Introduction |
The CNRA workshop on " New Reactor Siting, Licensing and Construction Experience” will be held on 15-17 September 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic, hosted by the State Office for Nuclear Safety. This first announcement is to inform you of this event and call for papers to be submitted for presentation at the workshop.
Based on the regulatory actions underway or being considered in different members countries concerning the design and construction of advanced nuclear power plants, the NEA’s Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) decided at its December 2007 meeting to establish a working group responsible for the regulatory issues of the siting, licensing and regulatory oversight of generation III+ and generation IV nuclear reactors. The new working group on the regulation of new reactors (WGRNR) constitutes a forum of experts for the licensing of new and advanced commercial nuclear power reactors and should facilitate a co-operative approach to identify key new regulatory issues and promote a common resolution.
The main purpose of the WGRNR and its products are to improve regulatory reviews by comparing practices in member countries; improve the licensing process of new reactors by learning from best practices in member countries; ensure that construction inspection issues and construction experience is shared; promote co-operation among member countries to improve safety; and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the regulatory process.
WGRNR has established an initial programme of work which was approved by the CNRA. The initial programme of work includes the collection of construction experience and the assessing of the information collected in order to share the lessons learned and good practices, the review of regulatory practices concerning the regulation of nuclear sites selection and preparation, and the review of recent regulatory experience concerning the licensing structure of regulatory staff and regulatory licensing process.
The objective of this international workshop is to review and discuss recent and past construction experience lessons learned including from the regulatory, vendors', and licensee perspectives, issues associated with project management resources including: a) overall human resources, expertise, experience and organisation available to the licensee, b) capability of each potential vendor (in-house knowledge and skills vs planned subcontracting and subcontractor management). The workshop will also discuss the lessons learned in the regulation of site selection, evaluation and site preparation as well as the review of regulatory practices for the licensing of new reactors, including the regulatory body infrastructure, staffing and expertise needed.
The workshop should provide a forum to communicate recent experience on these topics to a wider audience, to introduce and discuss the current programme of work and products under development in WGRNR, and to gain insights from workshop participants on each of the programme of work areas, and get feedback from participants on additional focus areas.
Learning from others is a key to success and progress. Information obtained as a result of this workshop should give understanding keys and interpretations of regulatory issues of licensing process of new reactors, and promoting a method to address them.
The workshop will include an introductory session, technical sessions devoted to technical presentations by participants on the topics outlined in the workshop programme and a final session. The final session will summarise the discussions and develop conclusions and recommendations for possible further actions by the CNRA/WGRNR. All participants are expected to take part in the discussion and in the formulation of conclusions in the final session.
Papers and case studies addressing the issues and topics outlined are welcomed. Several sessions with ample time for discussion will be defined accordingly to these topics.
Last reviewed: 27 October 2010