NEA Monthly News Bulletin – March 2020

New at the NEA

NEA high-level visit to Romania, February 2020NEA high-level visit to Romania

NEA Director‑General William D. Magwood, IV, and senior staff visited Romania on 19‑20 February 2020 for a series of high‑level meetings. Central to his visit were discussions with Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Romania's energy future. Discussions also addressed electricity system costs and the decarbonisation of electricity systems. While in Romania, Director‑General Magwood toured research facilities at the Politehnica University of Bucharest. The Director‑General's visit to Romania provided an excellent opportunity to review the co‑operation between the NEA and Romania since Romania's accession the Agency in 2017, as well as to exchange views on nuclear energy innovation, education and research.

The second Roundtable on Final Disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel, February 2020International co‑operation for the development and advancement of high‑level radioactive waste and spent fuel disposal

On 7 February 2020 the Agency hosted the second Roundtable on Final Disposal of High‑level Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel to facilitate an exchange of experiences and knowledge in developing final disposal policies. Jointly organised by the NEA, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) of Japan, and the Office of Nuclear Energy, United States Department of Energy, the event follows the first roundtable held in October 2019.

The objective of these roundtables is to strengthen international co‑operation for the development and advancement of high‑level radioactive waste and spent fuel disposal. Participants discussed best practices in stakeholder engagement in decision‑making related to the disposal of waste in deep geological repositories. During his opening remarks, NEA Director‑General Magwood underlined the significance of international co‑operation. "Policymakers need both adequate technical information and public confidence and trust to make nuclear decisions," he said. "Roundtables like this are very important in identifying common issues that countries can address together."

March on Gender: Bridging the gender gap in STEM

Despite progress over the past decades, women remain underrepresented in executive positions in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Many countries are working to close the gender gap and to develop policies to reverse this trend. In this regard, the NEA launched a series of mentoring workshops in 2017 and organised six events that aimed to encourage young female students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These workshops provide the participating students with a rare opportunity to interact with accomplished women scientists and engineers from NEA member countries. The NEA encourages its membership to explore ways of attracting, recruiting and retaining women in science and technology. Watch the video here.

NEA International Radiological Protection School (IRPS)NEA International Radiological Protection School (IRPS)

The next session of the NEA International Radiological Protection School (IRPS) will take place from 17 to 21 August 2020 at Stockholm University in Sweden. This five‑day training provides mid‑career radiological protection (RP) experts with an understanding of the "spirit" of the RP system. International experts will present the nuances, history and between‑the‑lines meanings of international guidance and working experience, that will allow tomorrow's radiological protection leaders to appropriately apply the RP system to address current and future radiological circumstances. For more information on the course and to apply, see oe.cd/nea-irps.


New publications


NEA News 37.2

NEA News 37.2



NEA No. 7465
Read the issue

Chemical Thermodynamics Series Volume 13b; Chemical Thermodynamics of Iron, Part 2

Chemical Thermodynamics Series
Volume 13b;
Chemical Thermodynamics of Iron, Part 2

NEA No. 7499

Read the report

Preservation of Records, Knowledge and Memory
(RK&M) Across Generations

Preservation of Records,
Knowledge and Memory (RK&M)
Across Generations

NEA No. 7421

Read the report


Nuclear safety technology and regulation

ARC-F and PreADES meetings, February 2020Fukushima Daiichi nuclear safety research projects

Two Fukushima Daiichi nuclear safety research projects are currently carried out under the auspices, and with the support, of the NEA: the Analysis of Information from Reactor Buildings and Containment Vessels of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (ARC-F) Project, and the Preparatory Study on Fuel Debris Analysis (PreADES). Representatives from both projects gathered at the NEA from 10 to 13 February 2020 for respective project meetings and a joint information session on the current status of post‑Fukushima research activities and the progress at the Fukushima Daiichi site. At the PreADES meeting, participants reviewed their ongoing work on fuel debris characterisation and analysis. They also launched a discussion on designing a future R&D framework for fuel debris sampling and analysis. At the ARC‑F meeting, discussions focused on severe accident progression and the status inside reactor buildings and containment vessels of Units 1‑3 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.


Radiological protection

Workshop on Preparedness for Post-Accident Recovery Process: Lessons from Experience, February 2020Preparedness for Post‑Accident Recovery Process: Lessons from Experience

The area of recovery management has been of interest within the NEA community for some time - in particular since the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. An aspect of recovery management that has been identified as needing further practical guidance is preparations for post‑accident recovery actions. For this reason, the NEA and the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan co‑organised the Workshop on Preparedness for Post‑Accident Recovery Process: Lessons from Experience at the University of Tokyo in Japan on 18‑19 February 2020, with the support of Nuclear Safety Research Association (NSRA). Participants included national and local governmental representatives, people from the Fukushima prefecture, and researchers. The workshop provided an opportunity to discuss the major elements of a nuclear or radiological post‑accident recovery management framework. It also served as a platform where participants were able to exchange their experiences in the recovery process. Workshop conclusions and a summary will be published in the coming months in order to assist NEA members in planning and improving their preparedness for recovery.

NEA Working Party on Information, Data and Knowledge Management (WP-IDKM) meeting, January 2020NEA Expert Group on Recovery Management

The NEA Expert Group on Recovery Management (EGRM) held its third meeting on 21‑22 February 2020 in Iwaki, Japan. The group is advancing the preparation of a comprehensive and operational generic framework of recovery management, easily adaptable by any member country in the case of a nuclear accident. The meeting focused on insights gained at the Workshop on Preparedness for Post‑Accident Recovery Process: Lessons from Experience organised in Tokyo during the same week. The participating experts discussed the lessons learnt from the Japanese experiences for reconstruction gained over nearly 10 years, and how to put these lessons into the perspective of preparedness for recovery. To enhance the practical aspects of the deliverable under construction, the group had the opportunity to visit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site and its interim storage facility, as well as a waste incinerator the day before the EGRM meeting. Both the workshop and the technical tour captured the complexity of the reality of the recovery process after a nuclear accident.


Radioactive waste management

Multifactor Optimisation of Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste, February 2020Optimising predisposal management of radioactive waste

Sustainable solutions for radioactive waste disposal entails three key elements: i) environmental protection, which is ensured through state‑of‑the‑art science and technology; ii) economics, based on appropriate funding mechanisms and cost optimisation; and iii) society, in which ethics, social trust and public confidence are reflected in all activities of waste management. Therefore, the overall system for radioactive waste management, from generation to disposal, has to be optimised holistically, with strong co‑ordination between all players including regulators, operators, policymakers and waste management organisations.

To this end, the NEA held a workshop from 10 to 14 February 2020 on the Multifactor Optimisation of Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste to discuss optimisation of predisposal management of national radioactive waste management programmes from various points of view, employing a holistic approach for radioactive waste management. Participants had a rich exchange that highlighted the broad spectrum of issues associated with predisposal management of radioactive waste, and identified potential areas for future collaboration. They exchanged national experiences and examined factors that affect the development and optimisation of radioactive waste management programmes.

Onkalo pilot cave at final depth in Onkalo, Finland.Advancing Geological Repositories from Concept to Operation

The Sixth International Conference on Geological Repositories (ICGR 2020) will take place on 8‑11 November 2020 in Helsinki, Finland. Building upon the previous conferences held in Denver (1999), Stockholm (2003), Berne (2007), Toronto (2012) and Paris (2016), ICGR 2020 will focus on "Advancing Geological Repositories from Concept to Operation" and demonstrate the significant progress of geological repositories in the last two decades. The event will bring together high‑level decision makers from regulatory bodies, government ministries, waste management organisations, research institutes, and public stakeholder communities, as well as young professionals and students, to review current perspectives of geological repository development. It will promote information and experience sharing, particularly in best practices to demonstrate technical reliability, build human capacity and gain stakeholders' confidence for the construction, operation and long‑term safety of geological repositories. For more information and to register, please contact icgr2020@oecd-nea.org.


Nuclear development and economics

Uranium supply and demand

Joint NEA/IAEA Group on Uranium meeting, February 2020

The Joint NEA/IAEA Group on Uranium met on 4‑6 February 2020 in Vienna, Austria, with 49 participants from 33 countries and representatives from the Euratom Supply Agency. With continuing interest in uranium supply and demand, the participating experts reviewed the progress on the next edition of Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand, also known as the Red Book. Delegates from some countries reported that they scaled back uranium production at some mines and that some development plans were being delayed due to unfavourable market conditions. However, a review of nuclear development policies and new build plans continues to point to growth in global nuclear generating capacity through to 2040, particularly in Asia. Despite nuclear power phase‑out policies in some countries, uranium demand is expected to increase over the longer term. The role that nuclear energy ultimately plays in meeting global climate objectives could contribute to even greater projected growth in uranium demand.


Nuclear law

Inaugural session of the European Nuclear Energy Tribunal 10th mandate, February 2020The European Nuclear Energy Tribunal holds inaugural session for its 10th mandate

The Inaugural Session of the 10th mandate of the European Nuclear Energy Tribunal (ENET) was held under NEA auspices on 7 February 2020. The Tribunal consists of seven independent judges appointed for five years by decision of the OECD Council and has jurisdiction over disputes between states parties to the Paris Convention on Nuclear Third Party Liability or the Brussels Convention Supplementary to the Paris Convention concerning the application or interpretation of these conventions. The judges designated for the 10th mandate of the Tribunal are Ms Ulla‑Maija Moisio (Finland), Ms Federica Porcellana (Italy), Mr Francis Delaporte (Luxembourg), Ms Ida Sørebø (Norway), Mr Miguel Sousa Ferro (Portugal), Mr Antonio Vercher Noguera (Spain) who was elected as President by the Tribunal, and Mr Khalil Bukhari (United Kingdom). The mandate of the judges took effect on 1 January 2020. Read more on the ENET at oe.cd/enet, and on the Paris and Brussels Conventions at oe.cd/nuclear-liability-docs.

NEA International Nuclear Law Essentials (INLE), February 2020Global interest in the NEA International Nuclear Law Essentials course

The ninth session of the NEA International Nuclear Law Essentials (INLE) course was held on 17‑21 February 2020 with a diverse international group of 35 professionals from 17 NEA member and non-member countries. During the one‑week programme, the participants learned about the international nuclear law framework and major issues affecting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. A total of 18 lecturers from the NEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear regulatory authorities and the private sector gave lectures on topics related to nuclear safety, security, non‑proliferation and liability. NEA Director‑General Magwood and Commissioner David A. Wright of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) were among those who spoke during the week. Read more about the INLE at oe.cd/inle.

International School of Nuclear Law (ISNL) 2019Applications closing soon for the International School of Nuclear Law

The International School of Nuclear Law (ISNL) is a two‑week course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the various legal issues relating to the safe, efficient and secure use of nuclear energy. Established by the NEA in 2001 in co‑operation with the University of Montpellier, this programme has provided a unique educational opportunity to more than 1000 graduate students and young professionals worldwide. The next session of the ISNL will take place from 24 August to 4 September 2020 in Montpellier, France. Applications may be submitted online between now and 31 March 2020. For more information on the course and to apply, see oe.cd/ISNL.


Nuclear science and data

NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS) meeting, February 2020Scientific issues of nuclear reactor systems

The NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS) held its annual meeting and associated expert group meetings on 19-21 February 2020 with more than 60 experts from 16 countries. The WPRS conducts studies on the reactor physics of advanced nuclear systems, reactor fuel performance, radiation transport and shielding, reactor core thermal-hydraulics and uncertainty analysis in the modelling of power systems, focusing on light water reactor (LWR) transients. Participating experts reported on and discussed ongoing activities under the WPRS, including the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation (IRPhE) Project, the International Fuel Performance Experiments database (IFPE) and the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database (SINBAD).

Training courses on state-of-the-art computer codes

The NEA Data Bank organised two training sessions in February 2020. Hosted by the University of Barcelona in Spain, the first session was dedicated to the PENELOPE code, a code system for Monte Carlo simulation of electron and photon transport which is of interest to radiation physics researchers and is also widely used for medical physics. The second training session focused on one-dimensional analytical methods for the verification of neutron transport algorithms. Participants in both sessions benefited first hand from the knowledge and dedication of the code developers. The two workshops attracted 20 participants from six countries. The NEA Data Bank Computer Program Services organises several training sessions every year, contributing to the dissemination of state‑of‑the‑art codes and engaging the nuclear community. These week‑long courses provide a unique opportunity to bring together code users from around the globe and facilitate exchanges on the use of computer codes. Further information on the NEA Data Bank training courses is available at oe.cd/nea-db-courses.

NEA course on Thermodynamic Data Collection and AssessmentThermodynamic Data Collection and Assessment

The next NEA course on Thermodynamic Data Collection and Assessment, will take place on 12-13 November 2020 in Paris, France. This two-day course is designed to familiarise scientists with current NEA TDB activities and standards, provide an overview of data collection and analysis techniques, and work through some real system examples to demonstrate the critical evaluation and data assessment process. Find out more and apply at oe.cd/nea-tdb-2020.

Computer program services

Training courses

New computer codes and data library (restricted distribution)


An online archive of previous editions is available here.

The monthly bulletin only lists new and updated material. It is distributed by e-mail to registered users of the Nuclear Energy Agency's Online Services. Registration is free; please use this link.

Top