. The third
workshop was held on 27 September in Spain, in co-operation
with WiN Spain, and provided 71 female high school students
with the opportunity to engage with 10 female mentors. The
fourth workshop took place on 7-9 December in Cherbourg,
France, at the ESIX University, with 15 female graduate and
post-graduate students who benefitted from discussions
with 3 senior-level mentors. They also visited the Flamanville
nuclear power plant and Orano sites.
Also during the year, the NEA collaborated with Women
in Nuclear (WiN) Global to deliver a hybrid mentoring session
for university students and young professionals from
Argentina, Japan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
This first mentoring event with WiN Global took place on
24 May in Tokyo, Japan, on the margins of the WiN Global
Annual Conference.
Based on feedback from these workshops, the initiative has
proven successful in strengthening the interest of principally
young female students in STEM studies and careers, and has
enabled participants to directly address any questions and
concerns they may have about going into this field. Several of
these workshops will continue to be held on a yearly basis, and
a number of member countries are interested in co-hosting
their first mentoring workshop in 2023.
Gender balance in the nuclear sector
Improving gender balance in the nuclear workforce is a
growing area of focus for the NEA and its member countries,
who are exploring new and creative approaches. The NEA
convened four high-level meetings of the Task Group on
Improving the Gender Balance in the Nuclear Sector on
14 February, 24 June, 14-15 September, and 5 December
2022. The group is chartered under the Steering Committee
and chaired by the Committee’s vice chair.
The delegates produced a report taking stock of the current
gender balance in the nuclear sector in NEA countries and
developed a policy framework to support countries to improve
gender balance and enhance the contributions of women
in the sector. The principles of the draft framework were
approved by the NEA Steering Committee on 20 October
2022. In September 2022, the task group launched four sub-
groups to plan for the implementation of the framework by
developing practical guidance and tools. The group will also
continue to collect data and is partnering with the International
Gender Champions Impact Group (IGC IG) on Gender Equality
in Nuclear Regulatory Agencies on a pilot study.
Activities are also underway on targeted communications,
increased engagement and education activities. The NEA
promoted the visibility of women in the nuclear sector
in March 2022 as part of the OECD “March on Gender”
campaign with multimedia featuring diverse women and
girls. The Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science,
Technology and Policy, an NEA initiative connecting
academic institutions with NEA countries and nuclear
energy stakeholders, is launching two initiatives through
its working group on achieving gender balance in nuclear
technology and academia. The first programme is an annual
workshop for female university students and graduates
in nuclear technology to provide career development and
leadership skills. The second is a survey targeting students to
develop data-driven inclusion guidelines for nuclear science
departments at universities. The NEA will continue to
integrate data and policy with communications and outreach
as part of a holistic strategy to support member countries
working to improve gender balance and diversity.
Contact:
Greg Lamarre
Head, Division of Radiological Protection
and Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety
+33 (0)1 73 21 29 40
greg.lamarre@oecd-nea.org
61
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

Radiological
In January 2022, the NEA started preparing
its third Stakeholder Involvement Workshop
planned for September 2023, which will focus on
optimisation in decision-making. Three webinars

Protection are scheduled in late 2022 and early 2023 to work

towards a common understanding of optimisation
in the nuclear sector in preparation of the main
event.
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to assist member In May 2022, countries and relevant interna-
countries in the policy, regulation, implementation tional organisations represented at the Expert
Group on INEX-6 (EGINEX6) began preparations
and further development of the system of radiological for the sixth International Nuclear Emergency
protection by identifying and effectively addressing Exercise, which will be held in early 2024 and for
conceptual, scientific, policy, regulatory, operational and the first time address long-term recovery.

societal issues. The staff works closely with the Committee In June 2022, the High-Level Group on Low-
Dose Research (HLG-LDR) held its annual meeting
on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH) where participants discussed co-ordination with
and the working parties and expert and task groups that other international/regional efforts on low-dose
support this committee. More and more issues cut across research and prioritised topics. The HLG-LDR has
produced and opened to its participants a global
several, if not all, other standing technical committees. register of planned or ongoing low-dose research
projects covering the sciences supporting
radiological protection.
In August 2022, the NEA International
Radiological Protection School returned to
Stockholm University for its 4 th edition. The
Radiological
Protection
2022
l Protection
Radiologica
2022

ork event brought together 52 participants from

Framew Occupational Exp
Building-Nauclear Accident at Nuclear Pow osures 26 countries, in person and online, for an intensive
for Post Preparedness er Plants
ry
Recove
five-day course and interactive discussion with a
Building

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a Frame

Twent y-Ninth
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faculty of 23 international senior experts.

work for

of the ISOE Progra l Report

mme, 2019
Post-Nucle
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In October 2022, the Expert group on

ent Reco
very Prepa

Recovery Management held its final workshop on

redness:
National-Le

NE A
preparedness for post-accident recovery, hosted
vel Guida
nce

NE A
by the French Institute of Radioprotection and
Nuclear Safety near Paris. The panel discussions
and workshop outcomes were reflected in a policy
brief on preparedness for recovery.
In October 2022, the Working Party on
Annual meeting of the Committee Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) discussed
on Radiological Protection and several deliverables under preparation, notably
the practical guidance for mental health and
Public Health psychosocial support in radiological and nuclear
The NEA Committee on Radiological Protection and emergencies, for which the publication is foreseen
Public Health (CRPPH) held its annual meeting virtually on next year.
29-31 March 2022. The meeting brought together around
100 delegates from 26 member countries, 11 international
organisations and associations, and invitees from Chile, the
The CRPPH also approved the creation of a task force on
People’s Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates. The
radiological protection challenges related to the deployment
CRPPH celebrated its 80 th meeting, marking the long history
of small modular reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear
of work in radiological protection and public health at the
technologies, to be implemented harmoniously with the NEA
NEA. The Committee agreed to align its future programme of
cross-cutting strategy on SMRs.
work with the NEA’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2028, focusing
on radiological protection challenges posed by societal In October 2022, the members of the CRPPH Working
changes related to strategies to (i) mitigate climate change; Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) contributed
(ii) broaden stakeholder involvement in optimising protection to the discussion on radiological protection challenges
by developing holistic, inclusive and sustainable decision- from a broader perspective, addressing the changing
making processes; and (iii) modernise radiological protection profile of nuclear and radiological risks such as emergency
policy and continue to improve preparedness for recovery preparedness, response and recovery needs related to SMRs,
from nuclear and radiological accidents. war-induced threats or other emerging risks or related issues.

62 | NEA Annual Report 2022


International radiological protection
school returns to Stockholm
The 2022 edition of the International Radiological Protection
School (IRPS), hosted at the University of Stockholm,
in Sweden, took place from 22 to 26 August. The event
was again supported by the Swedish Nuclear Safety
Authority (SSM). The five-day course developed into a
hybrid event with 52 participants from 26 countries. More
than 100 applications were received for the 2022 school,
underlining that the programme continues to grow as it
fulfils its mission to provide early to mid-career radiological
protection professionals with a deeper understanding of the
“spirit” of the international radiological protection system
through an intensive and application-oriented training. The
faculty consisted of 25 international lecturers, pursuing
the outstanding participant/lecturer ratio that has already
made the 2021 online edition of the IRPS a great success.
Each of the 19 topical lectures addressed a specific issue
in the diverse field of radiological protection, providing the
participants with a thorough and state-of-the-art overview
of the fundamentals, latest developments and future
challenges. This edition also introduced novelties such as
the much-requested lecture on “Risk Communication” as
well as the introduction of a mini-workshop on the practical
experience and challenges of implementing the radiological
protection system. The mini-workshop allowed participants
to put their personal experience in focus and to exchange
with peers on challenges they face in their daily work. This
edition also led to closer co-operation with industry, in line
with the new strategic plan promoted by the NEA. The 2023
edition is planned for mid-August in Stockholm.
Improving global low-dose research
co-ordination
The High-Level Group on Low-Dose Research (HLG-LDR)
addresses scientific uncertainties in the area of low-dose and
low-dose rate health effects and risks and proposes ways to
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of research through
global networking. Among the main outcomes of the plenary
meeting of the HLG-LDR in June 2022, ongoing international/
regional efforts to co-ordinate low-dose research were
identified with Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United
States, and mechanisms for articulation with the HLG-LDR’s
work were discussed. The HLG-LDR has also produced
tools/approaches to leverage advances made in low-dose
research worldwide (from the researcher level to the level of
International Radiological
Protection School (IRPS),
University of Stockholm, Sweden,
22 to 26 August 2022.
an institution, country, region or international organisation).
These will eventually provide scientific evidence to make
radiation health risk estimates less uncertain in the low-dose
(rate) area; accelerate the translation of the most impactful
research findings into policy and regulation; and reduce
misunderstanding and distrust of radiological protection
decisions in the field of low-dose exposure by improving risk
communication strategy.
Two major advances can be highlighted: the conception
and implementation of the global register of ongoing or
planned low-dose research projects covering the sciences
supporting radiological protection (e.g. radiobiology,
ecotoxicology, epidemiology, dosimetry, social sciences);
and the completion of an international survey to explore the
benefits of the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) approach
for radiation research and possibly regulatory implementation
of major outputs.
The global register constitutes the first user-friendly
catalogue of its kind to search for such projects worldwide,
give them visibility, promote collaboration, and ultimately
optimise research by keeping governmental bodies
(e.g. technical support bodies, regulators, and public funding
agencies) informed of research progress and funding needs.
The online version of the global register is open to HLG-
LDR participants and will be open to all registered persons
worldwide in 2023.
The international survey was conducted from summer
2021 to winter 2022 to measure the radiological protection
community’s level of knowledge, interest and hesitation
to use the AOP approach, which was developed by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to
improve regulation of chemicals in support of human health
and environmental protection. The top 25 priorities identified
by the survey could, if answered, improve the description of
the radiation dose-response relationship for low-dose/dose
rate exposures, as well as reduce uncertainties in estimating
the risk of developing adverse health outcomes following
such exposures.
The activities of the HLG-LDR were widely disseminated
on the international scene in 2022 through publications
of a special issue of the International Journal of Radiation
Biology and oral presentations in several international
conferences organised by, for example, the International
Radiation Protection Association, the European Radiation
Protection research platforms, the International Commission
on Radiological Protection and the International Dose Effect
Alliance.
63
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Identifying if, where and why the
international radiological protection
system needs to evolve
The CRPPH Expert Group on International Recommendations
(EGIR) evaluates and contributes to the ICRP’s proposed
review and revision of the System of Radiological Protection.
The EGIR has concluded in its initial findings that the current
system is operating effectively and that any changes to
the system should be seen as an exercise in continuous
improvement rather than a significant overhaul of the process.
Any proposed changes need to be supported by strong
evidence to justify that they will generate a net benefit. With
this in mind, the EGIR has been focused on identifying and
prioritising areas where revisions to the current system could
lead to overall improvements. This has led to five priority
themes that the EGIR has targeted for its initial review,
as summarised below: (1) the system evolution and its
governance, (2) the optimisation process and its application;
(3) environmental protection; (4) the update of the calculation
methodology and underlying data of radiological detriment;
(5) exposure situations-based approach and applicability in a
wide range of circumstances.
Exchanging national experiences on
the implementation of dose limits
for the lens of the eye in
occupational exposure
The NEA Expert Group on the Dose Limit for the Lens of the
Eye (EGDLE) published a report in March 2022 that analyses
the regulatory implementation in NEA member countries of
the ICRP’s recommended equivalent dose limit for the lens
of the eye for occupational exposure. The report covers
issues such as the relevant legislative changes to lens of the
eye dose limits, the challenges associated with recording
doses to the lens of the eye, the opportunities for future
work and international collaboration in radiation research.
A two-hour webinar was held on 7 March 2022 to launch the
publication and discuss implementation aspects and ongoing
or planned research projects and needs. An online platform is
now operational that facilitates the exchange of experience
among participating countries (and beyond) on the practical
implementation of the dose limits to the lens of the eye and
shares news from the research area.
Producing a post-accident food
safety framework to rebuild
consumer trust and ensure
international trade
In June 2022, the CRPPH Expert Group on a Post-Accident
Food Safety Framework (EGFSF) started to work on a
tangible and operational methodology based on an updated
review of the 2014 report “Framework for the Post-accident
Management of Contaminated Food” and other international
guidelines published since then. The EGFSF focusses on
64 | NEA Annual Report 2022
NEA Workshop on Preparedness for Post-Accident Recovery,
27-28 October 2022.
developing a neutral, internationally recognised methodology,
based on scientific assessments and reviewed by a panel
of international experts, with the ultimate aim to rebuild
confidence in the safety of food in post-accident situations.
Promoting national-level guidance
for building a framework for post-
accident recovery preparedness
The Expert Group on Recovery Management (EGRM)
completed its publication entitled Building a Framework
for Post-accident Recovery Preparedness – National Level
Guidance, which was issued in May 2022. The framework
is structured into four main sections; (1) the process to
prepare a recovery framework, (2) the objectives of recovery,
(3) tools/approaches to achieve recovery objectives, and
(4) controlling, monitoring and evaluating the achievement
of the recovery objectives. For each cross-cutting or topical
issue, the EGRM documented what is at stake if countries fail
to prepare and also provided guidance on what steps should
be taken to improve preparedness. The guidance builds upon
the extensive international and national guidance shared by
EGRM participants along with references to lessons learnt
from previous events, such as the Chernobyl and Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant accidents. National case
studies to showcase best practices were also considered,
including the workshop that the NEA co-organised with
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on “Preparedness
for Post-Accident Recovery”, which was held in February
2020 at the University of Tokyo. The final workshop on
27-28 October 2022 helped to examine the applicability of
the NEA framework and to put it in perspective with the sixth
International Nuclear Emergency Exercise (INEX-6), which
will be the first international exercise to focus on long-term
post-accident recovery. INEX-6 will be co-ordinated by the
Expert Group on the Sixth International Nuclear Exercise,
which held its kick-off meeting in May 2022.
Exercising the long-term recovery
phase of a nuclear or radiological
emergency for the first time at the
international level with INEX-6
The NEA has co-ordinated the International Nuclear
Emergency Exercise (INEX) series since 1993. The exercises
offer participating countries the opportunity to test topical
 INEX-1 INEX-2 INEX-2000
Early phase / Decision making in Monitoring and data
communication / uncertain conditions / real management strategies for
decision-making process time communications / nuclear emergencies /
in national responses / public and media international co-ordination /
food safety / emergency interactions aspects of Conventions on
assistance Third Party Liability
issues related to nuclear emergency preparedness and
provide a platform for international comparisons on best
practice and areas for improvement. An INEX event has been
organised approximately every five years. The Expert Group
on INEX-6 (EGINEX6), established in May 2022, agreed
the objectives for INEX-6 based on the recommendations
of a dedicated preparatory Task Force and feedback from
participants of the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency
Matters (WPNEM). The exercise will be driven on the basis of
a broadly described accident scenario on which more precise
thematic modules are developed to tackle key cross-cutting
and topical issues such as health aspects, including mental
health and psychosocial support, as well as food safety,
remediation, decontamination and waste management.
Detailed exercise planning will be carried out in 2023, with
the exercise scheduled to take place in January-March 2024.
Mitigating the mental health and
psychosocial impacts of nuclear or
radiological emergencies
The mitigation of public health impacts of radiological and
nuclear emergencies has been on the policy agenda for several
decades. Current protection strategies for preparedness,
response to, and recovery from radiological or nuclear
emergencies need to be revisited and enhanced to take into
consideration the psychosocial and mental health impacts
of such emergencies and of the response and recovery
protective actions. In 2020, the WHO published a Framework
for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in
Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies to provide high-level
policy guidance in this area. The Expert Group on Non-
Radiological Public Health Aspects of Radiation Emergency
Planning and Response (EGNR) is finalising an operational
extension of the WHO framework. The EGNR deliverable
provides practical guidance to integrate mental health and
psychosocial support into protective action plans. It describes
practical actions at various governance levels during the
preparedness for, response to, and recovery from a nuclear
or radiological emergency. The general themes covered
by detailed action sheets include integrating MHPSS into
needs assessments, co-ordination plans, public information,
protecting staff and volunteers, training, health facility needs,
decision-making protocols, public communication strategies,
NEA Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters,
25-26 October 2022.
INEX-3 INEX-4 INEX-5
Consequence management Post-crisis emergency Notification and
/ long-term issues / management / response to communication aspects /
decision making in the widespread radiological transboundary aspects /
medium and longer term contamination of the interfaces / identifying and
urban environment obtaining resources
education materials, clinical referrals between medical and
mental health care, services available in host communities,
mental health monitoring, and social determinants of mental
health. The final product is intended to reflect practical
experience from radiological protection, non-radiological
disaster management, and mental health and social sciences,
among other considerations.
Improving cross-border
co-ordination of protective actions in
case of emergency
The NEA Expert Group on Comparison and Understanding
of Dose Prognosis (EGDP) concluded its research and data
analysis in 2022. The research consisted of a series of three
drills considering different source terms and meteorological
data, which were used to highlight differences and similarities
between countries’ use of dose prognosis in radiological and
nuclear emergencies. The outputs from these drills will be
used to explain why the results differed between countries,
how the identified differences can be addressed and taken
into account by neighbouring countries in their emergency
preparedness and response arrangements, and what
commonalities and good practices were shared between
countries. The EGDP is drafting its final report, which will
be published in 2023.
The NEA Expert Group on the Use of Real-Time Platforms
(EGRT) made substantial progress in 2022 in collecting and
reviewing data on the existing Real-Time Platforms (RTPs)
used in NEA member countries. An RTP is the collective term
to define a system used to manage data and information in
emergencies. The work of the EGRT focused on the technical
aspects of RTPs, the type of content stored and exchanged,
and the use of the RTP to exchange information between
countries. A survey of member countries was issued in early
2022, which received responses from 17 countries. Among
the headline findings is that very few countries indicated that
they had mechanisms or agreements in place to exchange
information with neighbouring countries. This will be explored
further in the EGRT’s final report due for publication in 2023.
The NEA Task Group on Protective Measures Handbook
(TGPMH) met four times in 2022 to develop a survey that will
be used to obtain information and data from NEA member
countries on the protective actions that will be implemented
in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency. The
outputs from this survey will be used to update the WPNEM
participating countries’ Protective Measures Handbooks,
which were last issued in 2012. The group expects to
complete the update of the handbooks in 2023.
Enhancing co-ordination with
international organisations in the
field of radiological protection
The CRPPH’s working methods, which are underpinned by
the broad expertise of its participating countries, facilitate and
support international consensus on radiological protection
concepts, regulatory issues and practices. The CRPPH
65
 provides input to national governments and international
organisations to support state-of-the-art knowledge-,
science- and social values-based regulation and to share best
practices. Its interaction and co-ordination with international
organisations is essential to seek synergy, complementarity,
avoid overlap and contribute to a harmonised radiological
protection framework. The Inter-Agency Committee on
Radiation Safety (IACRS), for which the NEA provides the
secretariat jointly with the International Atomic Energy
Agency, is an excellent lever in this context. The NEA is also
a participating organisation of the Inter-Agency Committee
on Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies (IACRNE).
Bilateral annual meetings with the United Nations Scientific
Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation or the WHO
help identify common goals to co-ordinate in areas of
shared interest, such as occupational exposure, low-dose
research, emergency preparedness, response and recovery,
and education and training. Finally, the role of the NEA as
a specific liaison organisation of the ICRP was essential in
2022, with work initiated on the revision of the fundamental
recommendations where NEA member countries have a
collective voice.
Contact:
Greg Lamarre
Head, Division of Radiological Protection
and Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety
+33 (0)1 73 21 29 40
greg.lamarre@oecd-nea.org

Joint Project NEA

NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

ISOE
Information System on Occupational Exposure

The Information System on Occupational Exposure

Over the thirty years since it was cre-
ated in 1992, the Information System
on Occupational Exposure (ISOE),
administered jointly by the NEA and
the IAEA, has been facilitating the
exchange of data, analysis, experience
and lessons learnt in occupational radi-
ological protection at nuclear power
plants worldwide. It maintains the
world’s largest occupational exposure
database and a network of utility/licen-
see and regulatory authority radiologi-
cal protection experts.
At the end of 2022, the ISOE pro-
gramme included 77 nuclear licensees
with 437 reactors (351 operating, 70
in various stages of decommission-
ing and 16 under construction and/
or commissioning) and 27 regulatory
authorities from 31 participating coun-
tries. The ISOE programme operates
in a decentralised fashion. Operational
decisions and the overall direction are
provided by the ISOE Management
Board, which is composed of 61 rep-
resentatives from licensees and
regulatory authorities from all partic-
ipating countries. The ISOE Bureau,
elected by the Management Board,
guides the ISOE Secretariat’s work
between Management Board meet-
ings. Both are supported by the joint
NEA /IAEA Secretariat. Four ISOE
Technical Centres (Asia, Europe, North
America and other non-NEA member
countries served by the IAEA) support
the programme’s day-to-day technical
operations and are contact points for
the transfer of information from and
to the participants. A national co-or-
dinator in each country provides a link
between the ISOE participants and the
ISOE programme. Specialised working
and expert groups are created on an
as-needed basis by the Management
Board to support the goals of the ISOE
on specific topics. There is currently
one active working group, the Working
Group on Radiological Protection
Aspects of Decommissioning Activities
at Nuclear Power Plants (WGDECOM).
The ISOE occupational exposure
database contains information on
occupational exposure for 554 nuclear
units in operation, cold shutdown or at
some stage of decommissioning (some
of which do not take part in the ISOE
Project but provide exposure data). The
ISOE database, publications, bench-
marking visits and annual symposia,
along with the ISOE Network website,
facilitate the exchange among partic-
ipants of operational experience and
lessons learnt in the optimisation of
occupational radiological protection.
In 2022, the ISOE programme
continued to focus on the exchange
of data, analysis, best practices and
experience in the area of occupational
exposure reduction at nuclear power
plants, and on improving the quality of
its occupational exposure database.
The ISOE Management Board con-
vened for the 32nd time in December
2022, and the WGDECOM had its
12 th regular meeting in Cologne
(Germany) in October 2022 to review
the status and progress of its updated
programme of work (2020-2023). The
meeting included a dedicated topical
session on source-term characterisa-
tion and a one-day technical visit to the
decommissioning site of the AVR and
FRJ-2 reactors in Jülich, Germany.
Key outcomes of work during 2022
include the collection and integration of
2021 data into the ISOE database, the
publication of the ISOE Annual Report
for 2019, as well as the approval of the
ISOE Consolidated Country Reports
for 2020 (extended version) and 2021,
as well as the approval of the draft
ISOE Annual Report 2020 by the ISOE
Management Board.
One regional and one international
symposia were organised by the
ISOE North American and European
Technical Centres in January (in Key
West, United States) and June (in Tours,
France), respectively. In September
2022, the ISOE and WGDECOM were
represented by the NEA Secretariat
at the 3 rd International Conference
on Occupational Radiation Protection
organised by the IAEA in co-operation
with the International L abour
Organisation (ILO) and hosted by the
Government of Switzerland in Geneva.

66 | NEA Annual Report 2022

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Radioactive Waste
Management
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to assist member
countries in the development of safe, sustainable and
broadly acceptable strategies for the long-term management
of all types of radioactive waste and spent fuel, and to
provide governments and other relevant stakeholders with
authoritative, reliable information on the political, strategic
and regulatory aspects of radioactive waste management.
Radioactiv
2022
e Waste
Manageme
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Summar y of
NEA Worksh
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NE A
Information, Data and Knowledge
Management (IDKM) activities
In March 2019, the NEA Radioactive Waste Management
Committee (RWMC) moved to establish a new initiative to
address a comprehensive scope of information, data and
knowledge management issues in the domain of radioactive
waste management. The Working Party on Information, Data
and Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM) held its second
plenary meeting in February 2022 to review the status and
planned activities of the four expert groups under its auspices
as well as to discuss international updates in information,
data and knowledge management for radioactive waste
management. The WP-IDKM has been working on the
activity to revise the IDKM timescales and plans to publish a
reference note on IDKM timescales in 2023.
The four expert groups under the WP-IDKM continued
their activities and held their second plenary meetings:
• The Expert Group on a Data and Information Management
Strategy for the Safety Case (EGSSC) held its second
plenary meeting in October 2022. Participants discussed
the status of technical work done in 2022 and agreed
to carry out a prioritisation exercise on the EGSSC
programme of work to determine the activities that should
be completed in 2023. The EGSSC “Workshop on Digital
Safety Case Methods and Development” was held on
24-26 October in Berlin, Germany.
Highlights
On 4-8 April 2022, the NEA co-organised with
the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and
Employment the Sixth International Conference
on Geological Repositories (ICGR-6) in Helsinki,
Finland. The main goal of ICGR-6 was to take stock
of international progress made since 2016 in the
development and implementation of deep geolog-
ical repositories (DGRs).
In June 2022, the NEA held the official work-
shop on the international peer review of the
NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization
of Japan) pre-siting Site-Descriptive Model (SDM)-
based safety case, which had been requested by
NUMO to evaluate the generic safety case for their
DGR concept.
On 20-22 July 2022, the NEA held the
“International Workshop on the Development
of Safety Cases for Different Types of Disposal
Facilities” in Bucharest, Romania. In all, 74 experts
from 19 countries, the IAEA and a private com-
pany participated.
the
On 26-27 July, the NEA organised the joint
Romania-Bulgaria “Workshop on Radioactive
op on
Management
Wa s t e M a n a g e m e n t a n d S t a k e h o l d e r
Engagement” in Brasov, Romania, hosted by
Romania’s Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency
(ANDR) in co-operation with the Republic of
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy.
NE A
The NEA held on 31 August – 1 September
2022 a joint workshop with the Nuclear Damage
Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation
Corporation of Japan (NDF) on the characterisa-
tion of large quantities of unconventional and leg-
acy waste.
The NEA and METI (Japan’s Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry) jointly held the
Workshop on the Joint Utilisation of underground
research laboratories (URLs) for R&D projects in
Horonobe (Japan) on 1-3 November.
On 7-10 November, the NEA and Natural
Resources Canada (NRCan) jointly held the
“Workshop on the Management of Spent Fuel,
Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning in SMRs
or Advanced Reactor Technologies”.
• The Expert Group on Knowledge Management for
Radioactive Waste Management Programmes and
Decommissioning (EGKM) held its second plenary
meeting in May 2022. The meeting included presentations
of important work by countries that contributed to the
EGKM programme of work and a discussion on a method
of working and priority activities for 2022 and further. The
EGKM held a meeting focused on artificial intelligence
(AI) applications for ontology development in collaboration
with the University of Rome on 16-18 November 2022 in
Rome, Italy.
67
 • The Expert Group on Archiving for Radioactive Waste
Management Activities (EGAR) held its second plenary
meeting in June 2022 to discuss the activity plan of 2022
and beyond and priority activities. The meeting included an
overview of important work by countries that contributed
to the EGAR programme of work and a discussion of a
method of working.
• The Expert Group on Awareness Preservation after
Repository Closure (EGAP) held its second plenary
meeting in April 2022 in Gmunden, Austria, to discuss the
programme of work for 2022 and beyond and its priority
activities. From 22-24 November 2022, EGAP hosted a
workshop in Dessel, Belgium at the Tabloo Visitor Centre
entitled “Remembering the Past in the Future: Building
Awareness of Radioactive Waste Repositories Together.”
The Regulators’ Forum
In 2022, the Regulators’ Forum (RF) continued in its role
supporting the two NEA technical committees involved in
back-end activities of the nuclear fuel cycle, the Committee
on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy
Management (CDLM) and the RWMC. To formulate its
proposals to the CDLM and RWMC, the RF created two ad hoc
groups in 2020. One focused on regulatory issues in the areas
of radioactive waste management while the second worked
on issues in decommissioning and legacy management.
At its annual plenary meeting in March 2022, the RF
discussed broadly and adopted the results of the work of
the RF ad hoc groups, which the RF then presented to both
the RWMC and CDLM at their 4th joint plenary session.
Participants of both committees agreed with the RF
proposals and the RF request on the mandate extension for
2023-2025.
In May 2021, the RF organised an online workshop on
competency management by regulators (COMAREG). The
summary report from COMAREG was published in July 2022.
In 2022, the RF continued dialogues with other NEA groups
to establish and develop possible forms of co-operation.
These comprised the Building Constructive Dialogues
Between Regulators and Implementers in Developing
Disposal Solutions for Radioactive Waste (RIDD) initiative,
the CDLM Working Party on Management and Organisational
Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management
(WPMO), the CDLM Expert Group on Holistic Process for
Decision Making on Decommissioning and Management of
EGAP hosted workshop
“Remembering the Past
in the Future: Building
Awareness of Radioactive
Waste Repositories Together”,
22-24 November 2022,
Tabloo Visitor Centre, Dessel,
Belgium.
68 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Complex Sites (HDCS), the RWMC WP-IDKM Expert Group
on Knowledge Management (EGKM), the RWMC Expert
Group on the Application of Robotic/Remote Systems in the
Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS), the CNRA and the CRPPH.
In 2022, the RF worked on a flyer about its 20th anniversary
that reflects on its achievements and visions for the future as
well as the role of regulators in the development of national
back-end programmes. It will be published in 2023.
Nuclear back-end activities
On 1-3 November 2022, the NEA co-organised with Japan’s
METI an international workshop on the joint utilisation of
underground research laboratories (URLs) for research and
development projects, which was the result of talks held
online in 2021 between the NEA and METI. The in-person
event, held in Horonobe, Japan, focused on the development
of URLs in various countries to support their national DGR
projects and discussed challenges and needs in international
co-operation. The overall objective was to strengthen
international co-operation and to advance the development
of final disposal solutions for radioactive waste and spent fuel
through joint R&D in URLs. The workshop gathered experts
representing DGR programmes that were both advanced and
in early stages. A final report summarising the key outcomes
of this workshop as well as the online discussions of 2021
will be published in 2023.
Management and disposal of high-
level radioactive waste
On 4-8 April 2022, the NEA co-organised with the Finish
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment the Sixth
International Conference on Geological Repositories (ICGR-6)
in Helsinki, Finland. The event gathered around 220 in-person
participants as well as around 75 online attendees. The main
goal of ICGR-6 was to take stock of international progress
made since 2016 in the development and implementation of
deep geological repositories (DGRs) for managing high-level
long-lived radioactive waste, and to facilitate learning through
the exchange of perspectives and experiences. Participants
discussed global challenges in DGR development, including
those related to demonstrations of technical reliability,
increasing human capacity, stakeholder confidence, R&D
development, expanding career opportunities and long-
term career prospects for young professionals. A summary
record of ICGR-6, including country-specific progress, will be
published in early 2023.

Reactor and fuel cycle technologies must be developed
together as a system, with waste optimisation and minimi-
sation among the main objectives. Spent fuel reprocessing
and recycling of uranium and plutonium can also be seen
as good examples of a sustainable circular economy. In this
regard, the NEA and Natural Resources Canada organised
jointly a workshop reviewing the state of knowledge and
plans regarding the management of spent nuclear fuels from
SMRs and Generation IV systems. The workshop was held
on 7-10 November 2022 and explored the different types of
SMRs and Generation IV technologies, potential for fuel recy-
cling (closed fuel cycle), ongoing work in relation to design
and fuel concepts, and future areas to be addressed in waste
management and decommissioning strategies.
Given the wide variety of designs and fuel types, potential
uses for SMRs and other advanced reactors were discussed.
For example, there is a renewed interest in TRISO-fueled high
temperature gas-cooled reactors, however there is a likelihood
that TRISO will generate 25 times more spent nuclear fuel
by volume in comparison to light water reactors per tonne
of fuel. Neutron activation of graphite impurities leads to
14 C accumulation in the blocks/pebbles which will need to
be addressed. However, opportunities exist for developers
to collaborate with waste management organisations,
international agencies as well as research and educational
institutions to develop a better understanding regarding the
different types of waste streams that will be generated from
the fuel types such as molten salts, liquid metals, TRISO and
Oxides to address such challenges. Depending on the outcome
of these collaborative evaluations, further assessments may
need to be conducted to ensure that waste generated from
SMRs and Generation IV reactors can be disposed of without
the need for significant modifications to existing and future
DGRs. A report on the workshop proceedings is expected to
be finalised in the first half of 2023.
The safety case for geological
disposal
The NEA Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC)
was established in 2000 and has taken a leading role in
identifying, documenting and evaluating emerging issues
and trends, and in establishing consensus on good practice
in the development of the safety case over the course of
its 20-year history. The work of the IGSC has in turn been
particularly informed by developments in countries such as
Finland, France, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States,
which have moved from conceptual safety case studies to
various stages of site-specific safety cases for geological
Workshop on the Management
of Spent Fuel, Radioactive Waste
and Decommissioning in
SMRs/Advanced Reactor Technologies,
7-10 November 2022,
Ottawa, Canada.
repositories, with a new repository in Finland now under
construction. In 2022, the IGSC published:
• Proceedings of the safety case symposium called “Current
Understanding and Future Direction for the Geological
Disposal of Radioactive Waste”, held 10-11 October 2018
in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
• The joint FSC IGSC summary report from the workshop
“Building Confidence in the Face of Uncertainty – The
Role of the Safety Case”. The workshop was held on
18 May 2022 in Bern, Switzerland.
• The paper entitled “Two Decades of Safety Case
Development” for the International High-Level Radioactive
Waste Management Conference, at the American Nuclear
Society (ANS) meeting of 13-17 November 2022 in
Phoenix, Arizona (United States).
The IGSC assisted the RWMC in preparing and holding
the “Workshop on Developing Safety Cases for Different
Types of Disposal Facilities”, held in Bucharest, Romania on
20-22 July 2022. The speakers highlighted differences and
commonalities between developing safety cases for DGRs
and other types of disposal facilities. The main objective
was to better understand how the safety cases for various
disposal concepts could benefit through the exchange of
knowledge and experience. The workshop outcomes will
be used by the IGSC in developing the programme of work
for the next mandate period, 2023-2025. In March 2022,
at the RWMC’s 55th plenary meeting, members accepted
IGSC proposals for 2023-2025 and agreed with the IGSC
mandate extension. The IGSC, addressing a request from
the RWMC, included in its scope of work a study of how the
points from the safety case for DGRs could be applied in the
development of safety cases for other types of repository
and how the DGR safety cases could apply the experience
from other operated disposal facilities.
In May 2022, at its extraordinary meeting, the IGSC
created an ad hoc group on transfer and return of gained
experiences on safety cases for disposal facilities (TARGES).
The results of the TARGES work were presented at the
24th plenary meeting of the IGSC in October 2022. IGSC
participants accepted the TARGES recommendations. The
IGSC programme of work for 2023-2025 will be developed
based on the TARGES output.
Also, at the IGSC plenary meeting, the group used a
new format of reporting from its sub-groups – the extended
presentation of one of the groups. On this occasion, it was
the Expert Group on Operational Safety (EGOS) that offered
a presentation, which consisted of four parts reflecting the
main directions of the EGOS work and vision for future
development.
69
 Unit 4 of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station.
Greg Webb/IAEA (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The IGSC members unanimously approved the proposal
made by the NEA to take over the maintenance and security
oversight of the International Features, Events and Processes
(IFEP) Database Platform. In 2022, the NEA and IGSC jointly
worked on it, and the transfer of the FEP DB to the NEA IT
system is expected in 2023.
The Crystalline Club
The Crystalline Club held its 5th meeting in June 2022 in
Dresden, Germany. The working group discussed its mandate
and programme of work for 2023-2024 and project updates.
The group continues to conduct an R&D status review on
the characterisation and safety assessment of crystalline
rocks for the disposal of radioactive waste. The Crystalline
Club also held a topical session on the identification of
requirements for the development of safety documentation
concerning crystalline host rock environments. The Crystalline
Rock Report is expected to be published in early 2023. The
Crystalline Club issued its extended mandate in October 2022.
The Clay Club
The Clay Club held its 32nd meeting in June 2022 in Nancy,
France, taking the opportunity to celebrate and promote its
30 th anniversary. The working group discussed its mandate
and programme of work for 2023-2024 as well as project
updates, and confirmed the designation of a new consultant
to work on its main future activity, “anomalous pore water
pressures in clay”. The group reviewed the status of the
CLAYWAT Project, which was started in 2016 to examine
the binding state and mobility of water in argillaceous rocks.
The draft project report was provided to the Club participants
and is expected to be published by early 2023. The Clay Club
issued its extended mandate in October 2022.
The Salt Club
The Salt Club held its 12th annual meeting in a hybrid format
in Braunschweig, Germany, in September 2022 to review its
end-of-term report, the mandate and programme of work for
2023-2024, the updates to its activities and future needs.
This expert group developed the FEP Database and Salt
Knowledge Archive, which is available for registration and
internal use. Furthermore, the group continued its scientific
work on the assessment of actinide geochemistry and on the
thermodynamic database to optimise the safety of nuclear
waste repositories. The group decided to integrate as new
research activity on the lessons learnt from failure events/
processes of conventional salt mines. The Salt Club issued
its extended mandate in October 2022.
70 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Operational safety
The Expert Group on Operational Safety (EGOS) held its
9th annual meeting in person in October 2022. The participants
agreed with the proposed programme of work for 2023-2024
and held the topical session “Methodologies and Approaches
of Safety Assessment for the Operational Period”. This
expert group continued developing internal reports on fire
risk management, operational hazard databases and waste
acceptance criteria expected to be published in 2023.
Fukushima Daiichi waste
management and decommissioning
From its establishment in 2018 to the expiration of its mandate
in 2020, the Expert Group on Characterisation Methodology
of Unconventional and Legacy Waste (EGCUL) discussed
strategic approaches to characterising large amounts of low-
level radioactive waste with unknown properties. In November
2021, the NEA issued its report on The Characterisation
Methodology for Unconventional and Legacy Waste. On
31 August – 1 September 2022, the NEA and Japan’s
Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning
Facilitation Corporation (NDF) held a joint workshop on
the characterisation of large quantities of unconventional
and legacy waste, in conjunction with the 6th International
Forum on the Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Station (28-29 August 2022). With the aim
of supporting progress in the clean-up of the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant site, senior experts from seven
participating countries (Canada, France, Japan, Norway,
Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States), provided
comprehensive presentations and joined panel discussions
and breakout sessions with the 64 Japanese participants.
Based on the findings, a few proposals were made for
Japan’s consideration. These will be published in 2023. The
members of the RWMC and CDLM bureau contributed to the
NEA report Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident,
Ten Years On: Progress, Lessons and Challenges. The report
identified a number of key areas regarding future activities in
waste management and decommissioning.
Fostering dialogue between
regulators and implementers
Building constructive dialogue between regulators and
implementers in the development of disposal solutions
for radioactive waste has been a concern of the RWMC
since 2016. The Expert Group on Building Constructive
Dialogues Between Regulators and Implementers (RIDD) is
in the process of renewing its mandate, which will expire in
March 2023. During the current mandate, which underwent
an extension to 2022 following RWMC approval in March
2021, RIDD published a report entitled Building Constructive
Dialogues Between Regulators and Implementers During
the Pre-Licensing Phase of Deep Geological Repositories
Development. This report was drafted based on the results
of a questionnaire distributed to participating countries, with
the aim of obtaining a unified national answer on the current
status of regulator-implementer dialogue. In the upcoming
mandate, RIDD will work on establishing a generic roadmap
towards licensing. It will include a stepwise approach,
common understanding of what is needed at each step,
clear definitions of roles and responsibilities, an approach
to ensure independency of the regulator, outlines of the life
cycle, and close collaboration with other relevant NEA Expert
Groups, including the IGSC, FSC and RF.
Application of robotic and remote
systems in the nuclear back-end
The RWMC Expert Group on the Application of Robotics
and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS)
continued supporting the RWMC and CDLM in 2022.
Having concluded in 2021 their report entitled Status,
Barriers and Cost-Benefits of Robotic and Remote Systems
Applications in Nuclear Decommissioning and Radioactive
Waste Management, published in January 2023, the group
agreed to focus the 2022-2023 work on developing guidance
in three directions: i) robotics and remote systems (RRS)
benchmarking, including extension of collected case studies;
ii) the implementation of cost-benefit-analysis with integrated
risk assessment; and iii) the regulatory issues related to RRS
in the nuclear back-end. Three dedicated ad hoc groups have
been created to address these areas of work, while terms of
reference have been developed to help structure the work
and gather relevant stakeholders.
Contact:
Rebecca Tadesse
Head, Division of Radioactive Waste
Management and Decommissioning
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 40
rebecca.tadesse@oecd-nea.org

Joint Project
The Thermochemical Database Project
The Thermochemical Database (TDB)
Project was initiated in 1984 after the
NEA Radioactive Waste Management
Committee recognised the need for
a high-quality database to model the
safety assessments of radioactive
waste repositories.
The 6 th phase of the TDB Project
began in February 2019 for an initial
duration of four years (2019-2023).
A total of 15 organisations from 12 coun-
tries are contributing financially to the
activities associated with TDB Project-
Phase 6. The project has thus far pro-
duced 14 volumes of internationally
recognised and quality-assured ther-
modynamic data. The Second Update
on the Chemical Thermodynamics of U,
Np, Pu, Am and Tc is the most recent
publication of the TDB, appearing online
in October 2020. This Volume 14 of the
NEA Chemical Thermodynamics series
is an update of critical reviews published
previously on these elements.
Work is in progress to complete
two reviews and two state-of-the-art
reports, expected for publication in
2023-2024:
• a review of the chemical thermody- ised by the NEA took place online in
namics of molybdenum; November 2022. It was a webinar
with two sessions, each lasting three
• a review of the chemical thermo-
hours, and received over 100 registra-
dynamics of selected ancillary
tion requests. The audience included
compounds;
a variety of participants, from graduate
• a report on thermodynamic consider- students to university professors and
ations for cement minerals; representatives of regulatory bodies.
• a report on assessing the modelling
and experimental approaches of high
ionic-strength solutions.
Work for a new critical review on the
chemical thermodynamics of selected
lanthanide compounds started in 2021.
Under the programme of work of
TDB‑6, one more review and one state-
of-the-art report have been initiated and
identified as being priorities:
• an update of the Chemical
Thermodynamics of Compounds
and Complexes of U, Np, Pu, Am, Tc,
Se, Ni and Zr with Selected Organic
Ligands;
• a report on high-temperature data.
The sixth edition of the TDB train-
ing course on Thermodynamic Data
Collection and Assessment organ-

71
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Decommissioning
of Nuclear
Installations and
Legacy Management
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to foster
international co-operation to develop the scientific,
technological and legal bases required for the
safe and economical decommissioning of nuclear
facilities and the management of legacy sites.
New CDLM developments
The Regulators’ Forum (RF) has created a dedicated ad
hoc group on Decommissioning and Legacy Management,
which identified and prioritised 11 topics in the area of
decommissioning and legacy management that would benefit
from further work. An internal NEA document was drafted
and provided to the RF at its plenary meeting in March 2022.
In 2022-2023, the RF will address the identified priorities.
A close co-operation was established with the Forum on
Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) following collaborative work
in 2021. In 2022 the dedicated task group called Stakeholder
Involvement in Decommissioning and Legacy Management
(SIDLM) held three meetings to address the nuances and
complexities of stakeholder involvement in decommissioning
and legacy management. To support the CDLM and provide
focus to the work, two new working parties were created
on 15 March 2021: The Working Party on Management and
Organisational Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy
Management (WPMO) and the Working Party on Technical,
Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and
Legacy Management (WPTES). Both groups have since
issued their programmes of work and have made good
progress towards implementing activities highlighted therein.
The WPMO focuses on programme management, supply
chains and commercial topics, and stakeholder engagement.
At its October 2022 meeting, the group held two topical
sessions: The first one, called “Alpha decommissioning
in the United Kingdom – challenges and opportunities”,
highlighted the need to consider the standardisation of
processes and procedures, the cross utilisation of critical
skills between projects, and to document lessons learnt. The
second session, entitled “Supply chain models in commercial
nuclear power plant decommissioning and dismantling –
some examples”, noted the different contract models and
72 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Highlights
The Working Party on Management and
Organisational Aspects of Decommissioning and
Legacy Management (WPMO) was established in
March 2021 and held its first and second plenary
meetings on 26-27 January 2022 (virtually) and
24-26 October 2022 (in person) to discuss its pro-
gramme of work for the next two years.
The Working Party on Technical, Environmental
and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning (WPTES)
was established on 15 March 2021 and held its
first plenary meeting on 23-24 February 2022
virtually and 28 November 2022 (in person). In
addition, a workshop was held on 29 November
to 1 December on Innovative Techniques and
Technologies to Support Characterisation and
Decommissioning of Complex and Legacy Sites.
T he E x p er t Gr oup on C os ting f or
Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and
Legacy Management (EGCDL) completed a doc-
ument to be published in 2023 that consolidates
into one document information contained in the
International Structure for Decommissioning
Costing (ISDC) and Addressing Uncertainties in
Cost Estimates for Decommissioning Nuclear
Facilities.
The Expert Group on a Holistic Process for
Decision Making on Decommissioning and
Management of Complex Sites (HDCS) held its
second and third plenary meetings on 9 December
2021 and 7-9 June 2022. The two meetings sup-
ported the recognition and resolution of deci-
sion-making for complex sites.
The Committee on Decommissioning of
Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management
(CDLM) and the Co-operative Programme for the
Exchange of Scientific and Technical Information
on Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Projects
(CPD) developed a flyer on feedback mecha-
nisms for lessons learnt in the decommission-
ing of nuclear installations that was published in
December 2022.
In a joint initiative of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission
(EC) and the NEA, a standard international decom-
missioning taxonomy for knowledge manage-
ment was built. The work will be reviewed, with a
report expected to be published in 2023.
their respective benefits and challenges. Information shared
during these topical sessions will be used in the drafting of
a report for each area.
The WPTES focuses on risk management to support
decision-making; sampling, characterisation and data
evaluation; material management; and innovative
decontamination and decommissioning technologies. At
CORIS360® is an advanced radiation imaging solution developed by the
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
ANSTO
its February 2022 meeting, WPTES participants broke into
groups to advance work in those four focus areas. The groups
also decided to hold a workshop on topics associated with
the programme of work on the margins of the next plenary
meeting, which was held from 28 November to 1 December
2022. The workshop focused on innovative technologies for
characterisation, decontamination and decommissioning
with the goal of covering state-of-the-art technologies and
techniques, challenges and successes in implementation,
and understanding the risks that influence decision-making.
The Expert Group on Costing for Decommissioning of
Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (EGCDL),
established in June 2020, adopted its programme of work in
2021. It focuses on three main tasks:
• Task 1 – integrating the International Structure for
Decommissioning Costing (ISDC) and Addressing
Uncertainties Guidance.
• Task 2 – applying the ISDC and uncertainties guidance
towards legacy/complex sites.
• Task 3 – providing technical guidance on benchmarking.
The EGCDL has made significant progress in the
development of reports under each focus area through monthly
calls. Much of the work under task 1 was completed in 2022
and the report is anticipated to be published in early 2023.
Task 2 has identified areas where the ISDC could be revised to
be more inclusive and applicable to legacy and complex sites.
This group is currently documenting its finding in a report that
is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023. Task 3
has developed a strategy to devise benchmarking guidance
supported by case studies and is currently developing a report
to capture these findings. The global task 3 report should be
finished in the second half of 2023.
The Expert Group on a Holistic Process for Decision
Making on Decommissioning and Management of Complex
Sites (HDCS) developed a draft document that captures the
understanding of the scope of work focusing on complex and
legacy sites. Building on this, factors influencing decision-
making where identified, supporting the recognition of
complex sites. These were supported by examples provided
by HDCS members. In June 2022 participants of the third
plenary meeting of the HDCS agreed on a high-level approach
to the i) recognition, ii) resolution and iii) implementation of
a holistic decision-making process for the decommissioning
and management of complex sites. A report is being prepared
on the work, with a first draft expected in 2023.
Strengthening decommissioning
activities throughout CDLM-related
bodies
Close collaboration with the Radioactive Waste Management
Committee (RWMC) was achieved through joint plenaries
and activities of common interest. Notable examples are
included below.
In the area of the Working Party on Information, Data and
Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM), under the structure
of the RWMC, efforts were made to broaden the focus
and include knowledge management and digitalisation
within decommissioning and legacy management, as well
as to provide a holistic approach to the back-end in NEA
activities. Exchanges and dedicated contributions were
provided to the Expert Group on Knowledge Management
for Radioactive Waste Management Programmes and
Decommissioning (EGKM), which now includes members
with a decommissioning and legacy management background.
The Expert Group on the Application of Robotics and
Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS) of the
RWMC concluded a report entitled Status, Barriers and
Cost-Benefits of Robotic and Remote Systems Applications
in Nuclear Decommissioning and Radioactive Waste
Management. The work addresses applications in both
radioactive waste management and decommissioning and
legacy management areas. The CDLM supported the group in
the development of the report, which it reviewed in December
2021 and will be published in 2023. The EGRRS also
supported a conference, called “DigiDecom 2022”, on artificial
intelligence (AI), data, and robotics-powered transformation
for sustainable decommissioning in the nuclear sector and
other industries on 18-20 October 2022, in Halden, Norway.
The EGRRS representative supported a discussion on cost-
benefit methodologies for the application of robotics.
The NEA Secretariat provided substantial input to a joint
initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
the European Commission (EC) and the NEA to build a
standard, international decommissioning taxonomy and
associated ontology. Both taxonomies and ontologies are
tools for enabling common understanding of a specific system
or domain. A taxonomy offers a hierarchical classification of
entities or concepts within a given domain while ontology
goes beyond hierarchical classification and represents
additional relationships between entities or concepts that
support comprehensive knowledge management systems.
73
 The joint initiative aims to produce an open-source, machine- and to avoid creating a waste stream that does not have a
readable taxonomy that provides organisations with an disposal path. As such, the CDLM was strongly engaged in
off-the-shelf approach to decommissioning knowledge the preparation of, and participation in, a workshop on this
organisation, while allowing users to customise and further topic on 7-10 November 2022 in Ottawa, Canada.
develop the tool based on their needs. The structure supports
the harmonisation and the sharing and connecting of similar
information throughout the decommissioning domain. This
work was concluded in 2022 by the drafting of a report. This
report will be submitted for review by CDLM and EGKM in
Contact:
2023. By integrating the review process of IAEA and EC, a
Rebecca Tadesse
finalised report is expected in 2023. Head, Division of Radioactive Waste
Decommissioning considerations play an important role Management and Decommissioning
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 40
in the development of advanced reactors to improve design,
rebecca.tadesse@oecd-nea.org
to ensure a robust decommissioning funding mechanism,

Joint Project
The Co-operative Programme for the Exchange of Scientific and Technical
Information Concerning Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Projects
The NEA Co-operative Programme for
the Exchange of Scientific and Technical
Information Concerning Nuclear
Installation Decommissioning Projects
(CPD) is a joint undertaking of a limited
number of organisations actively execut-
ing or planning the decommissioning of
nuclear facilities. The objective of the
CPD Programme, launched in 1985, is
to exchange and share information from
operational experience in decommis-
sioning nuclear installations that is useful
for current and future projects. Initially
consisting of 10 decommissioning pro-
jects in 8 countries, the programme has
since grown to 74 projects (44 reactors
and 30 fuel cycle facilities) in 15 NEA
member countries, 2 non-NEA mem-
bers and the European Commission
(EC). The current agreement came into
force on 1 January 2019 and will expire
on 31 December 2023.
Information exchange also ensures
that the best international practices are
widely available and encourages the
application of safe, environmentally
sound and cost-effective methods in all
decommissioning projects.
Based on the CPD agreement, the
Technical Advisory Group (TAG) typi-
cally holds biannual meetings, which
each include a visit to the site of one of
the participating projects and an open
exchange of views on decommissioning
experiences. In 2022, the two meetings
comprised:
• The 71st TAG meeting (TAG-71) held in
Lucerne, Switzerland, on 16-20 May
2022. The meeting was attended by
29 domain experts. Twenty member
organisations presented the status of
their decommissioning projects. A
new project (Magnox Swarf Storage
Silos [MSSS] Retrievals Project) was
proposed and presented by experts
from Sellafield. The meeting also
included a topical session on meth-
odologies for the free release of
buildings and materials. It included
six presentations. Site visits were
held to the Mühleberg Nuclear
Power Plant, the Wuerenlingen
interim storage facility and the Mont
Terri Laboratory (Nagra).
• The 72nd TAG meeting (TAG-72)
was held in Antwerp, Belgium, on
24-28 October 2022. In all, 29 domain
experts participated and 18 partic-
ipating organisations presented on
the status of their decommissioning
projects. The presenters discussed
their experiences and the lessons
learnt in nuclear power plant decom-
missioning management. The meet-
ing also included a topical session on
process qualification before opera-
tion. It included seven presentations.
Site visits were held, including to
nuclear waste management organ-
isation Belgoprocess (the nuclear
research centre SCK•CEN and the
new waste information centre at
Tabloo in Dessel). This exchange
of information, lessons learnt and
experiences is an invaluable part of
the biannual TAG meetings.
To make use of the decommissioning
knowledge and experience accumu-
lated within the CPD, a database called
the TAG Knowledge Base was created
on NEA servers in 2017 to allow CPD
participants to easily access CPD reac-
tor project and fuel facility information.
The database is continuously updated
with data from participants shared dur-
ing TAG meetings.
On 16-17 November 2022, the CPD
Management Board held its 41st meet-
ing at the NEA premises in Boulogne-
Billancourt, France. Participants
discussed the copyrights of the CPD
10-year report, potential collaboration
with the CDLM and the efficient use of
the budget surplus. The Management
Board approved the application to join
CPD from the Magnox Swarf Storage
Silos (MSSS) Retrievals Project. It also
decided to organise a CPD decom-
missioning technique demonstration
workshop for CPD participants in 2023
as well as the signature of a new CPD
agreement for the 2024-2028 period.

74 | NEA Annual Report 2022

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights
The Nuclear Science Committee (NSC)
has formed a Programme Review Group

Nuclear Science
(PRG) to review and optimise the Committee’s
work with the overall multidisciplinary objec-
tives laid out in the NEA Strategic Plan.

and Education
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to help member countries
identify, collate, develop and disseminate the basic scientific
and technical knowledge required to ensure the safe, reliable
and economic operation of current and next generation
nuclear systems. The staff works closely with the Nuclear
Science Committee (NSC) and its expert groups in this area.
Nuclear
2021 Science
Science Interna
Nuclear
ti
2021
Evalua onal Handb
ted Re
ac
ok
Bench
mark E tor Physics
nal Handbo xperim
Internatio y 2022 with five tasks aimed at integrating material
d Criticalit
of Evaluate k Experiments
Safety Be
nchm ar
NE A
NE A
Reactor physics and transient
studies
The NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and Uncertainty
Analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS) fosters scientific
exchange in the fields of neutronics, core thermal-hydraulics,
multi-physics, radiation transport and shielding and reactor
fuel performance. It has a strong focus on validation aspects
and uncertainty analysis. Its activities address the current
fleet of light water and heavy water reactors (LWRs/HWRs);
evolutionary and innovative LWRs/HWRs along with
advanced and accident-tolerant fuel designs; next generation
systems, including small modular reactors (SMRs), high-
temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR), advanced fast
spectrum systems including sodium fast reactors (SFRs) and
molten salt reactor systems (MSRs); and accelerator-driven
(sub-critical) and critical systems for waste transmutation as
well as fusion systems.
The WPRS activities were restructured in 2021 and
are now supervised by its four expert groups on Physics
of Reactor Systems (EGPRS), Thermal Hydraulics and
Mechanics (EGTHM), Multiphysics (EGMUP), and Reactor
Fuel Performance (EGRFP), by a Technical Review Group
on the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics
(IRPhE) Project, and by a new Task Force on Zero Power
Reactors (see section “Experimental Needs”).
The Working Party on Scientific Issues
and Uncertainty Analysis of Reactor Systems
(WPRS) held an annual Benchmark Workshop
in spring 2022 in Aix-en-Provence, France,
hosted by the Commissariat à l’Énergie
Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA).
The 15th Workshop on Shielding aspects of
Accelerators, Targets, and Irradiation Facilities
(SATIF-15) was hosted in September 2022 by
the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at
Michigan State University, in the United States.
The Sixth International Workshop on Structural
Materials for Innovative Nuclear Systems
(SMINS-6) was held in September 2022 at Idaho
National Laboratory (INL), in the United States.
The second phase of the Thermodynamic
Characterisation of Fuel Debris and Fission Products
Based on Scenario Analysis of Severe Accident
ook of
Progression (TCOFF-2) was launched in August
ents
science knowledge into severe accident analysis.
The NE A Framework for Irradiation
Experiments (FIDES) is advancing in multiple
dimensions with notable achievements. FIDES
members launched a second framework (FIDES-II)
in October 2022 to continue the programmes of
work after changes in the geopolitical landscape.
T he Nuc le ar Educ a tion, Sk ills and
Technology (NEST) Framework, which includes
six ongoing projects, is advancing. Several
events were organised in NEA countries to
enhance Fellows’ skills and competences.
The Global Forum on Nuclear Education,
Science, Technology and Policy organised
its first country-specific workshop in Tokyo
in July 2022, with the support of the Ministry
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology (MEXT) and the University of Tokyo,
to discuss ways to overcome barriers to nuclear
education and outline scenarios for its future.
T h e T hir d G l o b a l F o r u m ’s G l o b a l
Commencement in nuclear science and engi-
neering on the theme “Nuclear technology
in service to society” was held in June 2022.
The WPRS held a series of remote meetings of the
working party and expert groups in February 2022 with over
120 participants, which is more than double the number of
participants at the last in-person meeting in 2020. This was
followed by a vibrant week of WPRS Benchmark Workshops
from 30 May to 3 June 2022 in Aix-en-Provence, France,
hosted by CEA Cadarache with more than 170 participants in
hybrid format. Both meetings inspired various new activities.

75
 15th Workshop on Shielding
aspects of Accelerators, Targets,
and Irradiation Facilities (SATIF-15),
Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
(FRIB) at Michigan State
University, United States,
20-23 September 2022.
A new Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database
(SINBAD) task force, launched under the auspices of the
EGPRS, is now operational with autonomous sub-groups
working on new benchmarks for shielding calculations.
The EGPRS is also mandated to support the workshop on
Shielding aspects of Accelerators, Targets, and Irradiation
Facilities (SATIF), which was hosted in September 2022
by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan
State University, United States. The meeting gathered over
120 participants to discuss important aspects related to
the modelling and design of radiation shielding. EGMUP
supervises two new task forces on fuel temperature
modelling in depletion analyses and artificial intelligence (AI)
and machine learning (ML). The task forces are addressing
the unprecedented interest in AI and ML among nuclear
engineers. They aim to develop a benchmark in the domain of
nuclear reactor physics to evaluate the performance of state-
of-the-art AI/ML methodologies and to infer guidelines. The
WPRS also initiated new education activities and is planning
to conduct a pilot student training session on reactor physics
simulations in the second quarter of 2023. Additionally, new
benchmarks have been initiated to assess the predictive
capabilities of software tools used for the modelling of liquid
metal fast reactors (LMFR) and high-temperature gas-cooled
reactor (HTGR) technologies.
The Expert Group in Reactor Fuel Performance (EGRFP)
launched a new benchmark in an effort to improve their
understanding of “burst” fission gas release (bFGR). While
diffusion-based fission gas release (FGR) models are well
established and well validated under steady-state conditions,
FGR under transient conditions may be governed by
different “burst” mechanisms which are not well captured
by fuel performance codes. EGRFP members selected two
experimental datasets available in the joint NEA/International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) International Fuel Performance
Experiments (IFPE) Database for the benchmark in order to
maintain focus on the enhancement and optimisation of this
valuable resource.
In 2022, the WPRS issued a new report entitled Existing
Practices for Multiphysics Validation, which provides a review
of the current approaches for single- and multi-physics
validation, including both coupled and uncoupled uncertainty
quantification and propagation.
In November 2022, a new edition of the International
Handbook of Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments
76 | NEA Annual Report 2022
(IRPhE Handbook) was published containing data from
169 different experimental series that were performed at
57 different nuclear facilities. Some 165 of the 169 evaluations
are published as approved benchmarks.
Fuel cycle physics and chemistry
Activities in fuel cycle physics and chemistry cover all aspects
of the nuclear fuel cycle, from the front to the back end, and
deal with issues arising from various existing and advanced
systems. These include fuel cycle scenarios to assess the
potential of different options, innovative fuels for advanced
fuel cycles and Generation IV systems, separation processes
relevant to recycling technologies for spent nuclear fuel,
waste treatment and liquid metal coolant technologies.
The NSC Working Party on the Scientific Issues of
Advanced Fuel Cycles (WPFC) develops and disseminates
scientific and technical knowledge in this field, emphasising
the back end of the nuclear fuel cycles and the advanced fuel
cycles of innovative systems. Particular focus is placed on
closed fuel cycles with hydro-/pyro-reprocessing, plutonium
burning/multi-recycling, and minor actinide transmutation.
As of 2021, the working party has four expert groups: The
Expert Group on Advanced Fuel Cycle Scenarios (EGAFCS),
the Expert Group on Fuel Recycling and Waste Technology
(EGFRW), the Expert Group on Innovative Fuel Elements
(EGIFE), and the Expert Group on Reactor Coolants/
Components Technology (EGCoCoT).
In 2022, the WPFC and its expert groups held eleven
official meetings either remotely or in hybrid mode. Notable
progress was achieved in all the technical areas covered.
The EGIFE made progress with the preparation of a report
that provides recommendations on oxide and metal fuel
properties for fuel performance codes of fast reactors.
This document was reviewed by independent international
experts and is expected to be finalised in 2023. The expert
group is also working on a code-to-code benchmarking
exercise for accident transient conditions in collaboration
with other NSC expert groups. The EGAFCS has finalised a
scenario study on transuranic elements (TRU) management
and is preparing the associated technical report. The expert
group is also developing an online catalogue of tools for fuel
cycle modelling and simulation. The EGCoCoT is conducting
a technology readiness level (TRL) assessment of heavy-
liquid-metal and sodium-cooled systems, focusing on
component materials and chemical processes. To further
enhance this activity, the expert group is also preparing a criticality safety assessments and decay heat assessments.
state-of-the-art report on the effects of liquid metals on the In addition, the working party encompasses the International
reactor components. The EGFRW is finalising an international Database of Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Data
review on the recycling and reuse of components from (SFCOMPO) Project and the International Criticality Safety
spent fuels and conducting the first phase of a new Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and their relational
benchmarking exercise on simulation codes for solvent databases. The WPNCS further supports the organisation
extraction. A technical report on the treatment of volatile of the International Conference on Nuclear Criticality, held
fission products produced by the expert group was recently every four years, and for which the next edition is to take
published. Finally, the EGFRW is shaping a new activity on place in Japan in 2023. Preparation is underway together with
the chemistry of MSR fuel cycles, which is planned to be the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Atomic Energy
conducted jointly with the IAEA. Society of Japan (AESJ). The following edition, in 2027, will
tentatively take place in the United Kingdom.
The work of the NSC Task Force on Demonstration of
Fuel Cycle Closure including Partitioning and Transmutation The WPNCS introduced in 2022 an interim winter
(P&T) for Industrial Readiness by 2050 (TF-FCPT) is in meeting week to enhance progress in its activities. The first
progress in collaboration with the NEA Nuclear Development such interim meeting took place in January 2022, gathering
Committee (NDC). Launched in 2021, the Task Force aims 80 experts from 17 participating countries as well as European
to highlight the need for and the benefit of achieving a pre- Union (EU) representatives.
industrial demonstration of the advanced fuel cycle and P&T
In 2022, two groups reached closure: Subgroup 5 on the
technologies, identify the associated R&D and infrastructure
Experimental Needs for Criticality Safety which, relying on a
needs, and provide policymakers with information for future
survey, finalised its report in February 2022; and Subgroup 8
decisions to enable the industrialisation of the fuel cycle
on the Preservation of Expert Knowledge, which collected
closure from 2050. In addition, it gives guidelines for joint
know-how related to the use of ICSBEP benchmarks for
experimental programmes to increase the technology
validation purposes. Three groups held and reported on their
readiness level (TRL) and reduce uncertainties. In 2022,
first meeting, namely Subgroup 9 on Transport in Random
the Task Force met several times remotely and held its first
Geometries, Subgroup 10 on Nuclear Data Uncertainties for
in-person meeting in September. It made significant progress
Depletion Calculations and Subgroup 11 on Bias and Correlated
with the preparation of a high-level report that will address
Data. One WPNCS group was approved for launch, namely
the technological, economic and societal aspects of the topic.
Subgroup 12 on Decay Heat Assessment, which has created
In addition, the WPFC is working with the Scientific a forum for exchanging practices, methods and observations
Advisory Committee (SAC) of the 16th Information Exchange related to decay heat calculations at a variety of time scales.
Meeting on Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning and The group will produce a “current status” report indicating the
Transmutation (16IEMPT) on the organisation of the event in priority aspects to be tackled at an international level.
the new geopolitical context. The event will address the state-
of-the-art developments related to advanced nuclear fuel The WPNCS is also hosting the development and
cycles: scenario studies, transmutation systems, modelling maintenance of two experimental data preservation projects,
and data, advanced fuels for transmutation and multi- ICSBEP and SFCOMPO.
recycling, waste management and recycling technologies. After the 2021 meetings of the ICSBEP Technical Review
Group (TRG), seven new evaluations were approved for
inclusion in the 2021 ICSBEP Handbook. Updates were
Nuclear criticality safety made to the accompanying Database for ICSBEP (DICE). The
The NSC Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS) 2021 ICSBEP Handbook was released in November 2022.
co-ordinates several technical activities such as modelling The 2022 meetings of the ICSBEP TRG were rescheduled to
of used nuclear fuel (UNF) depletion and propagation of the second quarter of 2023 to accommodate a new schedule
nuclear data uncertainties, Monte Carlo modelling of random in the preparation of the previous handbook and allow for
geometries of heterogeneous media, uncertainty analysis for evaluators to finalise their upcoming submission.

Control
rods

Coolant salt Electrical

Reactor Generator
energy

Pump Molten Salt Reactor.

Purified
salt US Department of Energy
Turbine

Heat
Fuel salt exchanger
Recuperator

Chemical Heat
processing exchanger
plant Compressor

Freeze
plug
Heat Pre Heat sink
Pump sink cooler

Intercooler

Compressor

Emergency dump tanks

77
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Research and development to
support the advancement of
small modular reactors and
advanced reactors.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
(CC BY-ND 2.0)
The SFCOMPO Technical Review Group has met three
times in 2022, in conjunction with the WPNCS weeks.
Current efforts focus on the addition of new data, notably
from the MALIBU and REGAL programmes; the addition of
decay heat data as a new metric; and guidance on uncertainty
evaluation and progress on various evaluations.
The annual meeting week of the WPNCS, which was held
in-person and remotely, took place in June-July 2022, during
which the WPNCS celebrated its jubilee. This event brought
together approximately 120 participants from 18 countries.
Fuel and materials science
The recently created Working Party on Materials Science
Issues in Nuclear Fuels and Structural Materials (WPFM)
is an international forum for information exchange and
discussion focusing on nuclear materials. Its objective is to
provide guidance and expertise in the area of fuel materials
and structural materials with an emphasis on multi-scale
modelling, nuclear materials testing and characterisation,
and data assessment and preservation for the purpose of
model development and validation.
The WPFM liaises, as appropriate, with other NEA
working parties and expert groups that may benefit from
material science expertise. It also interacts with NEA joint
projects in the area of materials science, such as in the
Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels – International Database
(TAF-ID) and the Thermodynamic Characterisation of Fuel
Debris and Fission Products Based on Scenario Analysis of
Severe Accident Progression at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Station (TCOFF). The WPFM provides analysis of
data generated within joint projects in the area of materials
science as relevant and in compliance with their data
dissemination policies.
The WPFM has created two new expert groups. The first
is called the Expert Group on Fuel Materials (EGFM), which
promotes multi-scale modelling and simulation together
with experimental activities. The EGFM addresses all fuel
types, both fuel materials currently deployed in the nuclear
fleet and envisaged for future fission reactors as well as
advanced fuels, such as oxide, metallic, nitride, carbide,
silicide, composite fuels and relevant cladding issues.
The Expert Group on Structural Materials (EGSM) aims to
improve the understanding and modelling of the behaviour
of structural materials under extreme conditions (such as
high temperature, high dose rate and corrosive chemical
environment) and for long service lifetimes, while also
78 | NEA Annual Report 2022
supporting the development, selection and characterisation of
innovative structural materials with enhanced performances
compared to currently deployed materials.
The former Expert Group on Innovative Structural Materials
(EGISM) held its Sixth International Workshop on Structural
Materials for Innovative Nuclear Systems (SMINS‑6) in
September 2022 at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in
the United States, with 100 in-person participants. During the
workshop, a panel was held with the title: “Are We On the
Path to Introducing High-Entropy Alloys to Next Generation
Nuclear Systems?” The topic will be further explored within
the EGSM.
The kick-off meetings of the WPFM and its expert groups
will be held in January 2023.
Nuclear data
The NSC Working Party on International Nuclear Data
Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) published the results
of two sub-groups, including studies on prompt gamma
release from fission products and a review of correlated
uncertainties (covariances) in general-purpose nuclear data
libraries. Following the publication by the Expert Group on
the Recommended Definition of a General Nuclear Database
Structure (EGGNDS) of the first specifications for the first
international nuclear data format (GNDS version 1.9), the
EGGNDS completed and formally approved a major update
in its May 2022 meeting (GNDS version 2.0). This new version
includes several new data structures for more sophisticated
physics and uncertainty data that go beyond the previous de
facto international standard, ENDF-6, including covariances for
thermal scattering data that were developed in collaboration
with the now-completed Subgroup 44. While the publication
process proceeds, experts are able to obtain the technical
specifications directly from the Secretariat within the NEA
GitLab, where the specifications are formally managed.
The work in Subgroup 50, launched in 2021, continued
to focus on the use of the differential nuclear reaction
physics database EXFOR, the development of which is a
collaboration between the NEA Data Bank, the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the US National Nuclear
Data Centre. WPEC members are working to specify new
database structures and store implicit knowledge so that
worldwide understanding of this valuable experimental
data can be retained for future use. The subgroup includes
machine learning and data science experts that are ensuring
outputs can be seamlessly integrated into advanced data

workflows that will be increasingly used in nuclear data
evaluation. A major recommendation is the deployment of
application programming interfaces (APIs) for databases of
experimental measurements (including but not limited to
EXFOR) with bindings in common software languages.
The Subgroup 50 specification document is being actively
developed to standardise the structure across multiple
layers of the underlying experimental data. The subgroup
hopes that the new format will follow the success of the
GNDS-2.0 specification in defining a new standard for
experimental data interchange. Tutorials were provided by
the EXFOR utility code developers to improve the access and
translation of the data into the proposed subgroup format.
The training highlighted some subtleties in the underlying
data, leading to improved data access as well as vital testing
and development of the new format. The development of
the subgroup’s tools continued and is now focusing on the
layers corresponding to evaluation templates, monitors and
decay data. The format definition and software tools are
being developed as an active collaboration between national
laboratories and international organisations such as the Naval
Nuclear Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL),
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the IAEA.
The WPEC completed a review of integral experiments
required for the validation of nuclear data. A subgroup
created in 2018 prioritised experiments from SINBAD and the
outputs from this group include additional experimental and
computational information that is being integrated into the
database through a newly established Task Force on SINBAD
within the WPRS. This complements the parallel work of
the completed Validation of Nuclear Data Libraries (VaNDaL)
Subgroup 45, which has studied the quality assurance
methods for verification and validation of nuclear data with
criticality benchmarks and collected a range of model suites
that will be provided to the Data Bank as part of an enhanced
set of services.
The new NEA GitLab system has been successfully utilised
to support multiple WPEC activities. In close collaboration
with the Data Bank team, the Division of Nuclear Science
and Education has worked to launch an enhanced GitLab
server with image containerisation and local data centre
code execution pipelines for quality assurance processes.
Following the success of the system’s use in the WPEC,
other working parties are exploring its use in projects such
as benchmarking exercises. The GitLab was restructured this
year to allow licensed users to access controlled software
in addition to the open-source software hosted. The new
FIDES-II members during a field
trip to see the TREAT reactor being
used in the HERA experiments,
October 2022.
structure was implemented in a forward-thinking, robust
fashion so that tight access control patterns are maintained
while providing maximum utility of the various software to the
user community. The nuclear data community has benefitted
from this integration by allowing for automated processing,
testing, and validation of the data files and software packages
in a reproducible and verified environment.
The first WPEC nuclear data week since the COVID‑19
pandemic began was held in May 2022, with over
100 in-person and virtual participants.
Experimental needs
The NEA Second Framework for Irradiation Experiments
(FIDES-II) was launched in October 2022. The framework is
designed to diversify the portfolio of in-pile facilities available
for joint research and safeguard the knowledge required to
conduct nuclear fuel and materials research. The participating
countries established the second framework in response to a
changed geopolitical context. Most of the work programme
initiated under FIDES in March 2021 will continue under
FIDES-II. Twenty-four organisations, representing safety,
industry and R&D organisations from 12 participating countries
and the European Commission, have joined FIDES-II.
FIDES-II is designed to execute high-priority experiments
on a cost-sharing basis, but also integrate three cross-cutting
pillars to enhance the research outcomes: integration of
modelling and simulation; data preservation and quality
assurance; and training and education.
The FIDES-II programme of work for the 2022-2024 period
includes three Joint Experimental Programmes described in
the “Joint Projects” section. As an international research
collaboration, FIDES is relatively unique in its ability to consider
research opportunities independent of a specific research
facility. The design of the Framework allows members to
benefit from a portfolio of in-pile facilities. With this in mind,
the participants in FIDES-II have decided to write a 10-year
strategic plan to define key research needs for industry and
safety authorities in a variety of technical disciplines.
In writing the strategic plan, participants will draw on
expert perspectives from industry, safety authorities and
laboratories with the objective to define the research needed
to answer pressing safety questions as well as research
needed to support innovation in the nuclear industry. They
will also consider how to best use existing irradiation testing
infrastructure and how to safeguard the knowledge required
to conduct nuclear fuel research.
79
 The FIDES-II community is now considering the
experimental needs related to advanced reactor designs.
Experimental capacities for generating data on structural
materials proposed for advanced reactor designs are included
in a new proposal under consideration within FIDES-II and
a task group has been formed to formulate a second new
proposal that could generate data needed to support the
qualification of TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel. The
FIDES-II members have expressed their ambition to mature
both proposals for inclusion in the Framework in the 2023-
2024 timeframe.
Various zero power reactors (ZPRS) have been
decommissioned within the last two decades. Thus there
is increased concern about the possibly limited capabilities
of the remaining facilities, and about satisfying anticipated
needs for new experimental data to back the Verification,
Validation and Uncertainty Quantification (VVUQ) process
in performance and safety demonstrations of novel reactor
designs as well as current nuclear energy-related operations,
including those related to the fuel cycle. Thus the NSC has
decided to create an international specialists’ Task Force
under the auspices of the WPRS and with the co-operation
of the WPNCS, which has recently completed a study on
integral experiments needs and a review of available facilities.
The two objectives of the Task Force are: (i) reviewing the
projected needs for new reactor physics validation data
and elaborating on the motivation, as well as needs related
to criticality safety; and (ii) recommending a consensual
course of action for acquiring such data, including the
minimal functional specifications of the needed facilities and
expertise. The new Task Force on ZPR is aiming to deliver
a concise overview on gaps and needs with respect to the
existing landscape of ZPR facilities in 2023. An interview
campaign among international subject matter experts until
February 2023 will be followed up by a dedicated workshop
to consolidate the findings in the second quarter of 2023.
Data preservation and management
The NSC, in co-operation with the NEA Data Bank, has
over 25 years of experience in collecting, preserving and
disseminating experimental data in different domains.
The data are usually contained in agreed standard and
computer-accessible formats. They are widely used for
international activities involving validation of current and
new calculational schemes, including computer codes and
ZPR-9 Machine at Argonne National
Laboratory-East.
Argonne National Laboratory
80 | NEA Annual Report 2022
nuclear data libraries, to assess uncertainties, confidence
bounds and safety margins, and to record measurement
methods and techniques. Data preservation is ongoing in the
areas of criticality safety, reactor physics, fuel performance,
radiation shielding, and composition of spent nuclear fuels
and thermal-hydraulics.
The ICSBEP and the International Reactor Physics
Experiment Evaluation (IRPhE) Project handbooks have been
recognised as international standards for the conversion of
raw experimental data into high-fidelity benchmarks. Over
the past decades, these handbooks have enabled the
nuclear community to enhance the validation of basic nuclear
data and simulation tools. They serve as gold standards
emulated by other databases, such as the SFCOMPO and
the International Database for Integral Shielding Experiments
(SINBAD), co-sponsored by the NEA and the Radiation
Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC).
The 2021 edition of the ICSBEP Handbook was released
in November 2022 featuring experiments from the Kilopower
Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY) and Thermal/
Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) programmes performed at the
National Critical Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in
the United States; high-enriched uranium (HEU) experiments
with Lucite at the NCERC; pitch variation experiments at
the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) in the United States
and structural material experiments at the Valduc facility in
France. Updates were made to the accompanying ICSBEP
Database (DICE). The 2021 ICSBEP Handbook spans
approximately 80 000 pages and contains 587 evaluations
with benchmark specifications for 5 121 critical, near-critical
or subcritical configurations, 45 criticality alarm placement/
shielding configurations with multiple dose points for each,
and 237 configurations which have been categorised as
fundamental physics measurements that are relevant to
criticality safety applications.
The 2021 edition of the International Handbook of
Evaluated Reactor Physics Experiments was also released
in November 2022 and contains data from 169 experimental
series that were performed at 57 nuclear facilities. Some
165 of the 169 evaluations are published as approved
benchmarks. The updates include new measurements at
the ZPR-9 machine at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)-
East in Illinois to support development of a gas-cooled fast
reactor (GCFR) in the United States. Measurements related
to criticality, control worth, and spectral characteristics

measurements from the ZPR-9 have been evaluated and
added, and are one of the few representative data sets for
validating GCFR calculations.
In 2022, co-ordination with the IAEA continued on the
addition of datasets of fuel materials for fast reactors in the
International Fuel Performance Experiments (IFPE) Database
collection. Discussions are also underway to preserve in IFPE
the fast reactor datasets from the latest benchmark carried
out by the Expert Group on Innovative Fuel Elements (EGIFE).
A major software upgrade was provided to the
International Experimental Thermal HYdraulics Systems
online database (TIETHYS), which was designed to allow
users to identify thermal-hydraulic experimental systems
relevant for validation of numerical models and computer
codes for different types of reactors. Its user interface
allows NEA experts to work directly on the database without
endangering the quality of its public content.
The Nuclear Data Sensitivity Tool (NDaST) is a publically
available java application developed at the NEA that combines
integral response functions with nuclear data, using linear
perturbation theory, for the purpose of rapidly assessing
and analysing the impact of changes to nuclear data. NDaST
has been used extensively during the testing phase of both
ENDF-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3, and has continued to evolve, in
preparation for the testing of ENDF/B-VIII.1 and JEFF-4.0.
Significant updates have occurred in NDaST in 2022, such
as the handling of new data formats including COVERX files
and the handling of sensitivity files generated with MCNP6.2
and SCALE/TSAR codes, while at the same time enhancing
the speed by over 100. Training and outreach efforts continue
for NDaST, with the tool most recently being the subject of a
hands-on training event named GRE@T-PIONEeR that was
part of a Euratom project and provided specialised education
and training for post graduate students.
Education, training and human
capacity building
There is a growing trend in nuclear education to integrate
human resources training into the technical curriculum
of nuclear engineering and related sciences. By allowing
nuclear engineers to develop management skills early on,
young professionals can be prepared to enter leadership
positions in the nuclear sector, such as managing a reactor
site or progressing into nuclear policy. In 2019 and 2021,
the NEA launched two knowledge management and human
NEST Management Board
Sixth meeting,
10-11 October 2022,
Paris, France.
capacity initiatives, respectively: The Nuclear Education,
Skills and Technology (NEST) Framework and the Global
Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy.
NEST aims to cultivate a multinational and multidisciplinary
framework among stakeholders, including academia,
research organisations and industries. The Global Forum
aims to create an inclusive network of experts from the
global nuclear academic community. These two initiatives
have established strong links and exchanges around the
growing and challenging topic of human capital development.
To assure collaboration, the Chairs of the NEST Management
Board and the Global Forum Council of Advisors sit as
observers in the other respective governing body.
To enhance co-operation and develop synergies in the field
of nuclear education, training and knowledge management,
the NEA is also working closely with the European
Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European
Nuclear Education Network (ENEN), and with the IAEA.
Together with the European Human Resources Observatory
on Nuclear (EHRO-N), JRC and ENEN, the NEA has launched
a human resources survey to gather data on nuclear graduates,
including gender data, in NEA member countries.
The NEA is participating as an associated partner in the
European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN) 2 Plus Project,
led by ENEN, which will establish co-operation with European
and non-European partners in strengthening competences
and skills for the young generation.
The NEST and Global Forum activities were featured in
an article published by the American Nuclear Society (ANS)
Nuclear News. NEA efforts are underway to establish a
nuclear education platform to address the needs of academia
using data and expertise accumulated by the NEA Standing
Technical Committees and IT resources provided by the NEA
Data Bank.
Contact:
Tatiana Ivanova
Head, Division of Nuclear Science
and Education
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 90
tatiana.ivanova@oecd-nea.org
81
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Joint Projects
The TAF-ID project
The Thermodynamics of Advanced
Fuels – International Database (TAF-ID)
is devoted to establishing a comprehen-
sive, internationally recognised and qual-
ity-assured database of phase diagrams
and of the thermodynamic properties of
advanced nuclear fuels to meet special-
ised requirements for the development
of such fuels for future generations of
nuclear reactors.
The second phase of the pro-
ject (TAF-ID phase 2), established
in November 2018 by 11 signatories
from 7 countries and the European
Commission, initially established for a
three-year duration, was extended until
November 2022.
The third phase of the project
(TAF-ID phase 3) is under preparation
and is expected to be established by
11 signatories from 7 countries and the
European Commission, for a three-year
duration.
Three meetings of the TAF-ID
Programme Review Group were held
remotely in February 2022, April 2022
and November 2022. In addition to tech-
nical discussions, the focus was placed
on the preparation of Phase 3, including
discussions on its programme of work
and on a mechanism that will allow third
parties to access a protected version
of the database, with conditions to be
decided upon.
TAF-ID Phase 3 will aim to:
• validate key systems within the
TAF-ID database by performing
thermodynamic measurements
on complex fuel compositions and
compare the experimental results
with calculations;
• reassess, improve and expand the
thermodynamic models of targeted
systems considered of interest
(mainly oxide, metallic fuels, molten
salts and accident-tolerant fuel [ATF]
for Generation 2, 3 and 4 reactors);
• update the public version of the
TAF-ID database;
82 | NEA Annual Report 2022
• organise training and education of
the database’s users.
A new version of the database was
delivered for the project’s participants in
June 2022: the TAF-ID-V14 includes the
assessments for the Cs-O-Si, Cs-Fe-O,
Ce-Cr-Fe, Ce-Te-O, Cs-Mo-O, B-Cr-Fe,
U-Nd-O, U-I and U-I-O systems.
Another version, the TAF-ID-V15, was
published for the project’s participants
in January 2023. It inclues Ce-Ni, Ni-Nd,
Ni-Pd, U-Rh, U-Te, B-Fe-U, Ce-Zr-O,
Cr-Ni-Zr, Fe-Ni-Zr, Mo-Te-O and U-Te-O
as new systems.
The TCOFF project
The second phase of the joint project on
the Thermodynamic Characterisation of
Fuel Debris and Fission Products Based
on Scenario Analysis of Severe Accident
Progression (TCOFF-II) was launched
in August 2022. The programme builds
on the first TCOFF project, but with a
broadened scope, including studies on
materials behaviour of ATFs in severe
accident conditions and looking at other
reactor designs than the Fukushima
Daiichi boiling water reactor.
A total of 16 organisations (3 as “third
parties”) from 6 participating countries
and the EC participate in the TCOFF-II
project. It is currently focused on the
integration of improved knowledge of
the thermodynamics of severe acci-
dents into severe accident analysis
codes.
The aim of TCOFF-II is to improve
the models describing the material
interactions and the role they play
in the various phases of the severe
accidents, the ultimate goal being the
integration of such models in simula-
tion codes to increase their accuracy.
This improvement will be driven in par-
ticular by state-of-the-art knowledge
of the thermodynamic properties of
the material systems relevant to the
description of core materials degrading
through a severe accident sequence.
Such knowledge, partially developed
and accumulated during the execution
of the first phase of the TCOFF project
and previous international efforts, will
be systematised and further extended
in this second phase of TCOFF through
joint experts’ evaluations and thermody-
namic modelling.
The Project will focus on the accident
sequence, going from the early stages
of the fuel degradation through the fuel
relocation, the molten pool formation,
reactor pressure vessel (RPV) failure,
and the interaction between the corium
and the concrete. The Project will also
address the behaviour of fission prod-
ucts (FPs), their distribution in the vari-
ous phases forming during the accident
and the source term evaluation.
The QUENCH-ATF
project
The QUENCH-ATF project aims to
investigate the behaviour of ATF clad-
dings in design-basis accidents and
beyond-design basis accidents through
a series of bundle tests at the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) QUENCH
facility, Germany. This project stands
under the auspices of the NSC and the
Committee on the Safety of Nuclear
Installations (CSNI), and involves
19 organisations from 8 participating
countries. The agreement entered into
force in October 2021.
The series of three bundle tests
at the QUENCH facility is planned as
follows:
• the first test focuses on extended
loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA)
conditions with Cr-coated Zr ATF
cladding;
• the second test will investigate
severe accidents scenario with the
same type of ATF cladding;
• the third test is still open for discus-
sion, with the option to test another
type of ATF cladding, namely SiCf-
SiC; or to test Cr-coated Zr under a
different scenario based on the feed-
back from the first two tests.
The first QUENCH-ATF test was suc-
cessfully performed at and by KIT in July
2022 with a 24-rod bundle of Cr-coated
OptZirlo provided by Westinghouse.

This first-of-a-kind test has demon-
strated that the bundle exhibits excel-
lent behaviour to this transient.
The quantitative results of the test
were discussed as part of the project
in December 2022, as a blind analytical
exercise was underway during the sec-
ond half of 2022 to assess the ability
of various codes to model and simulate
such transients and such materials. The
full post-test analysis is ongoing and
will continue with in-kind contributions
from the Institut de Radioprotection et
de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) and French
Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy
Commission (CEA). Preparation is ongo-
ing for the second test to be carried out
during the second half of 2023, focusing
on a severe accident scenario on similar
rod samples of Cr-coated OptZirlo, also
provided by Westinghouse.
The NEA Framework
for Irradiation
Experiments (FIDES)
The NEA Second Framework for
Irradiation Experiments (FIDES-II)* was
launched in October 2022. The estab-
lishment of the second framework was
initiated by the members to navigate
the geopolitical changes of the last year.
Most of the work programme initiated
under FIDES in March 2021 will continue
under FIDES-II. The framework aims
to support the experimental needs of
nuclear safety regulators, technical sup-
port organisations, research institutions
and industry by establishing a global
network of research facilities to perform
high-priority experiments to verify the
* The establishment of the second framework was initiated by the members to navigate the geopolitical changes of the last year. Most of the work
programme initiated under FIDES in March 2021 will continue under FIDES-II.
safety and performance of fuels and
materials (see section “Experimental
Needs”). FIDES-II will bring together a
network of key research reactors around
the world and safeguard experimental
knowledge for future generations.
The FIDES-II Agreement came
into force on 3 October 2022 with
24 organisations, representing safety,
industry and R&D organisations from
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland,
France, Germany, Hungary, Japan,
the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, the United States and the
European Commission. Some academic
organisations will participate in FIDES as
third parties.
The FIDES programme of work
for the 2022-2024 period includes
three Joint Experimental Programmes
(JEEPs) that cover a wide range of
experimental needs:
• A programme for quantifying ther-
momechanical clad load mecha-
nisms during light water reactor
slow transients, or Power to Melt
and Manoeuvrability (P2M). It will
be performed at the BR2 reactor at
the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre
(SCK•CEN) and at the post-irradiation
examination LECA Facility at CEA.
• In-pile Creep Studies of Accident-
Tolerant Fuel (ATF) Claddings (INCA)
are being performed at the LVR-15
material test reactor in the Research
Centre Rež, Ltd. (CVR), in the Czech
Republic.
• High burn-up Experiments in
Reactivity-Initiated Accident (HERA)
LVR-15 Reactor operated by CVR, where FIDES-II
experiments on Cr-Coated ATF claddings are
loaded and generating data.
CVR
will be performed at the Transient
Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility at the
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in
the United States and at the Nuclear
Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) at
the Japan Atomic Energy Agency
(JAEA).
A notable achievement in terms of
the experiments was the start in May
2022 of irradiation of ATF claddings in
the LVR-15 reactor at the Rež, in the
Czech Republic.
Earlier in 2022, participants decided
to rotate FIDES-II meetings around
the world to have the opportunity to
deepen their understanding of the
capabilities available for research under
the Framework. The INL provided the
first opportunity for a site visit, allowing
members to see first-hand the TREAT
reactor being used in HERA, as well as
some of the other unique experimental
capabilities at the INL.
During the FIDES-II meetings, the
project members are informed of the
technical progress in each JEEP. Each
of the three ongoing JEEPs involves
some degree of first-of-a-kind experi-
mental methods. During the meetings,
members have the opportunity to hear
the achievements made during the
last few months and examine issues
encountered as well as the proposed
mitigating measures. The discussions
are dynamic and productive, demon-
strating the value of an international
expert community gathering to review
and advise an experimental framework
as complex as FIDES-II.
83
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Education Initiatives
The NEA Nuclear
Education, Skills and
Technology (NEST)
Framework
The NEA Nuclear Education, Skills
and Technology (NEST) Framework
Agreement was signed by 15 organi-
sations from 10 member countries and
entered into force in February 2019.
The main objective of NEST is to fos-
ter a new generation of nuclear experts
and leaders by transmitting practical
knowledge and offering hands-on
training. NEST addresses the important
gaps in nuclear skills capacity building,
knowledge transfer and technical inno-
vation in an international context.
The NEST Management Board has
approved six NEST projects in the areas
of safety, decommissioning, radioac-
tive waste management, small mod-
ular reactor design, nuclear medicine
and radiological protection, and legacy
waste management:
• Hydrogen containment experiments
for reactor safety (HYMERES);
• Small modular reactors (SMRs);
• Advanced remote technology and
robotics for decommissioning
(ARTERD);
• Radioactive waste management of
i-graphite;
• Medical applications, nuclear tech-
nologies, radioprotection and safety
(MANTRAS); and
• Building competence, Expert knowl-
edge, Applied techniques, Safe
decommissioning, Train fellows
(BEAST).
After the COVID-19 limitations, the
NEST projects have been active in
restarting events, seminars and work-
shops for the Fellows:
• The NEST BEAST Project organised
a workshop in April 2022, a workshop
in September 2022, and a week-long
conference in November 2022;
• The NEST ARTERD Project organ-
ised an online seminar in September
2022;
84 | NEA Annual Report 2022
NEST BEAST Summer School.
• The NEST SMR Project organised
a workshop for NEST Fellows in
October 2022 in Canada.
The NEST Secretariat continued to
conduct interviews of NEST Fellows,
Mentors and Project leaders for the
NEA webpages to better inform the
wider nuclear community of the activi-
ties and participants of NEST. Two arti-
cles were published in 2022 detailing
the experiences of both NEST Fellows
and Project leaders.
Two Management Board meetings
were held in 2022. The Management
Board approved the adhesion of
Romania as the 11th country to join the
NEST Framework.
The NEST Management Board
members welcomed increased
co-operation and synergies with the
education and training activities of
international partners such as the Global
Forum on Nuclear Education, Science,
Technology and Policy, the IAEA, the
EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the
European Nuclear Education Network
(ENEN). Lately, interactions have been
made also to strengthen links and
co-operation with the Generation IV
International Forum (GIF) Education
and Training Working Group as well
as the European Nuclear Experimental
Education Platform (ENEEP).
The Global Forum on
Nuclear Education,
Science, Technology
and Policy
The Global Forum on Nuclear
Education, Science, Technology and
Policy (the Global Forum) was launched
in January 2021 to create an inclusive
network of experts from the aca-
demic community to provide creative
solutions around global challenges
the nuclear sector faces as well as to
engage and initiate a policy dialogue
with all nuclear stakeholders.
The Global Forum is led by a Council
of Advisors composed of around
40 representatives of 20 academic
institutions from NEA member coun-
tries. During its first meetings, in April
and June 2021, the Council of Advisors
identified four strategic areas of work:
• achieving gender balance in
nuclear technology and academic
workforces;
• defining the future of nuclear engi-
neering education;
• rethinking the relationship between
nuclear energy and society; and
• revitalising innovation in the nuclear
sector to improve the competitive-
ness of nuclear energy.
Representatives within the Council of
Advisors were selected and confirmed
to lead the work of each of these areas
in working groups. The four respective
working groups have been established.
The Co-Chairs of each group are work-
ing with the Global Forum Secretariat to
plan working group meetings, establish
work plans, and feed the outputs of the
working groups into the programme of
work and into the deliberations of the
wider Forum.
During 2022, the Council of Advisors
of the Global Forum held one meeting
and the Co-Chairs held three, while the
working groups met a number of times.
Under the auspices of the Global
Forum, the NEA hosted its third annual
Global Nuclear Science and Engineering
Commencement on 29 June 2022 to
celebrate and recognise the accom-
plishments of the graduating classes
of 2022 within the nuclear science and
technology fields. The Commencement
brought together renowned speakers,
young professionals and students
around the theme of “Nuclear technol-
ogy in service to society”. Bill Gates,
Chairman of TerraPower, delivered a
keynote address followed by a panel
discussion. The first student compe-
tition was organised around the topic
“Nuclear and Society: what does this
relationship mean to you”?
Having separate scopes of work and
missions, these two NEA initiatives on
education and training are co-ordinated
to strengthen the role of the Agency in
nuclear education and capacity building
and provide support and policy advice
to NEA member countries.
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
Data Bank
The goal of the NEA Data Bank is to serve as the
international centre of excellence for advancing best
practices in the management, preservation, validation and
utilisation of nuclear data and computer codes, through
collaboration, integration with other NEA outputs, and
dissemination of relevant data and products. The Data Bank
also maintains and distributes the databases developed
within the NEA working parties and expert groups, as
well as by NEA joint projects. The Data Bank provides a
direct service to its users by making tools available on
request and by co-ordinating international initiatives.
SERPENT-2.2.0
automatic testing
with JEFF data on
the NEA GitLab
and within portable
Docker images.
In 2022, the Data Bank services returned to nearly “normal”
pre-COVID-19 operations. The number of delegates and
experts participating in nuclear data activities doubled and
the first substantive deliverables were made since 2017.
Training events were hosted again as in-person events, and
new package acquisitions and technology implementation
are being used to create a more impactful Data Bank service.
Management Board for the
Development, Application and
Validation of Nuclear Data and Codes
The Bureau of the Management Board for the Development,
Application and Validation of Nuclear Data and Codes
(MBDAV) held a series of meetings, liaising closely with the
Data Bank Secretariat to review the detailed programme of
Highlights
In 2022, the Data Bank created new services
with software developers to manage controlled
distribution of source code, nuclear data and
benchmarks in one platform. These will be
distributed in a client-facing service in early
2023 and rolled out to all eligible software
packages.
In 2022, the Joint Evaluated Fission and
Fusion (JEFF) project held two hybrid nuclear
data weeks with record par ticipation and
organised a series of 11 technical workshops,
covering topics ranging from the use of artificial
intelligence (AI) to preparation of application-
specific libraries. Two complete test libraries
were released, the first deliveries since the
release of JEFF-3.3 in 2017. The project is on
course for a 2024 release of a major upgrade to
JEFF-4.0.
The Computer Program Ser vices (CPS)
engaged c ode owner s and government
representatives extensively to address changes
in expor t control and star ted distributing
multiple new packages, including SERPENT-2 in
May 2022. Several new packages are in progress
and are expected to be distributed by the Data
Bank in 2023.
The Data Bank launched a new eLearning
platform in April 2022 using Canvas LMS and
a digital credential system with Accredible to
support in-person, virtual and hybrid training
events. All training courses from summer 2022
onward have been delivered through these
systems, as the Data Bank creates a catalogue
of courses. A detailed course preference survey
was issued in September 2022 and an expanded
course schedule in 2023 will host several first-
of-a-kind courses for the Data Bank.
work and Intermediate Output Results (IORs) as part of the
requested Agency-wide prioritisation exercise. In preparing
the 2023-2024 programme of work, the MBDAV agreed
to consolidate deliverables and adopt so-called SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-
related) principles. This resulted in significant changes to the
definitions of IORs that ensure the Secretariat and projects
can be more effectively evaluated on an annual basis by the
MBDAV.
The new Data Bank GitLab infrastructure, was installed
in a bespoke infrastructure in the NEA data centre in late
2021. After a migration process from the pre-production
environment, the system went live in March 2022. The
Data Bank Secretariat has begun implementing GitLab-
based solutions in all relevant programme areas, including
the migration of software packages and data development
85

The Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National
Laboratory uses plate type fuel in a clover leaf
arrangement. The blue glow around the core is known
as Cherenkov radiation.
Courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory
projects into rigorous version control systems, with testing
process into Continuous Integration pipelines using Docker
containerisation for completely reproducible environments.
To provide greater support for education and training
activities, the Data Bank launched a new Learning
Management System to collect and structure content for
courses. The selected system, Canvas, was piloted in April
2022 and rolled out in all subsequent training courses held
through the year. Feedback from users was highly positive
and other divisions of the NEA have started using the
system, as well as the new credentialing platform to provide
blockchain-based, verifiable certificates documenting the
outcomes of training events.
Computer Program Services
More than 950 establishments are officially nominated to
use the Computer Program Services (CPS) in the countries
that participate in the NEA Data Bank and in non-OECD
countries through a dedicated co-operation agreement that
was resumed in 2020.
The NEA Data Bank collection contains more than
1 000 active (i.e. listed in the online catalogue) computer
programs and 250 integral experiments, covering all areas
related to reactor design, dynamics, safety and radiation
shielding, material behaviour and radioactive waste
applications.
In 2021, CPS added nine new or updated versions of
computer programs, two NEA safety joint project reports,
two integral experimental data packages and three legacy
86 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Simulated neutron flux profile of the Advanced
Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory
visualised with the NEA Mesh Tally Viewer.
books and proceedings to its collection. The CPS distributed
928 computer program copies, 66 NEA safety joint project
packages through 66 unique requests, 488 integral
experiment packages through 488 unique requests and
24 copies of legacy books and proceedings.
As of 29 November 2022, CPS added ten new or updated
versions of computer programs and two processed data
libraries, two integral experimental data packages (the
International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project
[ICSBEP] Handbook 2021 and International Reactor Physics
Experiments [IRPhE] Handbook) and two legacy books
and proceedings to its collection. The CPS distributed
948 computer programs copies, 34 NEA safety joint project
packages, 570 integral experiment packages and 23 copies
of legacy books and proceedings.
The CPS unit continued to adapt its working methods to
a post-pandemic working environment. All computer codes
and integral experimental data packages were dispatched
through network download, which was upgraded to address
the needs of packages with increasing software sizes. The
only dispatches sent by postal mail were the ones sent to
non-OECD countries through the IAEA-NEA co-operation
arrangement.
In addition to the computer codes developed in NEA
Data Bank participating countries, the CPS also distributed
codes received from the Radiation Safety Information
Computational Center (RSICC) pursuant to a co-operative
arrangement between the United States Department of
Energy (DOE) and the NEA Data Bank, which allows bilateral
updates to several of the most distributed packages in both
service areas.
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
The service provision to non-OECD countries was
resumed in 2020 and in 2021 the CPS received 177 requests
from 42 countries and the IAEA itself. In 2022, CPS received
over 400 requests.
Nuclear data services
The Data Bank maintains large databases of experimental
(Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data Retrievals [EXFOR])
and evaluated nuclear data, all of which are made available
online. As a member of the International Network of Nuclear
Reaction Data Centres (NRDC) since 1966, the NEA Data
Bank is responsible for the compilation, in EXFOR, of neutron,
photon and charged particle data arising from differential
experimental programmes in its participating countries.
In 2021 this involved the evaluation and processing of
453 new or updated entries with over 5 635 new or updated
subentries and, in 2022, the detailed review and processing
of over 526 new or updated entries with over 8 327 new
or updated subentries compiled in the EXFOR database. In
partnership with the Nuclear Science Committee and the
IAEA, the Data Bank is working on the development of new
database formats for EXFOR and Application Programming
Interfaces (APIs) that could be launched as early as 2024.
As a central part of its Nuclear Data Services, the Data
Bank developed to prototype in 2021 a quality assurance
process for evaluated nuclear data files. This automated
process was partially demonstrated using a cloud GitLab
platform and, following the launch of the on-premise NEA
GitLab in 2022, all pipeline processes were created and
used to run local quality assurance procedures at the Data
Bank. This was used for the JEFF-4.0T1 “Test 1” data library
in May 2022 and subsequently used in multiple test files
during the preparation of the JEFF-4.0T2 “Test 2” library
that was released in December 2022. These represent major
deliverables for the JEFF project, which is on track for a 2024
release of the JEFF-4.0 library.
The Data Bank organised in November 2021 the first
hybrid in-person/online meetings for the Joint Evaluated
Fission and Fusion (JEFF) project, during which the project
was overhauled to establish a clearer focus on the delivery of
outputs. Eleven technical working groups were constituted
with Chairs nominated from the participants to lead work
on fission modelling, nuclear data uncertainties and
covariances, decay data, differential experiments, evaluation
methodologies, the application of machine learning
algorithms, integral benchmarking, thermal scattering laws,
nuclear theory, data processing and depletion calculations.
In 2022, the Data Bank Secretariat delivered on this
reorganisation by hosting 11 technical workshops and
“hackathons”, spread over the year, as well as two Nuclear
Data Weeks that featured these technical working groups.
The Data Bank is also responsible for developing and
maintaining the Java-based Nuclear Data Information System
(JANIS), a leading cross-section visualisation tool. JANIS
is designed to facilitate the visualisation, comparison, and
manipulation of evaluated and experimental nuclear data. In
2022 the processing for data libraries for JANIS was migrated
The Frontier
supercomputer.
Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (CC BY 2.0)
87
 PENELOPE Training
Course on Electron-Photon
Transport Modelling.
to GitLab for the JEFF-4.0T1 data, providing a transparent
and reproducible process to generate all data for JANIS. This
will be continued in 2023 with a transfer of all processing
pipelines to the NEA GitLab.
As part of its work in nuclear data, the nuclear data service
team collaborates closely with the NSC Working Party on
International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC),
contributing to the organisation and running of the week-long
WPEC conferences that attracted over 130 participants in
May 2022.
Databases of experiments, nuclear
knowledge management
The Data Bank role has expanded as the need for information
and knowledge management has increased at the NEA.
It now supports the preservation and controlled distribution of
safety joint projects and of integral experiments co-ordinated
by the NEA Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations
(CSNI) and the NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC),
respectively. This activity illustrates the transversal role of the
Data Bank in the preservation and management of information
and knowledge produced through NEA co-ordinated activities
and this transversal role has increased in relevance with
projects such as the closure of the Halden Reactor Project
and the creation of the new NEA Framework for Irradiation
Experiments (FIDES). Working directly with the NSC and
CSNI Secretariat, the Data Bank provides the framework to
collect and disseminate data from these projects. The Halden
Reactor Project agreed at the June 2022 Management Board
meeting that the Data Bank will host the master copy of
project data after the closure of the project.
The Data Bank scheduled and carried out six training
courses on popular computer programs in 2021 and ten in
2022. The courses included training events at different levels
for the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code, SCALE courses
covering criticality safety assessment, the Japanese PHITS
radiation transport code, the electron transport PENELOPE
code and training in Inventory Simulation Platform for Nuclear
Observables and Materials Science (FISPACT-II 5.0 code).
A first-of-a-kind Open-Source Monte Carlo (OpenMC) course
88 | NEA Annual Report 2022
was launched in April as the first using the new e-Learning
platform. Overall participation is greater than in 2021 and,
following a survey to prioritise future events, an even more
impactful schedule is being planned for 2023.
To support the activities of NEA Standing Technical
Committees, the Data Bank continues to develop and provide
support to databases built and maintained by the NEA. This
includes the Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Database
(SFCOMPO-2.0), the Database for the International Handbook
of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments
(DICE), the International Reactor Physics Handbook Database
and Analysis Tool (IDAT), the Nuclear Data Sensitivity Tool
(NDaST) and the Thermal-Hydraulic Safety Experiments
(TIETHYS), all of which concern activities at the NEA related
to the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC). In 2022 so far,
there have been over 500 packages distributed through
unique dispatches of NSC experiments, amounting to over
30% of total distribution by the Data Bank.
The Data Bank also supports nuclear safety and
radiological protection activities by maintaining databases
such as the Fire Incidents Records Exchange (FIRE), the
Component Operational Experience, Degradation and
Ageing Programme (CODAP), the Construction Experience
Programme (ConEx), and the Information System on
Occupational Exposure (ISOE).
Contact:
Michael Fleming
Head of Data Bank
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 22
michael.fleming@oecd-nea.org
NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights
The 2004 Protocols to amend the Paris
Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field
of Nuclear Energy and the Brussels Convention
Supplementary to the Paris Convention entered
into force on 1 January 2022.

Nuclear Law
The Nuclear Law Committee (NLC) met in
person and online on 29-30 June 2022, gathering
68 participants from NEA member and non-
member countries, the European Commission
(EC), the International Atomic Energy Agency
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to help create the (IAEA) and the nuclear insurance industry.
sound national and international legal regimes required The second edition of the Fundamentals
for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including as of International Nuclear Law (FINL), an online
regards nuclear safety, international trade in nuclear nuclear law education programme, was held
on 14-18 February 2022 with a diverse group of
materials and equipment, public engagement, issues of 42 professionals and graduate students. The FINL
liability and compensation for nuclear damage, and to provides a high-level, introductory review of the
central aspects of international nuclear law in a
serve as a leading centre for nuclear law information and
condensed programme.
education. The staff provides support to the Nuclear Law
The 2022 session of the International School
Committee (NLC) and its working parties in this area, as of Nuclear Law (ISNL) was held in person at the
well as to the Contracting Parties to the Paris Convention. University of Montpellier from 22 August to
2 September and attracted 56 graduate students
and professionals from across the world to learn
more about the legal framework and major issues
affecting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
The Principles and Practice of International
Nuclear Law was published in February 2022.
c tice o f Largely authored by ISNL lecturers, this publication
Legal Affairs
2021

s and Pra w
Principle nal Nuclear La provides an overview of the complex body of laws
tio
In terna and legal regimes in international nuclear law, as
Nuclear Law Bulletin
No. 107 well as the many developments that have unfolded
in recent years impacting all aspects of nuclear
Volume 2021/2 safety, security, safeguards and liability.
Three long-awaited reports have been
finalised in 2022 with publication expected in
early 2023: Deep Geological Repositories and
NE A
Nuclear Liability, Third International Workshop
on the Indemnification of Damage in the Event
NE A
of a Nuclear Accident, and Fourth International
Workshop on the Indemnification of Damage in
the Event of a Nuclear Accident.

Development and harmonisation of

nuclear legislation

Nuclear Law Committee (NLC)

The NEA Nuclear Law Committee (NLC) met in person and
online on 29-30 June 2022 to review the activities of the
NEA Division of Nuclear Law (DNL) and the NLC working
parties on nuclear liability and transport, deep geological
repositories and nuclear liability, and the legal aspects of
nuclear safety. The meeting was attended by 68 participants
representing 25 NEA member countries, 4 partner countries
(Brazil, Lithuania, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates), the
EC, the IAEA and the insurance industry.
Two topical sessions were held during the meeting.
The first, on the nuclear liability amounts applicable to
small modular reactors (SMRs), was organised to examine
this issue from the perspective of the nuclear liability
conventions and discuss the relevant provisions of national
legislation of countries that are developing SMR projects.
Another topical session focused on the legal issues related to
nuclear installations in Ukraine, with an update on the status
of nuclear facilities and impacts on the operator and the

89
 NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR
NEA Working Party on the
Legal Aspects of Nuclear
Safety (WPLANS),
27-28 June 2022, Paris, France.
regulatory body. It also included reports on the application of
international law to nuclear facilities in Ukraine, liability issues
with respect to nuclear installations under military control,
and the practical implications for nuclear liability insurance in
Ukraine. The meeting agenda also featured reports by Finland
and Sweden on the latest national developments in nuclear
law in those countries, by Japan on the status of lawsuits for
compensation for nuclear damage regarding the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, by the United Arab
Emirates updating on their nuclear programme and recent
developments in their licensing and regulatory framework,
and by the EC and the IAEA on their latest activities. Finally,
the Committee was also updated on the work undertaken
by the Contracting Parties to the Paris Convention and on
the status of the reports for previous NEA events on nuclear
liability.
Contracting Parties to the Paris
Convention and the Brussels
Supplementary Convention
As part of the preparation for the entry into force of the
2004 Protocols, the NEA member countries that are party
to the Paris Convention and to the Brussels Supplementary
Convention (Contracting Parties) undertook a review of
all the Decisions, Recommendations and Interpretations
(DRI) applicable to the Paris Convention and the Brussels
Supplementary Convention. In this context, and following
the adoption of four recommendations by the Steering
Committee for Nuclear Energy on 8 October 2021
and approval of a new Compilation of the Decisions,
Recommendations and Interpretations applicable to the Paris
Convention as amended by the 2004 Protocol, on 21 April
2022 the Steering Committee abrogated nine obsolete DRI
of the Steering Committee regarding the Paris Convention.
90 | NEA Annual Report 2022
The OECD Council adopted on 2 November 2021 the revised
Recommendation of the Council on the Application of the
Brussels Supplementary Convention, in the field of nuclear
liability, and agreed on 1 June 2022 on the abrogation of
two Recommendations of the Council regarding the Paris
Convention and the Brussels Supplementary Convention.
The Contracting Parties met in person and online on
1 July 2022. The Contracting Parties provided an update
on their respective national legislative and administrative
processes and the status of financial securities following
the entry into force of the 2004 Protocols, with a particular
focus on the remaining actions to be undertaken and the
impact of the entry into force of the 2004 Protocols on the
insurance market. The meeting also featured presentations
on national developments regarding nuclear liability in Türkiye
and the United Kingdom. In addition, the Secretariat provided
updates to the Contracting Parties on nuclear liability-related
matters that touch upon the operation and interpretation of
the Paris and Brussels Supplementary Conventions.
The Contracting Parties organised a virtual working
meeting on 30 November 2022 to discuss the reciprocity
principle provided in the Paris Convention. Following the
expansion of its geographic scope of application, the Paris
Convention now allows affected persons situated in certain
countries that are not parties to the Paris Convention to
make claims in case they suffer damage or loss as a result
of ionising radiation emitted from an accident in a nuclear
installation or the transport of nuclear substances that are
under the responsibility of a nuclear operator situated in
a Paris Convention State. During the working meeting in
November, the Contracting Parties discussed the criteria to
be fulfilled by countries with national nuclear liability regimes
that are similar to the one set up by the Paris Convention and
afford equivalent reciprocal benefits to the Paris Convention
State where the accident occurred.
Working Party on the Legal Aspects of
Nuclear Safety (WPLANS)
The NEA Working Party on the Legal Aspects of Nuclear
Safety (WPLANS) met in person and online on 27-28 June
2022 with 42 participants representing 19 NEA member
countries, 2 non-NEA member countries (Ukraine and the
United Arab Emirates), the EC and the IAEA. The first day of
the meeting featured discussions on national developments
related to the legal aspects of nuclear safety, legal issues
related to long-term operation of nuclear power plants and
legal challenges to licensing decisions, with updates from
Belgium, Canada, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
In addition, a session on the licensing and regulation of
small modular and advanced reactors took place, with
presentations by representatives of the Czech Republic,
Finland, Korea and the United Kingdom. The day ended with
the European Commission’s update on matters of special
interest to WPLANS. The second day of the meeting focused
on updates related to the survey and draft report on legal
challenges related to nuclear safety, with presentations by
the NEA and group discussions on future actions. A topical
session on climate change litigation took place, with
presentations by representatives from Australia and Canada.
Participants from the IAEA, Ukraine and the United Arab
Emirates provided updates on matters of special interest to
the WPLANS.
Working Party on Nuclear Liability and
Transport (WPNLT)
The NEA Working Party on Nuclear Liability and Transport
(WPNLT) organised on 1 December 2022 a remote working
meeting of an ad hoc expert group to address selected
outcomes of the workshop on “The Qualification of Nuclear
Substances and Nuclear Liability” held on 29-30 March
2021, in view of preparing practical solutions to facilitate
the process of qualification of nuclear substances being
transported and the identification of an appropriate insurance
or other financial security coverage. The working meeting
was attended by 34 legal, technical and insurance experts
nominated by 14 NEA member countries, 2 non‑NEA
member countries (Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates),
the EC and the IAEA. Representatives from the nuclear
insurance industry, the International Group of P&I Clubs, the
International Nuclear Law Association (INLA) and the World
Nuclear Association (WNA) also participated in the meeting.
The ad hoc expert group tackled certain practical aspects
of the implementation of the exclusion of small quantities
of nuclear substances from the scope of the application of
international nuclear liability conventions and held a round
table on the challenges and the pathway to elaborate
practical solutions to facilitate the process to qualify nuclear
substances being transported.
Working Party on Deep Geological
Repositories and Nuclear Liability
(WPDGR)
The Working Party on Deep Geological Repositories and
Nuclear Liability (WPDGR) finalised its report on Deep
Geological Repositories and Nuclear Liability, which was
approved by the NLC on 7 October 2022. Its publication is
expected in early 2023.
Closing the TUK-145/C over-
package enveloping the
SKODA VPVR/M spent fuel
shipment container containing
irradiated liquid HEU fuel.
Sandor Tozser/IAEA
(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
91
 The Konrad disposal facility for LILW, Germany.
Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH

On 7 October 2022, the NLC approved the mandate of

the Working Party for 2022-2025. According to this new
mandate, the scope of work was extended beyond deep
geological repositories to other radioactive waste disposal
facilities. The Working Party has also changed name from
the Working Party on Deep Geological Repositories and
Nuclear Liability to the Working Party on Nuclear Liability
and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities (WPLDF). The
next meeting of the group is expected to take place in the
4th quarter of 2023.

International co-operation on nuclear

law
The NEA continued to contribute to the work of the IAEA
International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX) and
the WNA, as well as to support the activities of the INLA.

Nuclear law publications programme

Principles and Practice of International

Nuclear Law
For the past ten years, the NEA publication International
Nuclear Law: History, Evolution and Outlook has served
as the source of reference for students and professionals
wishing to learn more about international nuclear law.
Written by key lecturers from the ISNL, its articles have
been assigned as required reading. Despite the intervening
years since its original publication, International Nuclear Law:
History, Evolution and Outlook has continued to prove its
value. However, an eventful decade has passed and nuclear
law has progressed. New lecturers have joined the ISNL and
the content of the curriculum has evolved. Each element
of the safety, security, safeguards and liability model has
been affected by events that unfolded in recent years. As a
result, more than a mere update was required; instead, an
entirely new publication was needed. With this, Principles
and Practice of International Nuclear Law was published in
February 2022.
Largely authored by ISNL lecturers, Principles and
Practice of International Nuclear Law examines the various
interrelated legal issues for the safe, efficient and secure use
of nuclear energy. It provides an overview of the complex
body of laws and legal regimes in international nuclear law,
as well as the many developments of recent years. It gives
a concise overview of the main international institutions
and addresses such issues as radiological protection,
nuclear safety, environmental protection, nuclear transport,
nuclear security, safeguards, nuclear third party liability and
compensation for nuclear damage, insurance, nuclear trade,
and project development.
Nuclear Law Bulletin
The Nuclear Law Bulletin (NLB) is a unique international
publication for both professionals and academics in the field
of nuclear law. It provides readers with authoritative and
comprehensive information on nuclear law developments
since 1968. A joint edition for 2022, Nos. 108 and 109, will be
published in the 1st quarter of 2023. It is expected to include
at least three articles and studies. It is also expected to
include case law, national legislative and regulatory updates
from Belarus, Canada, France, Hungary, Japan, the Slovak
Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United States, as
well as intergovernmental organisation activity updates from
the EC and IAEA.
With each new edition of the NLB, an update to the
NLB Index is published on the NEA website. Issued as a
resource for research purposes, the NLB Index groups
together information and articles published in the Bulletin
over the past 50+ years, classified by country and organised
by case law, legislative and regulatory activities and bilateral
agreements. Separate sections detail information related to
international organisations and multilateral agreements. The
latest edition covering numbers 1 to 107 is available at: www.
oecd-nea.org/nlb.
In addition to the 2022 English issues, the French edition
of NLB No. 102 will be published in the 1st quarter of 2023.
All issues of the NLB are available free online at www.oecd-
nea.org/nlb.
Nuclear law website
The NEA strives to keep the information on its website
on nuclear law up to date. Multiple documents relating to
nuclear liability, and in particular the Paris Convention, were
updated in 2022. These documents, which are for information
purposes, can be downloaded at: www.oecd-nea.org/nuclear-
liability and www.oecd-nea.org/pc. Furthermore, country
sheets providing a practical overview of the applicable legal
framework to nuclear transport and transit in each concerned
country are available at www.oecd-nea.org/nuclear-transport
and www.oecd-nea.org/pc.
The multilateral agreements page continues to be updated
with country adherences and relevant NLB articles: www.
oecd-nea.org/multilateral-agreements as does the legal
frameworks for nuclear activities page with relevant laws
and regulation: www.oecd-nea.org/law/legislation.

92 | NEA Annual Report 2022

 The 2022 session of the
NEA International School
of Nuclear Law (ISNL),
22 August - 2 September,
University of Montpellier,
France.
Nuclear law education programmes
International School of Nuclear Law
(ISNL)
The 2022 session of the NEA International School of Nuclear
Law (ISNL) was held from 22 August to 2 September in
person at the University of Montpellier. This year marks the
first time the programme has been held in person since the
2019 edition.
Organised by the NEA and the University of Montpellier,
the ISNL is a unique educational programme that offers
participants from the academic, private and governmental
sectors an in-depth look at international nuclear law, focusing
on areas such as nuclear safety, environmental law, security,
safeguards, and nuclear third party liability. The 2022 session
was attended by 56 participants from 38 countries, including
non-NEA member countries, many of whom received support
to attend the ISNL from the IAEA, which also provided several
lecturers.
The participants from different backgrounds and career
levels were immersed in the subject through the ISNL’s
rigorous programme, which consisted of lectures, group
assignments and panel discussions. These classes touched
on all aspects of nuclear law, including nuclear safety,
environmental protection, transport, nuclear security, non-
proliferation, safeguards, nuclear liability, international trade
and management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.
Comprehensive lectures were delivered by 28 specialists in
nuclear law from international organisations, governments,
academia and private industry. In addition, the ISNL ensured
that participants had the opportunity to network with their
new classmates and to discover the city of Montpellier
and its surroundings with social events, city tours and a
graduation ceremony.
While this year’s programme has concluded, many
participants are continuing their studies by completing an
examination and a written dissertation on a topic relevant
to international nuclear law, with the intention of applying
for the University Diploma (Diplôme d’université – D.U.) in
International Nuclear Law from the University of Montpellier.
Fundamentals of International Nuclear
Law (FINL)
The second edition of the Fundamentals of International
Nuclear Law (FINL) course was held on 14-18 February
2022 with a diverse group of 42 professionals and graduate
students from 25 countries. The FINL was designed to
accommodate the needs and interests of professionals
working in the nuclear field and graduate students enrolled
in an energy or international law-related LLM programme.
The FINL is an online course developed by the NEA to
provide a high-level, introductory review of the central aspects
of international nuclear law in a condensed programme.
Building upon the success of the first edition of the FINL, this
year’s programme was expanded to five days, three hours a
day, and included a welcome and introductory session where
the participants and lecturers could interact in an informal
atmosphere.
The participants learnt about the international nuclear
law framework and major issues affecting the peaceful
uses of nuclear energy. Renowned specialists in nuclear law
from international organisations, governments and private
industry delivered lectures on topics related to nuclear safety,
security, non-proliferation and liability.
Contact:
Kimberly Nick
Head, Division of Nuclear Law
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 04
kimberly.nick@oecd-nea.org
93
 GENERAL INFORMATION
Information and
Communication
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to provide
member governments and other major stakeholders
with information resulting from NEA activities and to
enhance awareness and understanding of the scientific,
technical, economic and legal aspects of nuclear
activities, as well as awareness of the NEA itself.
Relations with the media
Relations with the media in 2022 covered a wide variety of
topics and questions concerning the development and use
of nuclear power. Nearly a hundred press and news releases
were issued to notify the NEA community of updates such
as NEA missions to the Czech Republic, Japan, Romania
and the United Arab Emirates; OECD and NEA actions taken
in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, Canada’s first
-ever Country-Specific Safety Culture Forum; as well as the
releases of Building a Framework for Post Nuclear Accident
Recovery Preparedness: National-Level Guidance and several
reports on reactivity-initiated accident research.
Over the course of the year, the NEA and the NEA
Director-General were cited in numerous news articles in
specialised publications and the international media, including
the BBC, The Daily Telegraph, Deutschlandfunk, Deutsche
Welle, Financial Times, Le Monde, Neue Züricher Zeitung,
Nikkei and The Washington Post, as well as in specialised
publications such as Innovation Platform, NuclearFuture, S&P
Global, World Nuclear News and NucNet.
Publications
In 2022, the Agency produced 28 publications, all of which
are available free on the NEA website at www.oecd-nea.
org/pub. A list of these publications is provided on page 102.
The most accessed publications during the course of the
year included: Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and
Demand; Principles and Practice of International Nuclear Law;
Small Modular Reactors: Challenges and Opportunities; and
Chernobyl: Assessment of Radiological and Health Impacts.
94 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Highlights
The Agency produced 28 publications
and 30 technical reports in 2022, all available
free online from the NEA website. Overall
dissemination and downloads remained healthy.
The Agency convened 18 major public online
events during 2022: 7 webinars and publication
launches, 5 joint webinars organised with the GIF
and IFNEC programmes, five online and hybrid
workshops and the Global Commencement for
nuclear engineering graduates.
97 press and news releases were issued
in 2022, all available on the NEA website, and
covering all aspects of the Agency’s work.
Online networking and multimedia platforms
are central to communicating the Agency’s latest
publications, news and events and saw steady
organic growth in 2022.
The Agency has continued to increase its
visibility through participation of the NEA
management in major international fora and
events in member countries and elsewhere, often
via electronic means.
A total of 30 NEA technical reports were also issued under
the unclassified “R” series, directly downloadable from the
substantive area web pages. The most accessed online
reports during the course of the year included: Regulatory
Implementation of the Equivalent Dose Limit for the Lens of
the Eye for Occupational Exposures; International Features,
Events and Processes (IFEP) List for the Deep Geological
Disposal of Radioactive Waste Version 3.0; and Treatment
of Volatile Fission Products.
The Agency’s specialised journal, NEA News, keeps
NEA correspondents and other interested professionals
abreast of significant findings and advances in the Agency’s
programme of work. It provides feature articles on the
latest developments in the nuclear energy field, as well as
updates on NEA work, news briefs and information about
NEA publications and forthcoming events.
Meeting Climate Change
Targets:
The Role of Nuclear Energy
NE A
 In 2022, NEA News covered topics such as the Agency’s
participation in COP 26, the adequacy of funding for the
management and disposal of high-level radioactive waste
in NEA member countries, and the importance of mental
health and psychosocial support in the context of a nuclear
or radiological emergency. NEA News is available for free
on the Agency’s website at www.oecd-nea.org/nea-news.
Online communication
The NEA’s online presence and use of digital channels play
a key role in communicating the work and accomplishments
of the Agency. Website traffic remained healthy in 2022,
with the page Ukraine: Current status of nuclear power
installations as one of the most popular pages on the NEA
website. Other areas attracting the most views were: The
Java-based Nuclear Data Information System (JANIS); News
and general information about the Agency and the NEA Data
Bank; Radioactive Waste Management.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine.
Ralf1969, Wikimedia Commons
Social media channels have helped strengthen
communication of NEA activities. The Agency maintains
a regular presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and
YouTube. In 2022, the NEA maintained its engagement on
all four platforms, with the total number of social media
impressions exceeding 1.4 million. The Agency’s social
media profiles continued to grow organically in 2021 with
a 35% increase in the number of followers on LinkedIn, a
15% increase on Twitter, and a 1.5% increase on Facebook.
Online events remained an integral part of NEA
communications work in 2022. The NEA held seven webinars
and publication launches, five joint webinars organised with
the GIF and IFNEC programmes, five online and hybrid
workshops. The Agency organised an online commencement
ceremony to celebrate and recognise the accomplishments
of the graduating classes of 2022, especially those within the
nuclear science and technology fields. The full list of online
and hybrid events can be found on page 108.
The Agency also continued to use video as part of its
digital communications strategy in 2022. Videos produced
by the Agency were viewed nearly 11 000 times on the
NEA YouTube channel. Many in-person events organised by
the NEA in 2022 offered participants an opportunity to join
online. Nearly all hybrid and virtual events are available for
replay on the NEA YouTube channel.
Subscriptions to the Agency’s newsletter NEA Monthly
News Bulletin continued to grow during 2022. Distributed
free of charge, the bulletin includes monthly updates on NEA
work, activities, events and newly released reports. Online
subscriptions can be made at https://oe.cd/nea-sub.
Online interaction with NEA delegates and member
countries continued to expand in 2022. Most NEA
committees and their working groups continue to rely
exclusively on electronic communication such as password-
protected extranet pages, e-mail discussion lists or online
collaborative work spaces to continue their work where face-
to-face meetings proved impractical.
The Delegates’ Area of the NEA website continues to
offer an important service for many NEA committees
and working groups. This section of the website provides
authorised users with official NEA documents, information
on forthcoming NEA meetings, contact details for other
Left to right: William D. Magwood, IV,
NEA Director-General; Anna Moskwa,
Minister of Climate and Environment of
Poland; Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński,
Undersecretary of State, Ministry of
Climate and Environment of Poland at
the IFNEC-NEA Warsaw Conference
on Nuclear Financing, held in Warsaw,
Poland on 8 December 2022.
Ministry of Climate
and Environment of Poland
95
 GENERAL INFORMATION

Nuclear Technology Development and Economics Radiological Protection Nuclear Technology Development and Economics
2022 2022 2022

Principles and Practice of

International Nuclear Law
Achieving Net Zero Carbon Building a Framework
Emissions in Switzerland for Post-Nuclear Accident The Role of Nuclear Power

Building a Framework for Post-Nuclear Accident Recovery Preparedness: National-Level Guidance

in 2050 Recovery Preparedness in the Hydrogen Economy
National-Level Guidance
Low Carbon Scenarios Cost and Competitiveness
and their System Costs

NE A NE A NE A NE A

committee members, as well as access to the presentations Mr Magwood also gave online lectures and held virtual
and background notes prepared for the Steering Committee discussions with students from a number of higher education
policy debates. During 2022 dedicated areas for some institutions, including Purdue University, the Tokyo Institute
standing technical committees and their working groups of Technology University, National Institute of Technology –
were made available under the rubric “MyNEA”. These Toyama College, Osaka Sangyo University and The University
dedicated workspaces provided support for the work of the of Tokyo.
Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy, as well as other
During 2022, the NEA co-sponsored several international
groups and NEA-organised events and workshops.
events where the NEA Director-General or NEA experts
intervened. These included:
Public affairs and visibility in • Sixth International Conference on Geological Repositories
international fora (ICGR-6), 4-8 April;

• Fourteenth Annual Conference on Nuclear Energy (NE•RS

2022), 14 June;

• Fifth International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear

Power in the 21st Century with the IAEA on 26-28 October
2022.

Assistant Secretary for the Office of

Nuclear Energy, Dr Kathryn Huff with
NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV at the
13 th Clean Energy Ministerial on 22 September.

NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV spoke in

a variety of fora and countries in 2022 to communicate
key messages about nuclear energy and the work of the Contact:
NEA. These fora included: the 34th Regulatory Information Andrew Macintyre
Conference on 8 March; the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial Head, Central Secretariat
on 22 September; the 27th Conference of the Parties of the +33 (0)1 73 21 28 10
UNFCC (COP27) on 10 November; and the International andrew.macintyre@oecd-nea.org
Youth Nuclear Conference on 27 November.

96 | NEA Annual Report 2022

GENERAL INFORMATION
Global relations
The goal of the NEA is to establish effective relationships
with partner countries whose participation in the
NEA programme can be mutually beneficial and to
ensure complementarity and increase synergies with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the
European Commission (EC) and other international
bodies. When relevant for its programme of work, the
NEA develops exchanges with industrial organisations.
Brazil
The NEA continued to communicate with Brazil, including
about its future relationship with the NEA in the light of the
country’s ongoing accession procedure to the OECD.
In 2022, Brazilian delegates were invited to participate
in the meetings of the Nuclear Law Committee (NLC), the
Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) and
selected working groups.
People’s Republic of China
The NEA’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China
(China) continued on a steady path in 2022. Co-operation in
the area of nuclear safety was strong, as Chinese delegates
participated in the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory
Activities (CNRA), the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear
Installations (CSNI), the Radioactive Waste Management
Committee (RWMC), the Committee on Decommissioning
of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM),
the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public
Health (CRPPH) and selected working groups. The Chinese
regulatory authority has also been an active participant in the
Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP).
The NEA-China Forum on Nuclear Decommissioning and
Radioactive Waste Management was further postponed due
to COVID-19 policies in China, and is expected to take place
in 2023.
China continued to participate actively in joint projects
established under the auspices of the NEA and as a member of
the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and International
Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC).
Highlights
Director-General Magwood led the first
in-person mission to a non-member country since
the COVID-19 pandemic began, visiting the United
Arab Emirates in March 2022.
The NEA co-organised the fifth International
Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the
21st Century with the IAEA on 26-28 October 2022
in Washington, DC, United States.
Exchanges continued with non-member
partners on their further engagement with the NEA.
Fifth International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power
in the 21st Century, Washington, DC, United States.
India
India, as a participant in the CSNI and the CNRA, also takes
part in the work of the subsidiary bodies of both committees.
Beyond the area of nuclear safety, co-operation with India is
also well established in the field of nuclear law. Co-operation
grew closer with the nomination of specialised contact points
by India in the areas of radioactive waste management and
radiological protection.
United Arab Emirates
Director-General Magwood met a number of high-level
representatives from the United Arab Emirates on the
occasion of the 2022 World Government Summit (WGS),
which was held in the country in March, and visited the
Barakah Nuclear Power Plant and Khalifa University in Abu
Dhabi. Staff from the UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear
Regulation (FANR) have been participating in the meetings of
several NEA groups and bilateral discussions are advancing,
especially in the areas of nuclear safety and radioactive
waste management. The UAE participates in three joint
undertakings under the auspices of the NEA: ATLAS
Phase 3, the Halden Project and PANDA.
97
 NEA Director-General Magwood met
Japan’s Prime Minister Mr Fumio Kishida
during a visit to Tokyo, Japan.
Other partners
Exchanges have continued effectively with other non-
member partners on their further engagement with the
NEA. Singapore indicated an interest in initiatives in nuclear
education, public communications and the economics of
small modular reactors (SMRs). Director-General Magwood
met with the delegations of various countries, for example
Kenya, to discuss domestic nuclear energy policy and
strengthen collaboration on nuclear safety activities and
research projects.
Intensive bilateral discussions with Ukraine came to a
halt as the aggression against the country escalated. The
Secretariat took part in OECD-wide horizontal actions to
assist Ukraine, and at its 2022 April meeting the Steering
Committee issued a statement on the safety and security
of operation of Ukraine’s nuclear installations and discussed
how the NEA might support Ukraine in the future. Ukraine
enjoys Invitee status in NEA bodies and has sent participants
to NEA meetings and training programs.
International organisations
The NEA continues its close co-operation with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through the
co-ordination and consultation mechanisms provided for
in the existing agreement between the two agencies.
These mechanisms ensure cross participation in relevant
committees and governing bodies, and in undertaking joint
activities, meetings and conferences in appropriate areas. In
2022, the IAEA organised in co-operation with the NEA the
fifth International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in
the 21st Century on 26-28 October 2022 in Washington DC.
The two agencies held their annual co-ordination meeting
online in June to discuss key topics, including co-operation
in the areas of nuclear safety, science and economics,
radiological protection and the situation in Ukraine. The joint
publication Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand (Red
Book) is due to be published in early 2023. The latest edition
was published in December 2020. The NEA was represented
by senior staff at the 66th IAEA General Conference.
The NEA participated in international conferences and
fora such as the 13 th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) held
in September 2022 in Pittsburgh, United States, where an
event was co-organised by the NEA and the NICE Future
Initiative called Unlocking Large-scale Deployment of
Low-carbon Hydrogen: The role of nuclear and renewable
energies. Director-General Magwood also delivered a video
keynote speech to the International Youth Nuclear Congress
(IYNC-2022) in Koriyama, Japan, in November 2022.
98 | NEA Annual Report 2022
NEA senior staff participated in the 27th UN Climate
Change Conference of the Parties (COP 27) in Sharm
El-Sheik, Egypt, in November, meeting with key stakeholders
to raise the profile of nuclear energy in climate discussions.
Engagement with industry and
stakeholders
Following the adoption of the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, the
NEA Secretariat started to develop an overarching strategy
to engage with the private sector.
During 2022, Director-General Magwood and senior NEA
staff held meetings with industry associations, including the
Japanese Atomic Energy Association ATENA, the Central
Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI),
the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA), the World
Nuclear Association (WNA), Nuclear Europe and the World
Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) as well as leading
companies in the nuclear sector.
The NEA initiated the Nuclear Industry Engagement Sets
(NIES), which aims to facilitate engagement and information
exchange with industry, including to gather input and
feedback relevant to NEA activities. The NIES is organised
in four thematic areas focused on: i) nuclear utility operators;
ii) the nuclear supply chain; iii) small modular reactor (SMR)
and Gen IV reactor developers; and iv) prospective SMR end
users and customers. In 2022, NIES meetings with SMR
vendors and potential SMR end users provided input to
the NEA SMR Strategy (launched in 2022), The NEA SMR
Dashboard (launched in early 2023) and SMR industrial case
studies (forthcoming).
With the agreement of the Steering Committee,
Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed or
extended with the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
(EPRI), Women in Nuclear Global (WiN GLOBAL), the World
Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the American
Nuclear Society (ANS).
Contact:
Gabriella Palos
Policy Analyst
+33 (0)1 73 21 28 06
gabriella.palos@oecd-nea.org
GENERAL INFORMATION

Structure of the NEA

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is a semi-autonomous
body of the Organisation for Economic Co operation
and Development. OECD member countries wishing to
participate in the activities of the Agency must make a formal
request to join. In 2022, the NEA had 34 member countries:
In 2022, the Chairs of the standing technical committees
and the management board of the Data Bank were:
• Mr Patrick LEDERMANN (France), NDC Chair
• Mr Jean-Christophe NIEL (IRSN, France), CSNI Chair

Argentina Korea
• Mr Petteri TIIPPANA (STUK, Finland), CNRA Chair

Australia Luxembourg • Dr Thierry SCHNEIDER (CEPN, France), CRPPH Chair

Austria Mexico
• Mr Hiroyuki UMEKI (NUMO, Japan), RWMC Chair
Belgium Netherlands
Bulgaria Norway • Ms Haidy TADROS (CNSC, Canada), CDLM Chair

Canada Poland • Dr Kemal O. PASAMEHMETOGLU (INL, United States),

Czech Republic Portugal NSC Chair
Denmark Romania • Prof. Gert VAN DEN EYNDE (SCK•CEN, Belgium),
Finland Russia (suspended) MBDAV Chair
France Slovak Republic
• Mr Roland DUSSART-DESART (SPF Économie, Belgium),
Germany Slovenia NLC, Chair
Greece Spain
Participation in the work of the Agency by non-member
Hungary Sweden
countries is an established practice. Engaging with Partners
Iceland Switzerland can also help NEA members better understand and address
Ireland Türkiye at a global level diverse policy and technology challenges,
Italy United Kingdom ranging from the enhancement of nuclear safety of existing
Japan United States and future nuclear power plants to the promotion of talent,
skills and labour. Closer co-operation may lead to the
The NEA is governed by the Steering Committee for consideration of new NEA membership in the long term,
Nuclear Energy. This committee is primarily made up of in accordance with the criteria set out in the NEA Strategic
senior officials from national atomic energy authorities and Plan.
associated ministries. It oversees and shapes the work of the In line with the evolving global landscape, the NEA has
Agency to ensure its responsiveness to member countries’ sought to carry out a targeted strengthening of its outreach
needs, notably in establishing the biennial programmes of in 2022 despite the reduced possibility of physical contact
work and budgets. It approves the mandates of the seven and travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategic working
standing technical committees and one management board relationships with selected Key Partners (Brazil, China and
(see page 100). India) and others remain important to ensure the continuing
In 2022, the members of the Bureau of the Steering global relevance of the NEA’s work. Partners are already
Committee for Nuclear Energy were: involved in many aspects of the NEA’s work, in part through
participation in meetings of the Steering Committee and
• Dr Marta ŽIAKOVÁ (Slovak Republic), Chair its subsidiary bodies as well as high-level discussions on
the occasion of physical and virtual visits and through joint
• Dr Won-Pil BAEK (Korea), Vice Chair
projects and information exchange programmes, which
• His Excellency Mr Jean-Louis FALCONI (France), Vice enable interested NEA member countries and Partners to join
Chair as of 7 October 2021 forces in carrying out studies and benchmarking exercises on
a cost-sharing basis. Co-operation also takes place through
• Mr KINJO Shinji (Japan), Vice Chair
the international initiatives for which the NEA provides
• Dr Fiona RAYMENT (United Kingdom), Vice Chair technical secretariat support such as the International
Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC). NEA
• Mr James WARDEN (United States), Vice Chair
publications and reports freely available online provide an
The standing technical committees and the important means of outreach for sharing the conclusions of
management board of the Data Bank are composed of NEA work with Partners, which are encouraged to consult
member country experts and technical specialists. These them. Finally, the NEA also engages with non-Members
NEA bodies constitute a unique feature and important through international fora such as the COP meetings, the
strength of the NEA, providing flexibility for adapting to new Clean Energy Ministerial conferences, the G7 and the G20,
issues and helping to achieve consensus rapidly. Their main regional events, as well as through other international fora in
areas of work are listed in the chart (see page 100). the fields of energy security and climate change.

99
 NEA COMMITTEE STRUCTURE IN 2022

NEA Task Group on Improving

Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy the Gender Balance in the
Nuclear Sector (GB-TG)

Committee Committee Radioactive Committee on Committee Nuclear Law Committee for Nuclear Management
on Nuclear on the Safety Waste Decommission- on Radiological Committee Technical and Science Board for the
Regulatory of Nuclear Management ing of Nuclear Protection and Economic Studies Committee Development,
Activities Installations Committee Installations Public Health on Nuclear Energy Application
and Legacy Development and and Validation
CNRA CSNI RWMC Management CRPPH NLC the Fuel Cycle NSC of Nuclear
Data and Codes
Working Group on CSNI Programme Regulators’ Forum CDLM High-Level Group Working Party NDC Programme Review
Safety Culture Review Group (RF) on Low Dose on Deep Geological Group (PRG)
(WGSC) (CSNI PRG) Research Repositories and
MBDAV
Forum Regulators’ Forum Working Party on Task Force
(HLG-LDR) Nuclear Liability
Working Group Working Group on Stakeholder (RF) Nuclear Energy Economics on Demonstration Joint Evaluated
(WPDGR)
on Inspection on Risk Assessment Confidence Expert Group (WPNE) of Fuel Cycle Closure Fission and
Practices (WGRISK) (FSC) Forum on International Working Party including Partitioning Fusion (JEFF) Nuclear
(WGIP) on Stakeholder Recommendations on the Legal Aspects Joint NEA/IAEA Group and Transmutation
Working Group Working Party on Data Library
Confidence (EGIR) of Nuclear Safety on Uranium (P&T) for Industrial
Working Group on on Analysis and Information, Data Co-ordination Group
(FSC) (WPLANS) (UG) Readiness by 2050
Operating Experience Management of and Knowledge Expert Group
Working Party (TF-FCPT)
(WGOE) Accidents Management on a Post-accident Working Party
(WGAMA) (WP-IDKM) on Management Food Safety on Nuclear Liability Working Party
Working Group on and Organisational Framework and Transport on International
the Regulation Working Group Expert Group on Aspects of (EGFSF) (WPNLT) Nuclear Data
of New Reactors on Integrity and the Application of Decommissioning and Evaluation
(WGRNR) Ageing of Robotics and Remote Legacy Management Expert Group
Co-operation
Components Systems in (WPMO) on Nuclear
Working Group (WPEC)
and Structures the Nuclear Back-end Installations for the
on the Safety of Expert Group
(WGIAGE) (EGRRS) Decay Storage of Working Party
Advanced Reactors on Costing for Certain Types of on Scientific Issues
(WGSAR) Working Group Expert Group on Decommissioning of Low-level Short Lived of the Fuel Cycle
on Human Building Constructive Nuclear Installations
Working Group Radioactive Waste (WPFC)
and Organisational Dialogues between and Legacy
on Digital (EGDS)
Factors Regulators and Management Working Party
Instrumentation
(WGHOF) Implementers in (EGCDL) Working Party on Materials Science
and Control
Developing Disposal on Nuclear Issues in Nuclear
(WGDIC) Working Group Working Party
Solutions for Emergency Fuels and Structural
on Fuel Safety on Technical,
Working Group on Radioactive Waste Matters Materials
(WGFS) Environmental and
Codes and Standards (RIDD) (WPNEM) (WPFM)
(WGCS) Working Group Safety Aspects of
Integration Group Decommissioning and Working Party
on Fuel Cycle Safety
Working Group for the Safety Case Legacy Management on Nuclear
(WGFCS)
on Public (IGSC) (WPTES) Criticality Safety
Com­mu­nication of Working Group (WPNCS)
Nuclear Regulatory on External Events Expert Group
on a Holistic Process Working Party
Organisations (WGEV)
for Decision Making on Scientific
(WGPC)
Working Group on Decommissioning Issues of Reactor
Working Party on Electrical and Management Systems
on Boiling Water Power Systems of Complex Sites (WPRS)
Reactors (WGELEC) (HDCS)
(WPBWR)
Senior Expert Group
on Preservation of
Key Experimental
Datasets
(SEGPD)
Expert Group
on Small Modular
Reactors
(EGSMR)

100 | NEA Annual Report 2022

NEA MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IN 2022

William D. Magwood, IV
NEA Director-General

Vacant
post

Nobuhiro Muroya Deputy Director-General and

Deputy Director-General Chief Nuclear Officer
for Management and Planning

Maxime Ahouré Emma Leguillon Daniela Lulache

Head of Acting Head of Head of
the Office of Resource the Office of General the Office of Policy
Management Legal Affairs and Co-ordination

Andrew Macintyre Daniela Lulache

Head of Secretary of
the Central Secretariat the Steering Committee
and IFNEC Secretariat

Véronique Rouyer Rebecca Tadesse Greg Lamarre Tatiana Ivanova Diane Cameron Kimberly Nick
Head of Head of Head of Head of Head of Head of
the Division of Nuclear the Division of the Division of the Division of Nuclear the Division of the Division of
Safety Technology and Radioactive Waste Radiological Protection Science and Education Nuclear Technology Nuclear Law
Regulation Management and and Human Aspects of Development and
Decommissioning Nuclear Safety Economics

Michael Fleming
Head of
the Data Bank

101
 NEA PUBLICATIONS AND BROCHURES PRODUCED IN 2022

All NEA publications are available free of charge on the NEA website.

General interest
Annual Report 2021 NEA News, No. 39.1-39.2
NEA News
NEA No. 7643. 116 pages. NEA No. 7601. 36 pages.
2021 – No. 39.1-39.2

2021NEA
Annual Report

Nuclear Technology in 2021 https://oecd-nea.org/ar21 https://oe.cd/4EH

NEA Activities by Sector
General Information

Rapport annuel 2021

AEN n° 7644. 116 pages. In this issue:

COP26: Talking nuclear energy in the global

https://oecd-nea.org/ra21
drive towards net zero

A new look at the adequacy of funding arrangements

for decommissioning and radioactive waste management

Improving gender balance in the nuclear sector

and more...

THE STRATEGIC PLAN

The Strategic Plan of the Nuclear Energy October 2022
Nuclear Energy Agency
OF THE Agency 2023-2028 uclear 34 pages.
NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY nergy
2 0 2 3 - 2 0 2 8 NEA No. 7610. 54 pages. Available online at:
gency
https://oecd-nea.org/7610 https://oe.cd/neabrochure

Le plan stratégique de l’Agence de l’OCDE

pour l’énergie nucléaire 2023-2028
AEN n° 7612. 60 pages.
https://oecd-nea.org/7610fr

on variable renewables alone or decoupling world (about 15% of the total) with decades
Nuclear technology Switzerland from neighbouring countries of experience demonstrate on a daily basis
development and could increase total system costs by up
to 250%. Instead, continuing to operate
the feasibility of providing non-electric
applications of nuclear energy such as
economics Switzerland’s newest nuclear power plants district heating, desalination or other forms
alongside existing hydropower resources, of process heat.
while maintaining interconnection capacity In order to further reduce carbon emissions,
Nuclear Technology
2022
Development
and Economics
Achieving Net Zero at current levels, emerges as the most the share of nuclear reactors used for
Net Zero
Achieving in Switzerland
Carbon Carbon Emission in cost-effective option to achieve net cogeneration needs to be expanded.
Emissions
in 2050
Low Carbon Scenarios
and their System
Costs
Switzerland in 2050: Low zero emissions in 2050. Ample data and However, until recently the economic
Carbon Scenarios and technical documentation of a least-cost competitiveness of thermal energy
their System Costs mixed integer (MILP) modelling with hourly produced by nuclear power plants has been
NE A
resolution are also provided in order to a challenge. Not accounting for climate
NEA No. 7631. 132 pages.
allow replication, extension and discussion change impacts, heat produced by gas- or
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4KO of this study’s findings. coal-fired power plants has frequently been
With an electricity system defined by high cheaper. Yet, as fossil fuel prices rise and
shares of hydropower, large capacity for Nuclear Technology
2022
Development
and Economics
Beyond Electricity: The carbon costs are increasingly accounted
interconnection with its neighbours and Beyond Electricity:
Economics of Nuclear for, the economics of nuclear cogeneration
of

low carbon intensity, Switzerland is well Cogeneration

The Economics
Beyond Electricity:

Nuclear Coge
neration
begin to look more favourable. A good
The Economics

positioned to attain its objective of net NEA No. 7363. 212 pages. understanding of the technical realities
of Nuclear Cogeneration

zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, and economics of nuclear cogeneration,

Available online at:
the exact pathway remains the subject of NE A

including its implications for electricity

https://oe.cd/4I7
discussion. First, what should the shares and energy systems, is essential to take
of nuclear energy and variable renewable Nuclear energy is an important source advantage of this changed environment.
energies such as solar PV and wind be in of low-carbon electricity and thus plays This NEA report provides a thorough
the energy mix? Second, what degree of a significant role in avoiding carbon overview of nuclear cogeneration, with
electricity trade should Switzerland have emissions. It has the potential to a view to helping energy decisionmakers
with its European neighbours? New system decarbonise the global energy sector even and interested experts in assessing the
modelling of different energy policy choices further by also providing heat for industrial costs and benefits of having nuclear energy
with the Nuclear Energy Agency’s POSY applications and residential heating, which provide both low-carbon electricity and low-
model shows that all considered scenarios both continue to run mainly on fossil fuels. carbon heat.
are technically feasible. However, relying More than 65 nuclear reactors around the

102 | NEA Annual Report 2022

 Nuclear Technology
2022
Development
and Economics
Financing New Nuclear the medium to long term while identifying fuel cycle developments. In 2020 and 2021,
Power Plants: Minimising the remaining challenges for the industrial the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted
for
New Perspectivears New
Financing Nucle
Build

the Cost of Capital by deployment of this technology. the importance of electricity security in
Financing New

Plants:
Nuclear Power
Financing New
Nuclear Power

by

modern societies. Although the long-term

Cost of Capital
Minimising the
Management
Optimising Risk

Optimising Risk
Plants: Minimising

Meeting Climate Change implications for electricity generation are

the Cost of Capital

Management ate Change

by Optimising

Meeting Clim
Targets:
Targets: The Role of difficult to assess, during the crisis nuclear
Risk Management

NE A ar Energy
The Role of Nucle
NEA No. 7632. 62 pages. power continued to support the security
Nuclear Energy
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4Ov of supply and has been, together with
NEA No. 7628. 52 pages.
renewables, one of the most resilient low-
Realising the contribution of nuclear energy
NE A Available online at: carbon electricity sources. Governments
to achieving net zero carbon emission in
https://oe.cd/4ui committed to having nuclear power in the
2050 will require raising significant amounts
All credible models show that nuclear energy mix advanced plans for developing
of capital at competitive rates. On the basis
energy has an important role to play in or increasing nuclear generating capacity,
of work under the aegis of the Nuclear
global climate change mitigation efforts. including plans for small modular reactor
Energy Agency (NEA) – International
Despite clear analyses from many sources, and advanced reactors. Further details on
Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation
including the NEA, that point to the need these and other developments are provided
(IFNEC) Initiative on Nuclear Financing,
for a massive, “all-the-above” approach that in the publication’s numerous tables,
this report explores a new framework for
includes nuclear energy, some multinational graphs and country reports. This publication
analysing the cost of capital for nuclear contains “StatLinks”. For each StatLink,
activities, financial institutions, and policy-
new build projects. Its key insight is that the reader will find a URL which leads to
makers avoid discussion of nuclear energy.
capital costs can be substantially lowered the corresponding spreadsheet. These links
This dynamic is deeply problematic to the
if the different risks pertaining to such work in the same way as an Internet link.
cause of carbon reductions. All low-carbon
projects such as construction risk, price
technologies, including nuclear energy
risk or political risk are properly understood, The Role of Nuclear
must be included in relevant discussions Nuclear Technology
Development
and Economics

optimally managed and fairly allocated. In a

2022

about the energy transition in order to Power in the Hydrogen

carbon-constrained world, the true capital
r
Nuclear Powe
The Role of gen Economy
maintain the integrity and evidence base of in the Hydro
Economy: Cost and
costs of nuclear energy and other low-
eness
Cost and Competitiv

the policy dialogue. Without a significant Competitiveness

carbon generators will also be lower than
contribution from nuclear energy, the
customarily assumed due to their ability to NEA No. 7630. 88 pages.
prospects for meeting Paris targets will be NE A

offset systemic financial risk. The findings significantly lower. Available online at: https://
of this report apply equally to private oe.cd/4OD
and public investments. Governments New analysis by the NEA identifies the
potential contribution of nuclear energy Hydrogen is expected to play important
nevertheless have important roles to play
to clean energy capacity and emissions roles in decarbonised energy systems,
in ensuring credible net zero commitments,
reductions between 2020 and 2050, as an energy source for otherwise hard-
implementing frameworks for optimal risk
taking into consideration the potential to-electrify sectors as well as a storage
management and by becoming involved as
contributions from power and non-power vector to enhance power system flexibility.
project participants, in cases where they
applications of nuclear technologies. However, hydrogen is not a primary
judge that private actors do not realise the
Taken together, the contributions of long- energy resource and has to be produced
full value of a nuclear power project.
term operation, new builds of Generation using different chemical processes. Water
III nuclear technologies, small modular electrolysis, which uses electricity to split
High-temperature Gas-
water molecules to extract hydrogen, is
and Economics
Development
Nuclear Technology

reactors, Generation IV systems, nuclear

2022

cooled Reactors and expected to become a leading solution in

High-temperature
Reactors hybrid energy and hydrogen systems begin
Industrial Heat
Gas-cooled
Heat
and Industrial
Applications
to reveal the full extent of the potential for this context. Electrolysis will, however,
Applications nuclear energy and nuclear innovations only be a feasible solution if the electricity
NE A
NEA No. 7629. 52 pages. to play a significant and growing role in used as feedstock comes from low-carbon
Available online at: pathways to net-zero by 2050. sources. A significant number of countries
https://oe.cd/4OE are therefore considering a role for nuclear
The NEA estimates included in this report
energy in their hydrogen strategies.
Reducing industrial carbon emissions is are not forecasts but represent what can be
one of the most difficult challenges on achieved with timely enabling decisions. This report provides an assessment of
the path to net zero by 2050 due to the the costs and competitiveness of nuclear-
magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions Nuclear Technology
2021
2022
and Economics
Development and Economics
Nuclear Technology Development Nuclear Energy produced hydrogen across the hydrogen
from the industrial sector and technical Achieving Net Zero Carbon Data 2021 value chain and explores the impacts of
y Data
erland
N r Energ
hydrogen production on the overall costs of
uclea
Emissions in Switz

requirements for heat in addition to power.

Nuclear Energy

in 2050

NEA No. 7608. 72 pages.

2021
Data – 2021

Low Carbon Scenarios

integrated electricity and energy systems.

Costs
and their System

High-temperature gas-cooled reactors Available online at:

(HTGRs) are a promising Generation IV It shows, in particular, that nuclear energy
https://oe.cd/4wD can be a competitive source to produce and
nuclear technology that can supply
NE
N A
EA

process heat for a variety of industrial deliver low-carbon hydrogen for centralised
applications. The Nuclear Energy Agency Nuclear Energy Data is the Nuclear Energy industrial demand. The large scale and
investigated the potential and limitations Agency’s annual compilation of statistics dispatchability of nuclear power can also
of HTGRs for industrial heat applications. and country reports documenting nuclear improve the cost-efficiency of hydrogen
This study reviews the technical features power status in NEA member countries transport and storage infrastructures, and
and development status of HTGRs as a and in the OECD area. Information provided reduce the overall costs of the energy
low-carbon heat source and explores how by governments includes statistics on total system.
this technology could meet the process electricity produced by all sources and
heat requirements of different industrial by nuclear power, fuel cycle capacities
processes. It revealed the potential and requirements, and projections to
2040, where available. Country reports
industrial applications of HTGR heat in the
summarise energy policies, updates of the
near term as well as further opportunities in
status in nuclear energy programmes and

103
 NEA PUBLICATIONS AND BROCHURES PRODUCED IN 2022

Nuclear energy has benefitted from State-of-the-art Report

Nuclear safety
Nuclear Safety
2022

the adoption of new technologies and rt Repo

State-of-the-aBeha
rt on
viour
on Nuclear Fuel
and regulation regulatory approaches developed by other
Nuclear Fuel initiated
Under Reactivity-
Accident Cond
itions
Behaviour Under
sectors. Disruptive, innovative and emerging Reactivity-initiated
technologies from other industries continue
Accident Conditions
CSNI Technical Opinion to provide the civil nuclear industry with NE A

NEA No. 7575. 332 pages.

Nuclear Safety
2022

CSNI Techn19ical Opini

on
Paper No. 19 safety and economic benefits that support
Paper No.
existing and planned reactors. Available online at: https://oe.cd/4OU
Applicability of
Nuclear Fuel Safety
Criteria to Accident-T
Designs
olerant Fuel
Applicability of Nuclear
Fuel Safety Criteria to The deployment of advanced reactors As a follow-up to the 2010 NEA report
Accident-Tolerant Fuel incorporating emerging technologies is Nuclear Fuel Behaviour under Reactivity-
NE A

Designs highly anticipated and will depend on initiated Accident (RIA) Conditions:
regulatory frameworks that are appropriately State-of-the-art Report 2010, this report
NEA No. 7576. 52 pages.
positioned to independently analyse and presents the state-of-the-art knowledge
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4Ic evaluate the safety implications of the new on nuclear fuel behaviour under reactivity
Following the accident at the Fukushima technologies. initiated accident (RIA) conditions for light-
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, many Innovation brings new and sometimes water reactors (LWRs) and conventional
countries began funding research and unknown risks, for example in the areas of fuels. It gives an overview of scenarios
development on nuclear fuel designs digital instrumentation, data security and for RIAs in major types of reactors and a
with enhanced accident tolerance (ATFs). privacy. The adoption of new technologies description of key phenomena in fuel rod
ATFs have improved designs, materials in nuclear energy is also changing the behaviour under RIAs, including burn-up
and performance features compared with business models that have historically effects. It provides an overview of tests
those of the current generation of slightly governed the sector. While safety assurance and experiments that have been conducted
enriched UO2 ceramic pellets within is the primary objective of the regulatory to study RIAs, a summary of results from
cylindrical zirconium alloy cladding. authority, regulators often work at the experimental programs with integral RIA
intersection of safety and economics in that simulation tests, and a description of
This report evaluates the applicability
certain regulatory frameworks require a computer programs used for analyses of
of existing fuel design and performance
consideration of costs and benefits. RIAs. As regards fuel safety analyses, it
requirements to some of the new ATF
discusses the transferability of test results
designs (coated zirconium alloy fuel rod Regulators and industry should work
to LWR RIA conditions and state-of-the-art
cladding, FeCrAl fuel rod cladding, silicon together to protect the public from
methods for analysing postulated scenarios
carbide fuel rod cladding, doped uranium unnecessary risks while also enabling the
for RIAs in LWRs. It also gives a review of
dioxide ceramic fuel pellets, uranium benefits of innovation.
the regulatory acceptance criteria for RIAs
silicide ceramic fuel pellets), identifies
The lessons learnt from other sectors, applied in twelve NEA member countries.
new phenomena which create the need
which have managed both the regulation Finally, it provides recommendations
for new or different performance metrics
of innovative technologies and global as to the research work needed to fill
and design requirements, identifies data
harmonisation, are valuable for the nuclear the remaining knowledge gaps for RIA
gaps and discusses opportunities for
sector as it is implementing advanced, analyses.
international collaborative research to fill
disruptive technologies.
them.
A variety of new phenomena were
identified for the examined ATF designs
Nuclear Safety
2022 Reactivity-Initiated
which challenged the applicability of Reactivity-In
Accident
itiated
Fuel Rod Code
s I-III
s Accident Fuel Rod Codes
Benchmark Phase

existing performance metrics and analytical Synthesis Report Benchmark Phases I-III
limits or created the need for new criteria. Synthesis Report
Recommendations to address these NE A NEA No. 7577. 64 pages.
challenges are provided with the intention
to inform future international research Available online at:
programmes and support ATF licensing. https://oe.cd/4Id
One of the key areas in fuel safety is the
analysis of fuel behaviour under reactivity-
Nuclear Safety
Technology
and Regulation

Harmonising the Nuclear

initiated accident conditions. Reactivity-
sing
the Nuclear Licen s:
2022

Harmonising ing Technologie

Process for Emerg rd

Licensing Process for

Forwa
A Globa l Path

initiated accident fuel rod codes have been

Emerging Technologies: developed for a significant period of time
A Global Path Forward and they all have shown their ability to
NE A NEA No. 7616. 16 pages. reproduce some experimental results with
Available online at: a certain degree of adequacy. However,
https://oe.cd/4Vk they sometimes rely on different specific
modelling assumptions whose influence
Independent safety regulation has been on the final results of the calculations is
a hallmark of the global nuclear power difficult to evaluate. This report summarises
sector from its beginnings. Industry and three phases of benchmark conducted
government have long understood the by the NEA between 2010 and 2019
importance of a predictable and adaptable with codes for calculating fuel behaviour
regulatory structure and have worked in reactivity initiated accidents. Building
co-operatively to ensure the safety of on previous NEA reports, it provides
civilian nuclear energy throughout the recommendations for future research and
lifetime of nuclear power projects – code enhancements for safety analysis
design, construction, operations and regarding reactivity accidents.
decommissioning.

104 | NEA Annual Report 2022

 related factors which are themselves under
Radiological protection continuous interaction with each other. Nuclear, technology
and human aspects of The report highlights the need for all and education
managers to develop an understanding that
nuclear safety the continuous application of a systemic
approach is required to establish and Nuclear Science
2021
International Handbook
sustain an effective management system International
Handbook
of Evaluated Criticality
Building a Framework for
Criticality
of Evaluated s
mark Experiment

and to foster safety culture. Safety Bench

Safety Benchmark
Protection
Radiological
2022

Post-Nuclear Accident
Experiments
work
Building a Frame
ar Accident
for Post-Nucle

Recovery Preparedness:
redness
Recovery Prepa
Occupational Exposures
Building a Framework

NE A
Guidance
National-Level

NEA No. 7592. DVD.

Protection
Radiological
for Post-Nuclear

2022

National-Level Guidance at Nuclear Power Plants:

Accident Recovery

l Expos ures
Occupationa
Power Plants
at Nuclear
Available online at: https://oecd-nea.org/
Preparedness:

NEA No. 7582. 88 pages. 29 th ISOE Annual Report,

National-Level

Annual Report
Twenty-Ninth

icsbep-handbook
e, 2019
of the ISOE Programm
NE A
Guidance

Available online at: 2019

https://oe.cd/7582 The International Criticality Safety
NEA No. 7620. 140 pages.
NE A
Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP)
Available online at: Handbook contains criticality safety
Ten years after the Fukushima Daiichi
https://oe.cd/4OW benchmark specifications that have been
Nuclear Power Plant accident, many
lessons have been learnt that have This 29 th Annual Report of the International derived from experiments that were
helped improve preparedness for System on Occupational Exposure (ISOE) performed at various critical facilities around
nuclear emergencies and awareness presents the status of the programme for the world. The benchmark specifications
of the global risks that such accidents the year 2019. are intended for use by criticality and safety
can entail. This includes a number of As of 31 December 2019, the ISOE analysts as well as nuclear data evaluators
long-lasting, multidimensional impacts included 76 participating licensees to validate calculational techniques and
on health (including mental health and (348 operating units; 69 shutdown data. The handbook is produced by the
psychosocial support), the economy, units; 11 units under construction and/ ICSBEP working group, under the aegis of
and the environment. Recovery from or commissioning) and 28 regulatory the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
a nuclear or radiological accident is a authorities in 31 countries, and the ISOE While co-ordination and administration of
long, complex and resource-intensive database contained occupational exposure the ICSBEP is undertaken by the NEA,
process. To facilitate efficient recovery, it information for more than 500 units, each participating country is responsible
is important to establish processes and covering over 88% of the world’s operating for the administration, technical direction,
procedures during the preparedness phase commercial power reactors. and priorities of the project within their
to activate the resources required and to respective countries.
This report includes a global occupational
involve the relevant stakeholders at all exposure data and analysis collected and The evaluated criticality safety benchmark
levels. This report addresses the need for accomplished in the year 2019, information data in the 2021 edition are presented
a harmonised approach towards efficient on the overall programme events and in nine volumes. These volumes span
recovery management from nuclear or achievements as well as principal events in approximately 80 000 pages and
radiological accidents, which aims to assist participating countries. contain 587 evaluations with benchmark
countries to develop their own national specifications for 5 121 critical, near-critical
plans and procedures for post-accident of Nuclear Safety Organisational or subcritical configurations, 45 criticality
recovery preparedness in a harmonised
Human Aspects

alarm placement/shielding configurations

2022

Capabilities for
manner, through the introduction of a O rganisational
Capabilities
with multiple dose points for each, and
Decommissioning
ning Nuclear
for Decommissio
Installations

cyclical approach. 237 configurations which have been

Nuclear Installations
categorised as fundamental physics
Human Aspects
of Nuclear Safety
Human and NEA No. 7580. 56 pages. measurements that are relevant to criticality
2022
NE A

Organisational Available online at: safety applications.

isation al
Human and Organ
in Nuclear
Performance
Installations Performance in Nuclear https://oe.cd/4Am New to the 2021 edition of the handbook
Installations The transition from nuclear power are experiments from the Kilopower
NEA No. 7579. 44 pages. generation to decommissioning carries a Reactor Using Stirling Technology
NE A
number of safety challenges tied to human (KRUSTY) – shown on the front cover – and
Available online at:
and organisational factors. This report Thermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX)
https://oe.cd/4IS
discusses these challenges and brings programs performed at the National Critical
This report from the NEA Working Group together the experiences of members Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in
on Human and Organisational Performance of the NEA Working Group on Human the United States; highly enriched uranium
establishes a common understanding and Organisational Factors. It includes an experiments with Lucite at NCERC; pitch
around the terms human performance overview and topical case studies from variation experiments at Sandia National
(HP), organisational performance (OP), and global decommissioning activities and sums Laboratory in the United States; and
human and organisational factors (HOF) up the good practices and lessons learnt to structural material experiments at the
through a simple model. help organisations in their own endeavours Valduc facility in France.
The model presented illustrates the strong to decommission nuclear installations.
inter-relationship between the terms. This report can be used as a guide for self-
It shows that HP includes both human assessment for both licensee organisations
activities and the results of these activities. and regulatory bodies to manage the
HOF are the factors which have influence human and organisation factors in the
on HP in a positive or adverse manner in various phases of their decommissioning
a given situation. They can be categorised activities.
as human-, technology- and organisation-

105
 NEA PUBLICATIONS AND BROCHURES PRODUCED IN 2022

International Handbook competency management. Based on these

Radioactive waste
Nuclear Science
2021

ook of

conclusions, the RF decided to organise

International Handb
or Physics
Evaluated React iments
Benchmark Exper of Evaluated Reactor
Physics Benchmark management such a workshop in order to discuss how
to prepare for future tasks and challenges
Experiments
in competency management and to ensure
NE A

NEA No. 7593. DVD. that regulatory bodies are necessarily fed
Radioactive Waste
2022
Management

Clay Club Catalogue of

Available online at: https://oecd-nea.org/ ogue Characteristics of and fed by the right skills and abilities for
Clay Club Catal
irphe future work.
tics
of Characteris Rocks
s
of Argillaceou
2022 Update Argillaceous Rocks –
The International Handbook of Evaluated 2022 Update The Workshop was initiated and led
Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments by the RF, and other interested NEA
NEA No. 7249. 244 pages.
contains reactor physics benchmark NE A

STCs are invited to participate and

specifications that have been derived Available online at: contribute: CRPPH, CSNI/ CRNA and
from experiments that were performed https://oe.cd/4OZ NSC (NEST). Also, the NEA invited
at nuclear facilities around the world. The The NEA Clay Club has been gathering international organisations, the EC, IAEA
benchmark specifications are intended the key geoscientific characteristics of (SITEX, WENRA, ENSTTI ) and others to
for use by reactor designers, safety the various argillaceous formations that participate.
analysts and nuclear data evaluators to are – or have been – studied in NEA This document is a summary of the
validate calculation techniques and data. member countries in the context of COMAREG activity.
While co-ordination and administration radioactive waste disposal, resulting in the
of the International Reactor Physics publication of the Clay Club Catalogue of
Evaluation (IRPhE) project is undertaken Characteristics of Argillaceous Rocks in
by the Nuclear Energy Agency 2005.
(NEA) at the international level, each
participating country is responsible for
This publication builds upon the 2005 NEA
report by providing updated datasets for a
Decommissioning
the administration, technical direction
and priorities of the project within their
select number of argillaceous formations of Nuclear Installations
presented in the previous report, as well as
respective countries. The information
an expanded discussion of: the formations and Legacy
and data included in this handbook are
available to NEA member countries, to all
and their properties; the nuclear waste
management organisations responsible for
Management
contributing countries and to others on a
the implementation of the deep geological
case-by-case basis. Example calculations
repository concept; the design concept Feedback Mechanisms
are presented; however, these do not
proposed for a deep geological repository for Lessons Learnt in the
constitute validation or endorsement of the
in the respective countries and rock Decommissioning of
codes or cross-section data.
formations; and some of the favourable
The 2021 edition of the International Nuclear Facilities
properties of said argillaceous formations.
Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics An international snapshot
A key goal of this report is to present the
Benchmark Experiments contains data 6 pages.
data in a manner that allows reasonable
from 169 experimental series that were
comparability (in both scale and methods) Available online at:
performed at 57 nuclear facilities. A total
of the included parameters, in order https://oe.cd/4RU
of 165 of the 169 evaluations are published
to support the formal assessment and The NEA Committee on Decommissioning
as approved benchmarks. The remaining
demonstration of the capacity of clay- of Nuclear Installations and Legacy
four evaluations are published as draft
rich formations to securely contain and Management (CDLM) and the Technical
documents only. The cover of the handbook
isolate nuclear waste from the natural Advisory Group (TAG) of the International
shows the ZPR-9 machine at Argonne
environment. Co-operative Programme for the
National Laboratory-East in Illinois to
support development of a gas cooled fast Exchange of Scientific and Technical
reactor (GCFR) in the United States. Newly Summary of the NEA Information Concerning Nuclear
evaluated criticality, control worth, and Summar y of
the
p on Workshop on Installation Decommissioning Projects
NEA Worksho

spectral characteristics measurements from Competency

Management
(CPD) addressed the topic of “Feedback
of Regulator
s (COMAREG)
Competency
the ZPR-9 have been added to this edition Mechanisms for Lessons Learnt” in the
Management of
of the handbook. topical sessions of their 2021 meetings.
Regulators (COMAREG) This brochure summarises the key findings.
NE A

NEA No. 7623. 16 pages

Available online at: https://
oecd-nea.org/comareg
Data Bank The NEA organised a Workshop on
Competency Management of regulators
for the broad discussion of the challenges
The Nuclear Energy regarding the competency of regulators
Agency Data Bank in the areas of radioactive waste
– brochure management, decommissioning and
legacy management. On 4 January 2019,
Bank
The NEA Data

NEA No. 7594. 4 pages

for its
centre of reference
an international such as
Bank acts as nuclear tools,

T
he NEA Data respect to basic
countries with and prediction
the analysis
participating data, used for to its users by

the NEA issued the Results from the

and nuclear a direct service
computer codes field. It offers tools, distrib-
in the nuclear validate these
of phenomena improve and train-
means to develop, rules, and organising
providing the with international
in accordance knowledge management.
uting them support nuclear
activities to
ing and education

NE A Available online at: https:// RWMC Regulator’s Forum (RF) Survey on

oecd-nea.org/db-brochure Gaining and Maintaining Competencies
for the Regulator (NEA/RWM/RF(2019)1.
In the document, some conclusions were
made regarding future challenges in

106 | NEA Annual Report 2022

 Energy Agency (NEA) in co-operation Multinational Design
Nuclear law with the University of Montpellier and
L DESIGN
MULTINATIONA RAMME
EVALUATION PROG
Phase 1 Summ
ary Report
2006-2021
Evaluation Programme
which benefits from the support of the (MDEP) Phase 1 Summary
International Atomic Energy Agency. For Report 2006-2021
Nuclear Law Bulletin
over 20 years the ISNL has offered a
Legal Affairs
2021

Nuclear Law Bulletin

No. 107
No. 107 unique educational opportunity to the next 28 pages.
Volume 2021/2
Volume 2021/2 generation of nuclear professionals from Available online at:
NEA No. 7598. 92 pages. more than 100 countries. https://oe.cd/4RV
NE A
Available online at: This report presents a summary of
https://oe.cd/nea-nlb-107 the Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP), undertaken
The Nuclear Law Bulletin is a unique
international publication for both
Publications of between 2006 and 2021, with the intent
to ensure an appropriate transition to a
professionals and academics in the Secretariat-serviced new MDEP framework beyond 2021.
field of nuclear law. It provides readers
with authoritative and comprehensive bodies This report highlights the key milestones,
successes and lessons learnt from the
information on nuclear law developments. first 15-year period of MDEP, explains the
Published free online twice a year in both Generation IV documentation produced during this period
English and French, it features topical and its future storage, and introduces the
International Forum (GIF)
articles written by renowned legal experts, new MDEP framework from 2022 onwards.
2021 Annual Report
covers legislative developments worldwide
ANNUAL GIF report. 84 pages.
and reports on relevant case law, bilateral REPORT
2021
and international agreements as well www.gen-4
.org
2 Available online at:
as regulatory activities of international https://bit.ly/40uR9Ka
organisations.
This fourteenth edition of the Generation
Feature articles and studies in this issue IV International Forum (GIF) Annual Report
include “Significant legal developments highlights the main achievements of
concerning “independent” regulatory GIF in 2021. In 2021, GIF completed its
agencies in the United States and what second decade as the sole international
it could mean for the Nuclear Regulatory organization dedicated to collaborative
Commission” by Eric Michel; “Slovak research and development (R&D) on
legal system for ensuring feasible nuclear Gen-IV systems. Since 2001, GIF has been
back-end system implementation Part 2: promoting international R&D collaboration
Outlook for future development” by Martin for six types of Gen-IV reactor systems
Macášek, Michal Šnírer and Vladimír using sodium, lead, gas, molten salt
Slugeň. and supercritical water coolants.
During 2021, one of the significant
Principles and Practice
Principles and
Inter national
Prac tice of
Nuclear Law activities and efforts that GIF addressed
of International was substantive engagement with the
Nuclear Law private sector, as well efforts to deepen
NEA No. 7599. 416 pages. GIF’s role in climate change initiatives. GIF
also made significant strides in advancing
NE A
Available online at:
the safety framework of Gen-IV systems,
https://oe.cd/4r3
including strengthened collaborations
Principles and Practice of International with the International Atomic Energy
Nuclear Law examines the various Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy
interrelated legal issues for the safe, Agency (NEA). Going forward, GIF will
efficient and secure use of nuclear further reinforce Gen-IV system features
energy. It provides an overview of the to combat climate change and enhance
complex body of laws and legal regimes engagement with industry, while continuing
in international nuclear law, as well as the to support the Gen-IV talent pipeline.
many developments that have unfolded
in recent years impacting all aspects of
nuclear safety, security, safeguards and
liability. It also gives a concise overview
of the main international institutions, and
addresses such issues as radiological
protection, nuclear safety, environmental
protection, nuclear transport, nuclear
security, safeguards, nuclear third party
liability and compensation for nuclear
damage, insurance, nuclear trade and
project development.
The articles in Principles and Practice
of International Nuclear Law are largely
authored by lecturers at the International
School of Nuclear Law (ISNL), which was
established in 2001 by the OECD Nuclear

107
 NEA ONLINE EVENTS IN 2022
NEA web-based events: A typology
 EA WebChat: An online dialogue led by Director-General William D. Magwood, IV with leaders in the sector
• N
on the major issues of the day, open to the public.
 xpert Roundtable: A roundtable conversation with experts and an extended Q&A session, aimed at a
• E
specialist audience, open to the public.
NEA Webinar: Presentation of recent NEA work, usually the release of an NEA flagship publication, for a
• 
general audience, open to the public.
Online Workshop/Meeting: A traditional NEA meeting or workshop held remotely, open to NEA delegates.
• 
Expert Roundtables
High-temperature Gas cooled Reactors and Industrial
Heat Application – 16 June 2022
Reducing industrial carbon emissions is one of the most
difficult challenges on the path to net zero by 2050, due
to the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions from the
industrial sector and technological and market constraints.
High-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) are one of
the Generation IV nuclear technologies that can provide
heat in excess of 700°C and have the potential to replace
fossil fuels in industrial heat applications.
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) hosted a virtual expert
roundtable on 16 June 2022 to present and discuss key
findings from the new report High-temperature Gas-
cooled Reactors and Industrial Heat Applications. The
report outlines the technical features and development
status of HTGRs as a low-carbon heat source, and presents
insights on opportunities, limitations and challenges of
HTGRs for industrial heat applications.
Presentation of key findings:
• Hiroyuki Goto, Nuclear Energy Analyst, NEA
Moderator:
• Lena Andriolo, President of International Youth Nuclear
Congress (IYNC)
Panellists:
• Michael Fütterer, Senior Expert at the European Commission’s
Joint Research Centre, former Chair of VHTR System Steering
Committee in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF),
and member of the European Nuclear Cogeneration Industrial
Initiative (NC2I)
• Hiroyuki Sato, General Manager, Department of Hydrogen
and Heat Application Research and Development, HTGR
Research and Development centre, Japan Atomic Energy
Agency (JAEA)
• Aurora J. E. Young, Senior Engineer, Strategic Technologies,
Cenovus Energy
Conclusion:
• Diane Cameron, Head of the NEA Division of Nuclear
Technology Development and Economics
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4RY
108 | NEA Annual Report 2022
NEA Webinars
Regulatory implementation of the ICRP’s
recommended equivalent dose limit for the lens of the
eye for occupational exposure – 7 March 2022
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) invited policy makers,
regulators, practitioners and researchers to participate
in an online event to launch its newly issued report
Regulatory Implementation of the Equivalent Dose
Limit for the Lens of the Eye for Occupational Exposure:
Successes and Challenges to the Approaches Identified
Through a Survey of Regulators.
The report was produced by the NEA Expert Group on
the Dose Limit for the Lens of the Eye (EGDLE), created
in 2019 by the Committee on Radiological Protection and
Public Health (CRPPH), with the objective of providing
an opportunity for regulators and stakeholders to
share lessons learnt in the practical implementation
of the International Commission on Radiological
Protection’s (ICRP’s) recommended equivalent dose
limit for the lens of the eye for occupational exposures.
It summarises the practical experiences of regulators
and stakeholders worldwide in implementing the ICRP’s
recommended equivalent dose limit for the lens of the
eye for occupational exposure, including successes and
challenges to the approaches.
Opening and welcome address:
• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
Moderators:
• Christina Dodkin, Chair of the NEA Expert Group on the
Dose Limit for the Lens of the Eye (EGDLE), Radiological
protection specialist, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
• Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace, Deputy Head, Division on
Radiological Protection and Human Aspects of Nuclear
Safety, NEA
• Jan-Hendrik Kruse, Radiological Protection Specialist, NEA
Panellists:
• Liz Ainsbury, Chair of EURADOS Working Group 10 on
“Retrospective Dosimetry”, member of ICRP Committee 1 on
“Radiation Effects”, Principal Radiation Protection Scientist,
UK Health Security Agency
• Borislava Batandjieva-Metcalf, Secretary of the United
Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic
Radiation (UNSCEAR)
• Marie-Claire Cantone, Vice Chair of the EGDLE, Chair of
the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) Task
Group on the Implementation of the Eye Lens Dose Limit,
Professor of Applied Physics at the University of Milan, Italy
• Marie-Anne Chevallier, member of the EGDLE, Chair of
Working Group 2 on “Harmonisation of Individual Monitoring”
of the European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS),
researcher in dosimetry at the Institute of Radiological
Protection and Nuclear Safety, France
• Salah Djeffal, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s Lead
Technical Advisor for Canada’s Federal Nuclear Science and
Technology research project on eye lens dosimetry, Chair of
the Canadian Advisory Committee for ISO, Canada
• Thomas Otto, Representative from the International
Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU).
• Werner Rühm, Chair of the International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP) and former chair of EURADOS
Information available on www.oecd-nea.org/jcms/pl_66220/
regulatory-implementation-of-the-equivalent-dose-limit-for-the-
lens-of-the-eye-for-occupational-exposures
Workshop on Advanced Construction and
Manufacturing Methodologies for New Nuclear Build
– 16-17 March 2022
The construction phase of a nuclear power plant is
when project risks are most acute, becoming a key
factor in the project’s overall economic and financial
performance. Following an extended period without
nuclear construction, recent first-of-a-kind (FOAK)
projects in NEA member countries have faced difficulties
delivering on time and on budget. At the same time, these
projects have served to renew industrial capabilities
and to explore new approaches to construction and
manufacturing. Future nuclear projects will continue the
learning process, allowing for design improvements and
process optimisation, and paving the way towards Nth-
of-a-kind (NOAK) projects with lower costs and reduced
construction risks. At the same time, smaller, more
modular and innovative designs are emerging that could
offer additional advantages in the construction of new
nuclear power plants through new techniques that are not
available in traditional large reactor projects.
The NEA workshop on “Advanced Construction and
Manufacturing Methodologies for New Nuclear Build”
explored recent experiences and the development of
construction and manufacturing techniques. The focus
was on near-term advances in nuclear construction, while
also provided some indication of future, more long-term
improvements that could be made on the basis of design
innovations. Workshop participants also examined the
role of regulators and codes and standards organisations
in facilitating a wider adoption of advanced construction
and manufacturing methodologies.
Opening sessions
• William D. Magwood, IV, Director General, NEA
• Kirsty Gogan, Managing Partner, LucidCatalyst and
Co-founder, Terrapraxis
• Michel Heijdra, Director of the Electricity Department and
Deputy Director-General of Climate Policy and Energy, Dutch
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy
Moderators:
• Hasan Charkas, Principal Technical Leader, EPRI
• Christopher Fong, Deputy Head of Division for Nuclear
Safety Technology and Regulation, NEA
• Tatjana Jevremovic is Team Leader and Project Manager
for Water Cooled reactor technology, IAEA
• Patricia Paviet is the group leader of the Radiological
Materials Groups, at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
and National Technical Director of the Molten Salt Reactor
Programme on behalf of the US Department of Energy, Office
of Nuclear Energy. She is currently Chair of the Generation IV
International Forum, Education and Training Working Group.
Session host:
• Diane Cameron, Head of Division for Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics, NEA
Panellists:
• Bassam Burgan, Director, Steel Construction Institute
• Harry Chang, Vice President - New Nuclear Business
Department, KHNP
• Carolyn Fairbanks, Senior Materials Engineer, US
Regulatory Commission
• Ashley Finan, Director of the National Reactor Innovation
Center, INL
• Hervé Glandais, Senior Vice President BARRACUDA
Programme, Naval Group
• Guillaume Hervé-Secourgeon, Senior Engineer Researcher,
EDF
• Eric Ingersoll, Founder and Managing Director, Terrapraxis
• Jaimie Johnston MBE, Head of Global System, Bryden
Wood
• Steve Jones, Chief Technology Officer, Nuclear Advanced
Manufacturing Research Centre
• Victoria Kitaeva, Expert of International Technical
Assistance Project Office, Rosatom
• Giorgio Locatelli, Full Professor, Politecnico di Milano
• Julien Niepceron, Engineer, EDF; and Codification Leader
of Steel Concrete Structures, AFCEN
• Didier Noël, Methods-Temporary Works Lead for Hinkle
Point C, Bylor JV
• Gregory Preston Barnett, Oversight Manager, Georgia
Power Company
• Stephanie Smith, President and CEO, CANDU Owners
Group
• Andrew Sowder, Senior Technical Executive, EPRI
• Ronan Tanguy, CORDEL Project Manager, World Nuclear
Association
• Mark Tipping, Global Power to X Director, Lloyd’s Register
Closing session
• Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear
Association
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4RW
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 NEA ONLINE EVENTS IN 2022
GIF-IAEA-NEA Joint Webinar: The Role of Nuclear
Energy in Reducing CO2 Emissions – 19 April 2022
GIF-IAEA-NEA joint webinar addressing the Role of
Nuclear Energy in Reducing CO2 Emissions
Presentation:
Accelerating Economy –Wide Decarbonisation via
Nuclear Energy
• Shannon Bragg-Sitton, Director for the Integrated Energy
& Storage Systems Division, INL
Nuclear Energy, An Important Part of Solution to Net
Zero World
• Wei Huang, Director of Division of Planning, Information and
Knowledge Management, IAEA
Meeting Climate Change Targets: The Role of Nuclear
Energy
• Diane Cameron, Head of the Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics Division, NEA
The video recording is available at: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=G9GK6fNtQvM
Meeting Climate Change Targets: The Role of Nuclear
Energy – 3 May 2022
In Meeting Climate Change Targets: The Role of Nuclear
Energy, the NEA explores the role of nuclear technologies
and their applications towards achieving the globally
recognised goal of Net Zero. Governments around the
world are urgently seeking to rapidly decarbonise their
economies whilst ensuring the security of energy supply.
As underlined in the latest IPCC report, achieving Net
Zero by 2050 will require an increasingly requisite role for
nuclear energy as part of a diversified mix of low carbon
technologies.
The launch of the new NEA publication Meeting Climate
Change Targets: The Role of Nuclear Energy featured
keynote remarks from government leaders followed by a
presentation and discussion of the report’s key findings.
Keynote Speakers:
• William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General, OECD Nuclear
Energy Agency (NEA)
• Tomáš Ehler, Deputy Minister, Department of Nuclear
Energy, Czech Republic
• Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Undersecretary of State
for Climate and Environment, Poland
• Kathryn Huff, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy
Panellists:
• Diane Cameron, Head of the Division, Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics, NEA
• Henri Paillère, Head of the Planning and Economics Studies
Section, IAEA
• Brent Wanner, Head of Power Sector Unit World Energy
Outlook, IEA
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4rs
110 | NEA Annual Report 2022
Building a framework for preparedness to post-
accident recovery – national-level guidance – 23 May
2022
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) held an online event
to launch its new report Building a Framework for Post
Nuclear Accident Recovery Preparedness: National-Level
Guidance.
This report was produced by the NEA Expert Group on
Recovery Management (EGRM) created in 2019 by the
Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health
(CRPPH), with the objective of assisting NEA member
countries in planning and improving their preparedness
for recovery by producing guidance on how to develop
a nuclear or radiological post-accident recover y
management framework which can be adapted to national
conditions. Recovery from a nuclear or radiological
accident is a lengthy, complex and resource-intensive
process, and this report emphasises the importance
of preparedness for long-term recovery along with
preparedness arrangements for emergency response
to optimise the recovery process and reduce adverse
outcomes from the emergency response phase.
During the launch event, the newly published NEA
guidance was presented. A panel of international
experts discussed the report and the topic of improving
preparedness for post-nuclear accident recovery in
general. The audience had the opportunity to participate
in the discussion through a Q&A session.
Opening and welcome address:
• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
Moderators:
• Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace, Deputy Head, Division on
Radiological Protection and Human Aspects of Nuclear
Safety, NEA.
• Jan-Hendrik Kruse, Radiological Protection Specialist, NEA
• Thierry Schneider, Chair of the NEA EGRM and CRPPH,
Director, Nuclear Protection Evaluation Center (CEPN)
• Veronica Smith, Senior Scientist, Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), Vice-Chair of the NEA Working Party on
Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM)
Panellists:
• Zhanat Carr, Scientist at the Radiation and Health Unit,
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health,
World Health Organization
• Sara DeCair, Health Physicists, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Vice-Chair of the NEA EGRM and
WPNEM, Member of the NEA CRPPH
• Marcus Grzechnik, Director of the Modelling, Assessment
and Emergency Preparedness Section, Australian Radiation
Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Chair of
the IAEA Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards
Committee (EPReSC)
• Michiaki Kai, Professor, Nippon Bunri University (NBU),
Member of the ICRP Main Commission
• Yves Lheureux, Director, French National Federation of
Local Information Committees (ANCCLI)
• Andrew Mayall, Deputy Director (Acting), Radioactive
Substances and Installations Regulation, Environment Agency,
Vice-Chair of the NEA CRPPH
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4t2
Third global nuclear science and engineering
commencement - Theme: Nuclear technology in
service to society – 29 June 2022
Building on the success of the previous events held in
August 2020 and June 2021, the NEA will host a global
commencement ceremony on 29 June 2022 to congratulate
the graduating nuclear engineering and science students
and to recognise their exemplary accomplishments.
Organised under the auspices of the NEA Global Forum
on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy,
the event will gather luminaries in the STEM field, as well
as nuclear energy professionals to share their words of
advice and encouragement.
The first global commencement was organised in 2020
to inspire nuclear science and technology graduates
entering into the workforce when many commencement
ceremonies were cancelled or postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The NEA has continued the initiative
as part of its efforts to attract talented young graduates
into the nuclear sciences and engineering fields and to
welcome young professionals who decide to pursue a
career in the nuclear energy field.
Opening remarks
• William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General, OECD Nuclear
Energy Agency (NEA)
• Richard K. Lester, Japan Steel Industry Professor and
Associate Provost at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT)
Keynote speech:
• Bill Gates, Chairman of the Board, TerraPower, with an
introduction delivered by Chris Levesque, President and CEO,
TerraPower
Message from government:
• Anna Moskwa, Minister of Climate and Environment, Poland
Charge from nuclear academic community:
• Edward Obbard, Senior Lecturer, The University of New
South Wales (UNSW)
Moderator:
• Bret Kugelmass, Managing Director, Energy Impact Center
and CEO of Last Energy
Panellists:
• Vitor Fernandes de Almeida, PhD Student at the Center
for the Development of Nuclear Technology (CDTN/CNEN)
• Princess Mthombeni, Founder of Africa4Nuclear
• Jadwiga Najder, Chair, European Nuclear Society Young
Generation Network and System Engineer, Oakridge SAS
• Jihye Park, Undergraduate Research Student, Korean
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Korea
• Carlos Vazquez-Rodriguez, PhD Student at Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
The video recording is available at: https://oecd-nea.org/gc22
IFNEC NSCCEG Webinar- Opportunities and
challenges for nuclear energy in the context of carbon
neutrality – 15 September 2022
Decarbonisation of the world’s energy sector is a
challenging task that many governments around the
world are working on. As a stable and low-carbon source,
nuclear energy can play a significant role in contributing to
climate change mitigation efforts as well as in addressing
the energy supply issues.
This webinar will discuss the role of nuclear energy in the
context of reaching the carbon neutrality, the synergies
between nuclear energy and renewables, as well as the
multipurpose application of nuclear energy.
Organised by the IFNEC Nuclear Supplier and Customer
Countries Engagement Group (NSCCEG), this virtual event
took place on 15 September 2022.
Moderator:
• Zhijun Qin, Deputy Director-General, Nuclear Power
Department, National Energy Administration, China
Opening remarks by NSCCEG Co-chairs
• Takafumi Kakudo, IFNEC NSCCEG - Vice-Chair, Japan
Presentations
• Michel Berthélemy, Nuclear Energy Analyst, Nuclear
Technology and Economics Division, Nuclear Energy Agency
(NEA)
• Lin Tian, Director, Department of Planning and Development,
Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute
(SNERDI), China
• Aliki van Heek, Head of the Energy Economics and
Environment Unit, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• Satoru Yasuraoka, Deputy Director, Nuclear Energy Policy
Planning Division, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
(ANRE), Japan
Closing remarks
• Zhijun Qin, Deputy Director-General, Nuclear Power
Department, National Energy Administration, China
The video recording is available at: https://bit.ly/3dnj36V
Achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions in Switzerland
in 2050: Low Carbon Scenarios and their System
Costs – 27 October 2022
As one of the NEA member countries with the lowest
carbon emissions, Switzerland is well positioned to
achieve its objective of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The main features enabling a net zero future are its large
endowment of hydroelectric resources and its high degree
of interconnection with its European neighbours, allowing
for a high level of mutually beneficial electricity trades.
The forthcoming NEA report Achieving Net Zero Carbon
Emissions in Switzerland in 2050: Low Carbon Scenarios
and their System Costs examines different scenarios under
which Switzerland can achieve net zero objectives by 2050.
Based on the NEA Power System Model (POSY) and on the
consultations with Swiss energy experts, it establishes
the total economic system costs of different low-carbon
generation mixes in the Swiss electricity sector.
The virtual launch has gathered authors of the report and
experts in the field to discuss the report’s key findings.
Welcome and opening remarks:
• William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General, NEA
Scene setting on NEA system cost work:
• Diane Cameron, Head of the Division of Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics, NEA
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 NEA ONLINE EVENTS IN 2022
Presentation of the NEA report Achieving Net Zero
Carbon Emissions in Switzerland in 2050: Low Carbon
Scenarios and their System Costs:
• Jan Horst Keppler, Chief Economist, Division of Nuclear
Technology Development and Economics, NEA
Moderator:
• Jan Horst Keppler, Chief Economist, Division of Nuclear
Technology Development and Economics, NEA
Panellists:
• Fabienne Chawla, Research Co-ordinator, Swissnuclear
• Marco Cometto, Member of the Scientific Advisory Council,
IAEA
• Tom Kober, Member of the Scientific Advisory Council, Paul
Scherrer Institute (PSI)
• Roger Lundmark, Head of Power Plant Support, Swissnuclear
• Anne-Laure Mazauric, Energy Modeller, NEA
• Ralf Straub, Head of International Affairs for Safety and
Supervision, Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)
• Cédric Vessiller, Asset Manager, Alpiq
Concluding remarks:
• Roger Lundmark, Head of Power Plant Support, Swissnuclear
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4HP
Workshop on management of spent fuel, radioactive
waste and decommissioning of SMRs/advanced
reactor technologies – 7-10 November 2022
As many countries are exploring ways to meet their
decarbonisation targets by 2050, they are focusing their
attention on the ongoing development of small modular
reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV reactor technologies
as an option to address the effect of climate change and
future energy demand. To ensure these new technologies
are viable to supplement existing energy sources, the
management, storage, transport and disposal of the
radioactive waste needs to be closely examined at the
early stages of the design process.
In this context, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are organising an
international workshop “Management of spent fuel,
radioactive waste and decommissioning in SMRs or
advanced reactor technologies”.
The workshop convened participants from various fields of
expertise in the areas of radioactive waste management,
decommissioning and nuclear safety.
Opening session:
• John Hannaford, Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada
• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
• James McKinney, Chief Strategist, Integrated Waste
Management, NDA, UK
Keynote speakers:
• Daniel H. Dorman, Executive Director for Operations,
U.S. NRC
• Dakota Kochie, Director of Government and External
relations, NWMO, Canada
• Patrick Landais, High Commissioner for Atomic Energy,
CEA, France
112 | NEA Annual Report 2022
• Łukasz Mlynarkiewicz, President, Poland’s National Atomic
Energy Agency
• Kimberly Petry, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent
Fuel and Waste Disposition, Office of Nuclear Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy
• Rumina Velshi, President and Chief Executive Officer,
CNSC, Canada
Information available on: w w w.oecd - nea.org / jcms/
pl_69716/management-of-spent-fuel-radioactive-waste-and-
decommissioning-in-smrs-or-advanced-reactor-technologies
27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27)
to the UNFCCC Webinar 10-11 November 2022
The Role of Nuclear Energy in the Hydrogen
Economy – 10 November 2022
Organised by the NEA and hosted at the Atoms4Climate
pavilion of the 27 th Conference of the Parties of the
UNFCCC (COP27), this event highlighted the key findings
from the Nuclear-Hydrogen Digest: Nuclear Energy in
the Hydrogen Economy. Launched by the NEA and NICE
Future ahead of the 13 th Clean Energy Ministerial, the
publication sheds light on initiatives from both public
and private stakeholders around the world showing
how nuclear energy can provide an actionable path to
decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors.
Speakers
• Diane Cameron, Head of Division, Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
• Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy
• Henri Paillère, Head of Planning and Economic Studies,
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• Hannah Fenwick, Senior Commercial Officer, National
Nuclear Laboratory
• John Gorman, President & CEO, Canadian Nuclear
Association
• Kirsty Gogan, Founder and Managing Partner, TerraPraxis
• Michel Berthélemy, Nuclear Energy Analyst, OECD Nuclear
Energy Agency
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4L5
The Role of Advanced Nuclear Technologies for
Hard-to-Abate Sectors – 11 November 2022
Organised by the NEA and hosted at the Atoms4Climate
pavilion of the 27 th Conference of the Parties of the
UNFCCC (COP27), this event gathered speakers to
discuss the progress with advanced nuclear technologies
deployment and their role for supporting decarbonisation
strategies in otherwise hard-to-abate sectors. This include
the potential of small modular reactors for replacing coal
power plants, industrial heat applications of nuclear
energy and off-grid mining.
Speakers
• Andre Argenton, Vice President of Environment, Health and
Safety (EH&S) and Chief Sustainability Officer, Dow Chemicals
• Michel Berthélemy, Nuclear Energy Analyst, OECD Nuclear
Energy Agency
• Diane Cameron, Head of Division, Nuclear Technology
Development and Economics, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
• Jon Carmack, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy
• Kirsty Gogan, Founder and Managing Partner, TerraPraxis
• Katie Jereza, Vice President, Corporate Affairs · Electric
Power Research Institute (EPRI)
• Lori Anne Ramsay, Chief Business Development Officer at
Prodigy Clean Energy
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4L1
3rd Stakeholder Involvement Workshop on
Optimisation in Decision Making (through a short
series of topical webinars) – 14 December 2022
The workshop and preparatory webinars was based on
active and constructive engagement between participants
and aim for a better, cross-cutting understanding among
the different nuclear sectors. This did not include the
medical field, however, in order to limit the complexity of
the subject matter. Regarding the preparatory webinars,
the scope was reduced to finding a common practical
understanding of what optimisation means in decision-
making for the purposes of the workshop in 2023,
i.e. describing a broad decision-making process, with its
drivers and barriers, and the potential influencing factors,
rather than developing a new definition of “optimisation”
as such. For this purpose, the decision-making process
was broken down into three phases which was be analysed
individually. For the purposes of the webinars and the
workshop, the terms “decision” and “decision-making”
refer to decisions that will have, or can be expected to
have, a direct impact on stakeholders. Decision-making
entities are assumed to have the required legal authority.
This did not include lower-level decisions in which there
is no expectation for purposeful stakeholder engagement.
Welcome remarks
• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
• Haidy Tadros, Director-General of Environmental and
Radiation Protection and Assessment, CSNC
Keynote remarks
• Commissioner David A. Wright, US Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
Keynote presentation
How can strategic foresight support more holistic policy
decision making?
• Alexander Atarodi, Senior Foresight Expert, OECD
Development Co-operation Directorate
Presentation
Lessons learnt form the dialogue with civil society
regarding the 4th periodic safety review of French 900 MWe
reactors
• Véronique Leroyer, Responsible for openness to society,
IRSN
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4RX
NEA-IFNEC Financing Initiative – Warsaw Conference
on Nuclear Financing – 8 December 2022
The imperative to reduce carbon emissions in order to
follow a credible pathway towards net zero emissions
by 2050 will require to finance and develop significant
capacities for nuclear power generation in the coming years
and decades. To facilitate this process, the OECD Nuclear
Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Framework
for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) in collaboration
with the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland
launched the NEA-IFNEC Financing Initiative in late 2020,
and organised a series of joint webinars on conceptual
and practical issues pertaining to nuclear new build
financing. The Warsaw Conference on Nuclear Financing
concluded the series and bring together policymakers,
finance industry representatives, and nuclear financing
experts for in-person discussions in Warsaw, Poland.
Based on the insights developed during this initiative,
the NEA had prepared a report entitled Financing New
Nuclear Power Plants: Minimising the Cost of Capital
by Optimising Risk Management which combined new
work on the relationship between optimal risk allocation
and nuclear financing in low-carbon energy systems.
Key insights from the report was discussed during the
conference.
High-level remarks:
• Anna Moskwa, Minister of Climate and Environment, Poland
• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
• Aleshia Duncan, Chair, IFNEC
Moderators:
• Milt Caplan, President, MZConsulting, Canada
• Yves Desbazeille, Director General, Nuclear Europe
• Paul Murphy, Managing Director, Murphy Energy &
Infrastructure Consulting, LLC
• Emma Wong, Consultant, NEA
Presentations:
• Michel Berthélemy, Nuclear Energy Analyst, NEA
• Jan Horst Keppler, Chief Energy Economist, NEA
• Tim Stone, Chairman, Nuclear Industry Association, United
Kingdom
Roundtable discussions:
• Anne Crepin, Deputy Head, Export Finance Department,
SFIL, France
• Mihai Darie, Romania Country Manager, Last Energy, United
States
• Daniel Dean, Chairman, Implementation Organization
Strategic Advisory Group, International Bank for Nuclear
Infrastructure
• Aleshia Duncan, Chair, IFNEC
• Tomáš Ehler, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and
Trade, Czech Republic
• Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Undersecretary of State,
Ministry of Climate and Environment, Poland
• Anurag Gupta, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Operating
Officer, Sequoia Investment Management, United Kingdom
• Chris Heffer, Director, Nuclear Power and Decommissioning,
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy,
United Kingdom
• Bożena Horbaczewska, Assistant Professor of Economics,
Warsaw School of Economics
113
 NEA ONLINE EVENTS IN 2022

• John Parsons, Deputy Director for Research, MIT Center for

Energy and Environmental Policy Research
• Hyunshik Hwang, Director of Infrastructure Finance
Department, Export-Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank)
• Kalev Kallemets, Chief Executive Officer, Fermi Energia,
Estonia
• Ashok Pasricha, Managing Director, Engineering and
Environment Division, Export-Import Bank of the United
States (EXIM)
• Benoît Peluchon, Senior Researcher, EDF, France
• Lauri Piekkari, Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Risk
Management of TVO, Finland
• Joe Rippon, Sizewell C Financing Programme Manager, EDF
Energy, United Kingdom
• Łukasz Sawicki, Chief Expert for Strategy and Economic
Analyses of the Nuclear Sector, Department of Nuclear
Energy, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Poland
• Gerhard Wächter, Senior Advisor for Euratom Co-ordination,
Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission

The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4KD

Online workshops/meetings/training
courses
A full list of all NEA meetings and workshops held
remotely is available on the NEA website Delegates’ Area
at www.oecd-nea.org/tools/meeting/

Fundamentals of International Nuclear Law –

14-18 February 2022
The Fundamentals of International Nuclear Law (FINL) was
developed by the NEA to provide a high-level, introductory
review of the central aspects of international nuclear law
in a condensed 3 hours per day online programme.
The following subjects were covered during the FINL
programme:
• nuclear safety, regulation and licensing;
• management of spent fuel and radioactive waste;
• environmental law and nuclear activities;
• transport of nuclear materials and fuel;
• nuclear security;
• non-proliferation and international safeguards for
nuclear materials;
• liability, compensation and insurance for nuclear damage;
and
• international trade in nuclear materials and equipment.
Lectures are delivered by specialists in nuclear law from
international organisations, governments and private
industry.

Information available on: https://oecd-nea.org/finl2022

114 | NEA Annual Report 2022

115
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The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) was established on 1 February 1958. Current NEA membership consists of
34 countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Korea, Romania, Russia (suspended), the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the
United Kingdom and the United States. The European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency also
take part in the work of the Agency.
The mission of the NEA is:
– to assist its member countries in maintaining and further developing, through international co operation, the
scientific, technological and legal bases required for a safe, environmentally sound and economical use of
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes;
– to provide authoritative assessments and to forge common understandings on key issues as input to government
decisions on nuclear energy policy and to broader OECD analyses in areas such as energy and the sustainable
development of low-carbon economies.
Specific areas of competence of the NEA include the safety and regulation of nuclear activities, radioactive waste
management and decommissioning, radiological protection, nuclear science, economic and technical analyses of the
nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear law and liability, and public information. The NEA Data Bank provides nuclear data and
computer program services for participating countries.

Also available in French under the title:

AEN – RAPPORT ANNUEL – 2022

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Cover page photo credit: Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant, Korea (IAEA, CC BY-SA 2.0); Research and development to support the advancement of
small modular reactors (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, CC BY-ND 2.0); Cabri reactor (CEA).
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