Chair(s): |
Alexandre LEBLANC, Canada |
Secretary: |
Christopher FONG (christopher.fong@oecd-nea.org) |
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Vice-Chair(s): |
Yves GUANNEL, France Thomas HIPSCHMAN, United States | ||
Member(s): | All NEA member countries* | ||
Russia (Suspended*) | |||
*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council. | |||
Full participant(s): |
European Commission Under the NEA Statute | ||
Participant(s): |
India | ||
Observer(s)(International Organisation): |
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement | ||
Date of creation: | 12 November 1990 | ||
End of mandate: | 31 December 2022 |
Mandate (Document reference):
Mandate (Document extract):
Extract from document NEA/CNRA/R(2017)5/REV2
Introduction
Regulation and monitoring of operating civilian nuclear facilities and activities is a fundamental duty of any nuclear regulatory body. Although a regulatory body has many methods available for the regulation and monitoring of operating civilian nuclear facilities and activities, inspection1 remains the key mean of verification available. The conduct of inspections provides an essential and valuable source of information for a regulatory body’s integrated assessment and comprehensive safety oversight process. Inspection gives a regulatory body the ability to verify that licensees, during all the phases of the performance of their activities, operate the facility safely, that their activities fully comply with all applicable regulations and that safety is given the highest priority. Inspection also provides a basis for regulatory enforcement.
Mandate
In this context, the mandate of the Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP) is to share experience and knowledge, both on technical and human aspects, from inspection practices and programmes for operating civilian nuclear facilities and activities.
In the field of nuclear safety, considering as appropriate and when relevant any interface with security, the WGIP aims to compare inspection practices and programmes as well as the organisation of regulatory bodies between its members in order to identify and promote commendable practices.
The WGIP will analyse and provide expert insights from inspection practices. It will discuss current and future issues. It will identify practical methods to help regulatory bodies advance the effectiveness and efficiency of their inspection practices and programmes, for all types of inspections, including vendors and construction inspections, with a purpose to improve the level of safety of operating civilian nuclear facilities and activities.
Objectives
To further this mandate, the WGIP will identify and share:
Working methods
In terms of working methods, the WGIP will:
Interactions
The NEA has established Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with a number of organisations – e.g. COG, CRIEPI, EPRI and WANO – to promote international collaboration, particularly in the area of nuclear safety. Accordingly, representatives from these organisations can be invited, as appropriate, in the activities of CNRA working groups, consistent with the MOUs.
Deliverables
The CNRA and its working groups generally produce guidance documents for nuclear safety regulators and other stakeholders interested in commercial nuclear power. Examples include, but are not limited to, proceedings of seminars and workshops, collections of commendable practices implemented by regulatory bodies, case studies and summaries of operating experience.
1. Inspection means any examination, observation, measurement or test to assess structures, systems, components, materials, operational activities, processes, procedures, and personnel and organisational competence.