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on 7/31/26 at 10:05 AM
On 1-3 April 2025, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and Sellafield Ltd. held an international workshop on innovative technologies for the nuclear back-end, focusing on the opportunities, benefits and challenges in increasing safety and efficiency. The workshop, which took place in Workington, United Kingdom, was informed by contributions from the NEA’s Working Party on Technical, Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES) and the Expert Group on the Application of Robotics and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS). Together, their insights shaped the workshop’s programme, presentations and discussions to address key challenges while fostering innovation amidst a complex policy and regulatory landscape.
The workshop also provided information on applications of existing technologies to new problems. It covered best practices and strategies for overcoming implementation challenges, potential risks, practical solutions, and the evolving role of technology in shaping the future of nuclear operations. The workshop brought together participants from various fields of expertise involved in the decommissioning of complex and legacy sites, including implementers, government and regulatory agencies, academia and researchers. Notably, regulators from different countries were actively engaged as part of both the audience and panel sessions for this workshop, and several presentations addressed regulatory concerns and perspectives.
