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 andlegal 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		Nuclear Safety and Regulation
		Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety		Radiological Protection
		Radioactive Waste Management		Decommissioning of Nuclear Installationsand Legacy Management 		Nuclear Science and Education		Data Bank		Nuclear Law

36
43
57
62
67
72
75
85
89

	General Information
		Information and Communication
		Global relations		Structure of the NEA		NEA Committee Structure in 2022
		NEA Management Structure in 2022
		NEA Publications and Brochures produced in 2022
		NEA Online events in 2022

94
97
99
100
101
102
108

3

ONDRAF/NIRASMESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

R

educing carbon emissions to address the climate crisis is among the greatest challenges andopportunities 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 anincreasingly 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 overthe 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 istaking 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 offostering 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 byidentifying, 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, whereappropriate, helped governments co-ordinate solutions. Throughout 2022 the NEA worked closelywith 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 provento 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 atime when there is increasing pessimism about the future, there is also great cause for hope andoptimism. If we trust the younger generations, encourage them to take up the cause of scienceand technological progress, then the innovations the world needs to secure the future will beforthcoming.
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
generation
At the end of December 2022, 423 nuclear reactors wereoperational worldwide, representing 379 gigawatts electrical(GWe) of capacity. NEA member countries had 312 operating
units, representing 291 GWe, or around 80% of total capacity
worldwide.
In 2022, six reactors – Fuquing 6 and Hongyanhe 6 in the
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 capacityof 7 360 megawatts electrical (MWe), were newly connectedto the grid. Presently, 57 reactors are under construction, 8 ofwhich are located in NEA member countries. Construction
projects begun in China, Türkiye and Russia in 2021 continued
into 2022. New nuclear projects started in China, Türkiye andEgypt in 2022. Once connected to the grid, both 2021 and2022 construction starts will together add a further 17 GWeof capacity.
Key developments in nuclear energy generation
throughout NEA member countries during the year 2022
are highlighted below:• In Argentina, the utility company Nucleoeléctrica
Argentina signed a commercial contract with the China
National Nuclear Corporation for the construction of the
new 1 150 MWe Hualong One reactor at Atucha.

Construction has progressed for the CAREM-25 small
modular reactor (SMR) – a modular 100 megawatt thermal(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

Infrastructure Bank to invest in SMRs, with a loanof CAD 970 million (EUR 685 million) to develop the
GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR design in Ontario by 2028.
As the third investment in SMRs through the Strategic
Innovation Fund, the federal government announced
CAD 27.2 million (EUR 19.2 million) to support thedevelopment of Westinghouse Electric Canada’s eVinci
micro-reactor. The Government of Canada also introduced
an investment tax credit of up to 30% for clean energy
technologies, explicitly including SMRs.

Render of the CAREM-25
prototype.
CAREM/CNEA

CAREM-25 is a small
modular reactor
for electrical power
generation currently
under construction near
the city of Zárate, in the
Northern part of Buenos
Aires province besidethe Atucha I Nuclear
Power Plant.

M.Pakats/Shutterstock

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 tosuit 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 underconsideration and a potential site identified for the Czech
Republic’s first SMR.

out. In parallel, the new build project Hanhikivi 1 wascancelled. Nevertheless, the possibility to build new
nuclear units in Finland remains. The utility Fortum
announced in October 2022 it would study the feasibilityof 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.
A Complementary Climate Delegated Act was published inJuly 2022, setting the conditions for nuclear investments to
be included in the taxonomy. This includes investments fori) research, development and demonstration of Generation
IV reactors with a closed fuel cycle; ii) the construction andoperation of new nuclear power plants based on “bestavailable technology” and whose construction permits areapproved before 2045 and iii) the long-term operation ofexisting reactors until 2040.

Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, Czech Republic.
Petr Pavlicek/IAEA (CC BY-SA 2.0).

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) researchand development.

• In Finland, unit 3 at Olkiluoto was connected to the gridon 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 groupto 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 tobe completed by 2028.

• In France, the government announced the launch of aprogramme for the construction of six EPR2 reactors,
alongside studies for eight additional EPR2 to becommissioned by 2050. The commissioning of the firstreactor 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 thelong-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 ageneral 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 thelegal provisions relating to the status of the HAEA enteredinto 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 thestable supply of energy and decarbonisation from July
2022. To achieve these two outcomes, the Japanese
government discussed using nuclear power alongwith 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 partof this policy announcement, the Japanese government
will proceed with new nuclear policies, including theconstruction of new nuclear power plants.

• In Korea, President Yoon Suk-yeol put forward a newenergy policy which reversed the previous decision tophase-out from nuclear energy and instead aims fornuclear 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 indomestically, including the reactor coolant pump and theplant instrumentation and control system.
According to the draft Long-Term Basic Blueprint forPower Supply, which was presented in November, theshare of nuclear power in the country’s electricity mix
should be increased from 23% in its Enhanced 2030
Nationality Determined Contribution (NDC) to 32% by2030. Renewables will be decreased from the current
30% target to 21% by 2034.

• The Netherlands have included nuclear power as acentral theme of their climate and energy policy andannounced 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 plansto 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 innorthern Poland. The country is also working on plans for asecond nuclear power plant. The same month, KHNP and
Polish power groups PGE and ZE PAK signed a letter ofintent 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.

Artist’s conception of NuScale
Power’s proposed SMR plant.
NuScale Power• Romania operates the only two CANDU reactors innuclear 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.

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 thelicensing basis, and the US Export-Import Bank has
issued letters of interest for the financing of US-sourced
pre-project technical services.

• Türkiye is making progress with its new build project

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.

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 ofRomania’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 atLeningrad nuclear power plant-2 for the construction ofunits 3 and 4 with two more VVER-1200 reactors. The
Multipurpose Fast Research Reactor project (MBIR) in
Dimitrovgrad is moving forward, with the reactor vesseldelivered to the construction site and due to be installedby the end of the year. In 2022, the BN-800 fast reactor
at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant started operatingwith 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 20212030 foresees the country phasing out nuclear power
between 2027 and 2035. The reactors will operate foran average age of 47-48 years. As of 2021, a licenceextension to operate beyond 40 years was granted to all
Spanish reactors, except for Trillo, for which the licenceextension is expected by the end of 2023. Spain has seven

Akkuyu. This project, developed under a 2010 agreement
between Türkiye and Russia, will consist of four VVER1200s, each with a capacity of 1 200 MWe. Work started
on Akkuyu unit 1 in April 2018, on unit 2 in April 2020 and onunits 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 thatthe country plans to proceed with the development of
two additional nuclear power plants despite the failure ofprevious efforts to develop such projects.

• The United Kingdom envisions a significant accelerationof 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 newRegulated 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 foradvanced reactors. This fund is intended to support thecommercialisation of nuclear fission technologies to help
mature potential nuclear projects ahead of the government
selection process.

• In the United States, the Infrastructure Investment andJobs Act included USD 1.2 trillion (EUR 1.15 trillion) offederal 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 andare certified as safe to continue operations. As part of thisfunding, the DOE approved in November 2022 conditional
funding of up to USD 1.1 billion (EUR 1 billion) to preventthe 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 throughthe DOE’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program(ARDP). This programme supports the construction of two
demonstration advanced reactors that can be operationalin 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 athird unit at the Angra nuclear power plant (Angra 3). The
government keeps full control of nuclear activities throughthe company ENBpar. In October 2022, ENBPar took overownership 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 trackof 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 reachpeak emissions before 2030 and become carbon neutral
before 2060. This ambition is reflected in the 14th FiveYear Plan for 2021-2026, released in March 2021. It setsa target of 70 GWe of installed nuclear capacity, up from
52 GWe as of mid-2021.
In 2022, there were 18 reactors under constructionin 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 operationin April 2021. Unit 2 was connected to the grid in
September 2021 and is undergoing testing while thepower level is progressively increased. Construction of

10 | NEA Annual Report 2022

unit 3 was completed in November 2021, and the unit wasconnected to the grid for the first time in October 2022.
Overall, the Barakah project is close to finalisation, withthe 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 touranium 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 byutilities 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 theongoing geopolitical tensions.
Commercial uranium conversion facilities were in
operation in Canada, France, Russia and the United States,with the Honeywell (Converdyn) commercial plant inMetropolis, 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 andthe United States. In 2022 high-assay low-enriched uranium(HALEU) continued to attract a great deal of attention fromglobal nuclear fuel cycle producers, utilities and governments.
Many small modular reactors (SMRs) designers around theworld are developing advanced reactors that would require
HALEU-based fuel. Today, Russia is the only country witha commercial supply chain for HALEU. Several countries
are looking to diversify HALEU fuel supply, including theUnited States. In December 2022, the US Department ofEnergy (DOE) established a HALEU consortium with theaim to pool together entities across all the stages of thenuclear 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 todemonstrate the production of HALEU at the Piketon facilityby the end of 2023.

Nuclear safety and regulation
NEA member countries continued their collaboration
to enhance the robustness of nuclear installations andregulatory frameworks in 2022.
The regulatory bodies and technical support organisationsof 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 andthermal-hydraulics, fire propagation, nuclear fuel and othermaterials properties to limit uncertainties in computer code
applications and modelling.
In the area of safety technology, emphasis was put inrecent years on co-operative efforts to better understandthe 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 Riversite, in 2026 and plans to deploy a 300 MWe SMR at the
Darlington site by 2028.

• In the European Union, the French CEA and theEuropean Commission held the 10 th edition of theEuratom 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 theCouncil 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 thenational, European and international levels, synergies andpartnerships and future perspectives. The participants
shared information on achievements of some 80 projects
carried out since the previous conference edition in2019 (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 toevaluate 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 beendeveloped to allow for more accurate detection andcharacterising of IGSCC. Repairs are underway and are
expected to continue into 2023. The French Institutefor 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 ofqualified 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 theoperation of the two reactors of the Sendai nuclear power
plant, in south west Japan. Under regulations which cameinto 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 theCanadian 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 beonline during the coming winter – as of August, Sendai 1
and 2 were among five that were operating. Moregenerally, the GX (Green Transformation) Implementation
Council established by the Japanese government held afirst 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 throughthe 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 hightemperature heat above 900°C, making it possible touse 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 ofJapanese 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 tosupport 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 demonstratehydrogen 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-freehydrogen 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 approvedby 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 MultiApplication Small Light Water Reactor developed at
Oregon State University in the early 2000s. NuScale is anatural circulation light water reactor with the reactor coreand 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 relatedpool, 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 ofApplied 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, constructionof which started in Wuwei city, Gansu province, in
September 2018. Construction was completed in 2021
and commissioning was ongoing in 2022. Operation ofthis 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 thestate of nuclear safety and radiological protection in thatcountry. Because our Ukrainian colleagues are faced witha highly uncertain, ever-changing and very challenging

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022

situation, obtaining detailed information on a regularbasis has not always been possible. 15 pressurised water
reactors of Russian VVER design are operated by the StateEnterprise 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 thesite of an experimental nuclear reactor used for researchand 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 thatexperienced 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, includingorganisational factors and safety culture, is fundamental
for the safe operation of nuclear installations as well as forthe 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 improvethe understanding and the technical basis for treating theseelements, 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 thelessons 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 andresiliency 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 andregional 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 agreater extent. With a number of NEA countries looking tomove forward with new reactor builds, siting decisions fordeep 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 andtransparency.
As the pandemic reached its third year and signs of a
gradual abatement allowed for the resumption of a numberof delayed activities, the NEA moved forward with its
efforts related to country-specific safety culture initiatives.
NEA member countries have been highly motivated towork with the NEA to do comprehensive reviews of theirnational cultural traits and attributes and the impacts of theseon 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 areunderway for similar workshops in Japan in 2023 and in
Switzerland in 2024, with yet other events to come. Thereis 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 thesafety culture in the operational and regulatory organisations.

Participants take part ina 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 andenvironmental 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 fundingorganisations (the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commissionand Health Canada), and disseminate information to the
public and stakeholders.

• In Europe, the European partnership for radiologicalprotection research (PIANOFORTE), a project co-fundedby 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, theNational Academies of Sciences, Engineering, andMedicine (NASEM) appointed an expert committee
to recommend a long-term strategic and prioritised
research roadmap for an improved understanding of lowdose radiation health effects. In June 2022, the NASEM
published its report entitled Leveraging Advances inModern Science to Revitalize Low-dose Radiation
Research in the United States. This publication presents
the committee’s findings and recommendations for along-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 LowDose Research, is well placed to facilitate global co-ordination
in low-dose research, including through the development ofEmergency exercise.
Korea Institute of
Nuclear Safety

14 | NEA Annual Report 2022

tools/approaches to leverage research advances around theworld (from the researcher level, to the institutional, national,
regional or international level). This will provide scientificevidence to make radiation health risk estimates lessuncertain in the low-dose/low dose rate area, accelerate thetranslation of the most impactful research results into policy
and regulation, and reduce misunderstanding and mistrust ofradioprotection-related decisions in the low dose-exposurearea 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 throughmodelling, and developing briefings and public messaging
to keep stakeholders informed of the situation. Someneighbouring countries carried out additional activities, suchas 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-distributionof iodine tablets to local areas. The NEA continues to workwith member countries and has responded to several queries
for assistance.
In the area of emergency preparedness, response andrecovery, some countries have initiated research to movefrom 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 andpsychosocial impacts of these protective actions and how
to mitigate them.

• Health Canada completed research on the quantitative
comparison of health risks from radiation exposureand health consequences related to protective actions.
This research is part of a project to develop a decisionsupport framework to guide decision makers in a
nuclear emergency so that they can better balance nonradiological (psychosocial) and radiological health impacts.
In early 2022, a proof-of-concept decision-support tool
was created, representing a first approach to balance,Embalse nuclear power plant,
Argentina.
Mrcukilo (CC BY-SA 3.0)

on a quantifiable basis, the psychosocial (in this casedepression) and radiological impacts of evacuation andnon-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 toolin the emergency response community. The tool will be
refined based on the feedback.

management of radioactive waste, including interim storageand management options for spent nuclear fuel, are also
being discussed.

• In the United States, the NRC published a report• In Argentina, the operation of the Embalse nuclear

entitled Nonradiological Health Consequences from
Evacuation and Relocation (2021) to describe themeta-analysis of non-radiological health impacts(e.g. anxiety, heart disease, mortality) experienced by
evacuees and relocated populations after various typesof emergencies. The NRC report provides evidence fora correlation between displacement and all consideredhealth impacts. Statistically significant increases wereobserved among displaced populations compared to nondisplaced populations for most health effects including
depression, psychological distress, post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD), sleep problems and mortality. The reportunderlines the need for a risk-informed approach toselecting and implementing protective actions in a nuclear
or radiological emergency.

International organisations are supporting the developmentof more holistic protection approaches. Next to the advanced
work of the NEA Expert Group on Non-radiological Public
Health Aspects of Radiation Emergency Planning andResponse (EGNR), the IAEA’s Emergency Preparedness
and Response Standards Committee (EPReSC) has createda new working group on “managing non-radiologicalconsequences”. The World Health Organisation has further
released a free online training on “Introducing Mental Healthand Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS) in Emergencies”, which
includes a module on MHPSS before, during and afterradiological 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 participationin 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

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.
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 arehandled 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, todetermine the treatment and conditioning techniques,to control conditioned waste quality, and to provide acomplete and updated radiological inventory of all waste.
LABCAR continued its work in 2022. Conceptual andbasic 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 totransfer used fuel assemblies from Atucha 1 used fuelpool began on 27 August 2022.

• In Australia, the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency(ARWA) is responsible for planning around the managementof radioactive waste and the establishment of a suitablenational 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 thereturned 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) isconstructing a new synroc facility to condition ILW arisingfrom the production of Mo-99. The project team reacheda milestone on 2 December 2021 when it completed thebuilding. The “fit-out” process has commenced, and coldcommissioning 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 additionalten years (until 2037) of temporary storage of solidintermediate waste from existing radiopharmaceuticalproduction processes at ANSTO. It is expected that bythis 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 asite for the ILWCI facility.

• In Belgium, the National Agency for Radioactive Waste

and Enriched Fissile Material (ONDRAF/NIRAS) launchedin 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 thefederal government level.

Tabloo visitor and meeting
centre, Dessel, Belgium.
Tabloo16 | 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 beaddressed by ONDRAF/NIRAS. This allowed FANC to start
public consultation in the communities within 5 km of thesite 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 ispreparing 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 fora licence for the RECUMO waste treatment installation
on 20 December 2019. RECUMO is an installation inwhich 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 otherengagement 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 tohost a DGR: Ignace and South Bruce, both in Ontario.
After the decision by Saugeen Ojibway Nation to notsupport the proposed Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
DGR project in 2020, OPG is exploring other options andengaging with key stakeholders to develop an alternate
site selection process. Any new site selection process
would include engagement with Indigenous peoples aswell 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 tohost the facility from nine to four in 2019. The aim is toselect a site in 2025, with an on-site underground researchfacility planned for 2030-2045. The Czech government isalso 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 excavationof 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 thetunnels is about 1 700 metres. Now the construction of
the final disposal tunnels continues with the strengtheningof 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 forapproximately 180 disposal capsules will be drilled in thefirst five disposal tunnels. A major milestone was reachedin 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 casefor 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 forthe 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 theHanhikivi 1 project.

• In France, the National Radioactive Materials andWaste 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 theparticipation of a diverse steering committee comprisingproducers of radioactive waste, licensees of the facilities
managing this waste, the assessment and oversightauthorities and environmental protection associations.
The main objectives of the PNGMDR are to identify theexisting radioactive waste inventory and the expected
needs for storage and disposal; determine the handling ofradioactive waste for which there is no final management
solution; and organise research and studies related toradioactive 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 aproject called “Acaci”, Andra is studying the possibility

Five barriers work together tosafely contain and isolate theused nuclear fuel from people
and the environment.
Nuclear Waste Management
Organization, Canada

17

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022

of increasing the authorised disposal capacity ofCires 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, thetenth construction stage, which started in 2018, is stillin progress in 2023. The CSM has been in a monitoring
phase since 2003. The ASN and the French Institute forRadiological 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 andNecessity (DUP) allows other authorisation applications
to be made relating to site preparation work that is crucial
to constructing Cigéo (such as preventive archaeologicalwork, road and railway construction and electricity andwater supply). The licensing process for Cigéo willcontinue 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 supportof the IRSN.

• In Germany, the Federal Waste Management Organisation(BGE) held a Subareas Conference in 2021 to discussdisposal siting. The participants of the Subareas Conference
published an extensive report on 7 September 2021 andhanded their recommendations to the BGE. After theparticipation process a regularly scheduled public forum
and an accompanying advisory and planning group wereconvened. These newly created instruments of public
participation are to accompany the site selection process
over the coming years. The Federal Office for the Safetyof Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) supports them intheir 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 tofurther narrow down the number of possible disposalsites. For this purpose, areas have been defined in which
methods to compare possible disposal sites are being
developed. The BGE plans to discuss the implementationof 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 safetyassessment has already included the acceptance (anddisposal) 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 theoperational licence. On 4 June 2021, PURAM submitted
an additional request to the HAEA regarding themodification 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 insidethem. 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 toJanuary 2022. The final version of TG 32 was issued in
May 2022. The final version of the guide was publishedin July 2022. The Technical Guide proposal No. 33
establishes the criteria that must be met for a correct
management of radioactive waste, taking into accountthe nature and radiological risk associated with each typeof waste, and defines the minimum requirements forradioactive 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

NW
500

Morley0- 500

MSE 101

Cretaceous
Tithonian limestone
Kimmeridgian marl

HTM 105 Cirfontaines
HTM 102

ne

Oxfordian limesto

500

- 500

y

Toarcian cla

2 Km

SE

0

dian
Callovo-Oxfor
Dogger limestone0

18 | NEA Annual Report 2022

EST 103

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 tobe realised (LLW repository and ILW/HLW storage) are
the object of a national debate, with the goal of reachinga declaration of interest by involved communities. Onceone or more regions show interest, Sogin will perform
extensive on-site investigations. In July 2022, Soginpublished on its website the observations and technicalproposals 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 thesouth of Italy and CEMEX at the EUREX site in the northof 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 anddata, which served as references for the Nationwide Mapof “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 toencourage the acceptance of the Literature Survey inas many areas as possible. In February 2021, NUMO
published the generic safety case report, which had beenrevised after a review by the Atomic Energy Society ofJapan (AESJ). The English version of the report wasreviewed by the International Review Team organised by
the NEA in 2022. In the off-site, generic UndergroundResearch Laboratory (URL) project, the Japan Atomic
Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting threeresearch 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 planfor 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 forthe disposal of low-level radioactive waste, is underlicensing process for construction. Korea Radioactive
Waste Agency (KORAD) is undertaking the conceptual

An assessor of the regulatory authority seals a UVBA-typecontainer 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 ofhigh-level radioactive waste management policy. Basedon this, “the 2nd master plan for HLW management” wasestablished 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 thestorage 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 thecurrent 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 anindependent regulatory body, reviewed and assessed
the licence application for the Halden site, including theHalden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) and associatedfuel 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 ofRadioactive 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 isin progress. The National Radioactive Waste Repository inRozan (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 andrefurbishment 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 eightcells) 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 the12th 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 thelong-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 ofdevelopment of the Unified State System for Radioactive
Waste Management (USS RW). One of the priorities isthe 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 wellas transport infrastructure, road access to the site, andinternal and external engineering networks. Constructionof the disposal facility in the Novouralsk region, with a
total capacity of 39 300 m3, was finished in 2021 andthe facility is now being operated. A large-scale R&D
programme is being implemented with the main focus onfield studies of the host rock in the construction area (in the
Nizhnekansk rock mass). More detailed information on thecharacteristics of the accumulated vitrified HLW inventory
is being collected. Surface support infrastructure facilities
are being constructed at the future URL site (KrasnoyarskyKray), 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 theconstruction of the URL. Development was started of a“digital URL twin” enabling the visualisation of various
operations and studies during the URL’s construction andoperation. 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 formanagement of spent fuel and radioactive waste in 2021,
taking into consideration the transposition of the EC
Directive 2011/70/EURATOM. The preparation of anotherpartial 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 theother for the incineration of radioactive waste, to add newtechnologies to the processing and treatment process.
The equipment for re-melting metal radioactive waste iscurrently at the stage of an inactive test. Active operationof 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 forrepository construction and disposal containers in thesecond 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 theend of 2027. In the second phase, the remaining half ofSlovenian 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 willenter a standby phase until re-entering operation in 2050.
All spent fuel is currently stored in spent fuel pools. Afterthe 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 theimplementation stage, as Krško’s operator intends to startbuilding 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 managementof 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 conductedin October 2018 in Spain. The conclusions of the review
team stressed the need to progress in the licensing ofa 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 EcologicalTransition 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 alegal, regulatory, and procedural framework ensuring highlevel support for a disposal programme in the country. The
Terms of Reference of the Working Group were approvedin May 2020, and its roadmap in September 2021. The
El Cabril LILW and very-low-level waste (VLLW) nearsurface disposal facility keeps operating regularly. Work
to find a definitive disposal solution for HLW, spent fueland 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 twocells 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 andthe European Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS),
as well as the implementation of the Western European
Nuclear Regulators Association’s (WENRA) applicablesafety reference levels. Key regulations governing theconstruction, assessment and operation of nuclear powerreactors as well as waste management practices cameinto force on 1 March 2022. In order to mitigate the effectsof the COVID-19 pandemic, task groups have been set up
to continuously analyse the situation and lend support todecision making. Further to the SSM’s recommendation toapprove 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 functionof the copper canisters in relation to the long-term safetyof the repository, the government issued a licence underthe Act on Nuclear Activities and positively assessed thepermissibility 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 tobe 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 madeby 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 therelevant 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 theCommission for Nuclear Safety (CNS) were publishedin 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 firstnational radioactive waste disposal facility project as anear-surface disposal solution. The site selection phaseis almost complete, with some site studies continuing.

• In the United Kingdom, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning

Authority (NDA) announced in January 2022 the formationof a new waste division, Nuclear Waste Services, tooversee 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 securemanagement 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 istaking place in England and Wales only. There has beensome important early progress in the siting process for ageological disposal facility, with community engagement
beginning at four sites in England. Three of the sites are inwest 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 publishedits latest version of the Interim Storage Guidance ofHigher Activity Waste Packages based on an Integrated
Approach in December 2021. This guidance seeks tocover the main technical issues identified from the interim
storage of packaged higher activity radioactive waste, tobe practicable in implementation, and to be relevant toall UK storage system designs. The “Sort & Segregate”
innovation competition was launched in July 2020 and the
Aqueous Waste Management Good Practice Guide waspublished 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 andStorage Fuel Pond has since been used for the storage ofspent 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. Thereare currently no proposals to reprocess the spent fuelarising 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

A load of high-activity waste en routefor 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)

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 aconsent-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 theconsent-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 fromthe RFI to develop the next steps, including updating theconsent-based siting process, clarifying an integrated
waste management strategy, and possibly issuing afunding opportunity. From the regulatory perspective,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff hascompleted its safety, environmental and security reviews
for the consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) of
Interim Storage Partners, LLC (ISP), a joint venture ofWaste Control Specialists (WCS), in Andrews County,
Texas. It issued a materials licence for the CISF in
September 2021. The NRC is currently reviewing thesecond 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 thelimits for Class C LLW as provided in Title 10 of the Codeof Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61.55, and requires
isolation from the human environment for a longer periodof time than do Class A, B and C LLW. GTCC LLW and
GTCC-like waste consists of: activated metals from thedecommissioning of nuclear reactors; sealed sourcesthat are no longer needed in hospitals, universities, andindustry; and other waste made up of contaminatedequipment, debris, scrap metal, filters, resins, soil andsolidified sludge. The DOE issued the Final Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Disposal of GTCC LLW
and GTCC-like waste, which contained an analysis ofalternatives for the disposal of GTCC LLW and GTCC-likewaste. The preferred alternative in the Final EIS is landdisposal at generic commercial facilities and/or disposal
at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) geologicalrepository. The DOE also submitted the alternative
analysis to Congress as required by Section 631 of theEnergy 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 theagreement state’s requests, the NRC prepared a draft

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 arepotentially suitable for near-surface disposal. In addition,
the staff concluded that most of the GTCC waste streams
potentially suitable for near-surface disposal do notpresent a hazard such that the NRC should retain disposal
authority. Lastly, the staff recommended combining the
GTCC and transuranic waste rulemaking actions with theongoing Title 10 CFR Part 61 rulemaking effort.

Nuclear decommissioning andlegacy management
Over 203 reactors, including commercial power reactors andexperimental 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 theiroperating 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 progresscontinues 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 workfor 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 theabove. Funding has been approved for phase one of thedecommissioning process, which covers all but the reactor
block dismantling. Discussions between the project teamand 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 wasteburied in closely spaced unlined trenches between 1960
and 1968. The site has undergone an extensive scientificevaluation in recent years and was judged to not present a
hazard in its present state. However, a process known as23

Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot.
Create Ltd

the “bathtub effect” has been observed in the mobilisationof 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, amajor study of beryllium is underway. Beryllium disposedto 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 forapproval 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 dismantlingof the nuclear power reactors, as phase-out is foreseen
in 2025 in Belgium. Belgoprocess also continues thedismantling 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 themid-2020s. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission(CNSC) issued a 10 -year decommissioning licenceto Hydro-Québec for Gentilly-2 in June 2016. All usedfuel was transferred from wet to dry storage by the endof 2020, permitting the drainage of the storage pool.
Hydro-Québec has adopted a deferred decommissioning
strategy, with final decommissioning expected to takeplace 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 ensurethat the installation fulfils design requirements until apermanent 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 amulti-decade process with distinct phases, beginningwith removal of the fuel and water to place the station ina 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 andsocially 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 andaligns 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 forgenerations to come, far into the future.

• In Finland, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority(STUK), the national regulator, is overseeing the decommissioning 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 Centreof Finland Ltd (VTT) was granted the decommissioning
licence by the Council of State, after STUK performed thesafety assessment in 2019. The VTT shipped all used fuelfrom 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 broadcollaboration on the decommissioning of FiR 1, including
dismantling planning, dismantling and waste management.
The plans for dismantling are essentially complete, and themain dismantling phase is scheduled for 2023, followed byclearance of the site. The STUK has reviewed the technicalplans and reports submitted by VTT in 2022 and given
to the Finnish Government the safety assessment on thedecommissioning 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), Oranoand 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. Decommissioningis 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 reducethe volume of waste to be disposed of, in considerationof 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 longterm. 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 thelatter technology, EDF Chinon A2 will be the first of its
kind full-scale graphite nuclear power plant in the world tobe dismantled. Dismantling will start in 2032, using mainly
innovative remotely operated devices. To meet such achallenge, 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 andEuropean 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 useof remote handling and digital tools for decommissioning.
In 2022, the CEA continued its decommissioning andwaste retrieval projects, especially in three main directions.
First, historic waste retrieval remains the highest priority.
For some of the most important retrieval projects, designphases 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 robustnessof its strategy, especially on waste management facilities
and transportation casks. Important maintenance workon the facilities, which deal with irradiated waste, isbeing 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 ofthese projects are undertaken inside the H2020 frame,such as Inno4graph, which deals with graphite reactor
dismantling, or the LD-safe project for laser cutting ofcomplex components of nuclear reactors.

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 andwaste 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 thesilo is in progress; (iii) Silos STE2, a 10 000 m3 inventoryof 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 plantrinsing from 2012 to 2016, the decommissioning licenceswere 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 andpackaging 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 ofcompliance 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

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

25

NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN 2022

• In Italy, nine nuclear installations are in thedecommissioning phase and have reached different
stages of dismantling. All the plants are managed by theSocietà Gestione Impianti Nucleari SpA (Sogin), ownedby 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 forthe production of nuclear fuel LEU), and (3) the ISPRA 1
research reactor located at the Ispra Joint Research Centreof 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 andthe 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 theinitial phase of dismantling, starting with the dismantlingof the steam generators. The fuel cycle pilot plants havecompleted the removal of fuel and nuclear material andare engaged in the construction of medium-range liquidradioactive waste conditioning plants, while the industrial
nuclear fuel production plant is in the final stage ofdecommissioning. In June 2022, Sogin announced thecompletion 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 thedesign, construction, operation, closure and post-closureof surface disposal facilities for radioactive waste.

• In Japan, from the viewpoint of resource utilisation, there isan 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 decommissioningof 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 February2022, with a robotic arm developed with the United
Kingdom.

26 | NEA Annual Report 2022

– Swimming robots have been deployed in the primarycontainment vessel of unit 1 since February 2022 toinvestigate internal circumstances.

– The IAEA released the report of a peer review on

decommissioning of FDNPS (August 2021), andappreciated the announcement in April 2021 of theGovernment of Japan’s basic policy on the handling of
the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treatedwater stored in the FDNPS, as it will facilitate theimplementation of the decommissioning plan.

– Based on the above basic policy, TEPCO will conduct thedischarge 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 withinternational safety standards. This project was initiatedin 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 valuableknow-how and technology. It said the decommissioning
industry can become a new growth engine for theenergy industry. Under the phase-out plan announced
by the government, Korea would reduce the number ofcommercial nuclear reactors to 14 units by 2038 from thecurrent 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 decommissioningof unit 1 at the Kori nuclear power plant will help Korea
acquire the technology needed to further develop theindustry. 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

Interim storage of radioactive
waste (IS RAW) on the site of
Jaslovské Bohunice.
JAVYS• 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 anddecommissioning, as well as running the repositories fornuclear waste and spent fuel. The NND has submitted
partial licence applications in 2021. The final licenceapplication 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 barriermaterials. Operations on PUGR ADE-1 decommissioning
have started. The spaces of the reactor shaft and nonreactor rooms were backfilled with barrier materials andtemperature 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 (pulpstorage), 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 thehydrogeological 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 weretransported for long-term storage to the Sayda storage
facility. A refining radiation survey was performed forthe 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 andnuclear-powered icebreaker Siberia operated by Atomflot.
A total of 88 800 m 2 of radioactively contaminatedareas were remediated. In 2022, the efforts on the
introduction of modern digital information technologies tosupport 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 thefirst place and sites No. 1 and 2 operated by JSC Radium
Institute. The models were built using ground-basedlaser scanning method, as well as taking into accountthe available design and as-built documentation and thecomprehensive 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 theA1 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 in2006 and 2008. In 2022, these two projects continued
with certain restrictions and under conditions set bydecommissioning company JAVYS. Decommissioning of
the V1 nuclear power plant is currently focused on thedismantling of large components of the reactor coolingsystem, fragmentation of activated components, as wellas 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 havebeen 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, thedismantling of steam generators, CO2 compressors andmain 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 internationallyrecognised 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, theowner 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 andintermediate-level waste (LILW) and spent nuclear fuelfrom the Krško nuclear power plant (the Decommissioning
Programme) was prepared in April 2004 and approvedin 2005. The Decommissioning Programme must be
updated at least every five years. An intergovernmental
commission gave its final approval of the third revisionin July 2020. The Slovenian government decided thatstarting 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 andcomposition 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 thedecommissioning programme for the Central Storage
Facility for Radioactive Waste in Brinje (CSF). It is expectedthat all LILW from the CSF that meets the disposal waste
acceptance criteria will be transported to and disposed ofin 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 decommissioningof the CSF, which is planned for 2058. According to this
scenario, the CSF’s will be decommissioned in 2058 andhanded 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 3of the dismantling process is expected to start by 2030.
The decommissioning of José Cabrera (Zorita), a PWRtype 160 MWe reactor, is close to its final stages. Once thedismantling of systems and components, the removal ofactivated/contaminated structures and embedments andthe 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 contaminatedmaterials 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 (BWR460 MWe), was permanently shut down in 2017. A report
explaining the approach of dismantling in two phases waspresented to the Ministry for Ecological Transition andthe 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 forwork 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 tothe plant’s individual spent fuel storage facility, as wellas on the dismantling of the turbine building, with theaim 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 requireauthorisation from MITERD after a favourable report fromthe 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 decontaminationand 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 initialengineering 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 firstdecommissioning activities, the segmentation of thereactor internals, were conducted between 2016 and2018. 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 theunits in 2019. Since 2020, the licensee has completed thesegmentation of the reactor pressure vessel in Barsebäck
unit 1, the dismantling of the turbines and generators inboth units, and the dismantling of part of the systems in
the containment of unit 1. The current work is focusedon the dismantling of the condensers in both units, ofthe biological shield in unit 1 and of part of the systems
in the reactor buildings of both units. The radiologicaldismantling and demolition of Barsebäck units 1 and 2
is planned to be completed by 2028. Clearance of theremaining structures of unit 1 and 2 and their conventional
demolition is planned to be completed by 2030. At thispoint, only the three interim storage facilities will remain
in operation on a smaller part of the Barsebäck site. Thesefacilities will be decommissioned once the nuclear waste
has been transferred to the respective final repository or
an external interim storage facility. No shallow land-fillexists on the Barsebäck site.
At the Oskarshamn site, the two oldest boiling water
reactors, units 1 and 2, were permanently shut down in2017 and 2015, respectively. All spent nuclear fuel, control
rods and core instrumentation from these units weretransferred to the Central Interim Storage Facility (CLAB) by
2019. The first decommissioning activities (segmentationof reactor internals) were conducted between 2018 and2020. 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 isavailable around 2045. In 2019, the licensee, OKG AB,
was granted all necessary authorisations for the remaining
dismantling and demolition activities. Since 2020, thelicensee has completed the dismantling of the turbinesand generators in both units. The ongoing work comprises
the dismantling of systems in the containments andthe 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 shutdownof 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. Transferof the spent nuclear fuel and control rods to CLAB wascompleted 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 underdecommissioning 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, wasplanned to be completed in 2022 with the clearance forfree 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 forthe 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 wereconstructed and operated in the 1960s. All remaining
nuclear installations are now demolished. The restorationand final radiological survey of the site are finished. Siterelease for industrial use with restrictions was approvedat the end of 2019. The mill tailings area close to theindustrial site will remain under institutional control. As alast regulatory oversight activity, the SSM reviewed thefinal 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 planfor 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 outof the turbine floor and the installation of decontamination
and waste treatment facilities as well as the removalof the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) internals. Nearly
all decontamination and waste treatment facilities inthe turbine building were installed and the logistics
infrastructure was extended with the installation offour new freight elevators. Due to transport route andlogistics optimisations, a new zone for free releasemeasures 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 requiredfor cooling the spent fuel elements were taken out ofservice and successively dismantled. In addition to otherminor dismantling activities, the internals of the torus
were removed. The completion of the dismantling of thetorus 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 theend of 2021 to allow necessary preparatory work for thetransport of spent fuel to the Swiss central interim storagein 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 tocreate 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 alreadybeen completely decommissioned (VAKL Lucens, Uni
Genève Research Reactor and Uni Basel Research Reactor).
Four nuclear facilities (DIORIT, SAPHIR, PROTEUS and thePaul 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 andclean-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 anational priority. The NDA’s funding has been maintainedat around GBP 3 billion a year, enabling it to continue tomake progress on decommissioning, with a particularfocus 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 experienceand 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 ofdecommissioning strategies. For some sites this will
result in their decommissioning being brought forward,
whilst for others a deferral strategy with varying careand 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 andthe Special Nuclear Materials Facilities. The retrievals
programme to remove the inventory of radioactive wastefrom the Legacy Ponds and Silos is being accelerated
with the use of innovative technology and first-of-a-kindsolutions. Recent achievement includes:– Nuclear clean-up teams have removed the huge diffuserat the top of the Windscale Pile Chimney on the Sellafieldsite after 3 years of careful dismantling. The diffuser
gave the 125-metre chimney its distinctive top heavy
appearance. The achievement has also removed theseismic risk associated with the chimney.

– Sellafield Ltd’s supply chain team received nationalrecognition in three categories at a prestigious Excellencein Procurement awards in London. The company was
highly commended in the Best Supplier RelationshipManagement Initiative category alongside supply
chain partner State of Flux at the Chartered Institute ofProcurement 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 substancesmanagement, 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 invarious 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 inAugust 2020. The NRC approved the licence transfer of
Kewaunee to EnergySolutions, which will also be moving
to active decommissioning. The 17 power reactors inactive 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 CFRPart 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 radiologicaldecommissioning. 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 tolicense termination. The La Crosse licence termination
plan was approved in 2019. In May 2022, NRC approved apartial site release of La Crosse site Class 2 and 3 survey
units that constituted a significant portion of the site forunrestricted 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 wastransferred 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, asubsidiary of EnergySolutions. GE Vallecitos Boiling
Water Reactor (GE-VBWR) is expecting to complete theremoval of the remaining reactor components in 2023. The
Nuclear Ship Savannah has completed modifications toallow 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, andIndian 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, haveissued 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, andother 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 ofEnergy (CC0)The NRC is currently overseeing nine complex materials
sites that are undergoing decommissioning. Complex
materials sites are defined as sites where the complexityof the decommissioning process will require morethan minimal technical and administrative support. The
decommissioning process is expected to take morethan a year to complete for these sites. Examples ofcomplex materials sites include sites with groundwatercontamination, sites containing significant soil
contamination, sites in which the owners are in bankruptcy,
any site where a decommissioning plan is required, all fuelcycle facilities undergoing decommissioning, and sites
where there is significant public and/or Congressional
interest. In 2021, decommissioning activities werecompleted at the United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) site inConnecticut, and the site was released for unrestricted use.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for andhas 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 legacyof 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 totransfer over 3 500 acres (1 400 hectares) of cleared landfor 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, thenational center for handling, processing and storing highly
enriched uranium. Crews there are now in various stages ofdeactivation and demolition preparation inside 23 facilities,
including former research reactors, uranium processing
facilities, isotope and fission development laboratories andsupport 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, withthe expectation that the remaining structural demolition
would be completed in 2022. Also, the Portsmouthsite 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 thePortsmouth cleanup project.

– Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC):

Significant progress on cleanup at ETEC continued fora 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 ofthe 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 proceedwith 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 anddefueled 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

Sizewell Nuclear Power
Plant, Suffolk,
United Kingdom.
Phil Silverman/Shutterstockfrom existing regulations; and support the principles
of good regulation, including openness, clarity, andreliability. The NRC obtained public input on an advancenotice of proposed rulemaking, a draft regulatory basis,
and a draft regulatory analysis. To date, the NRC has
completed the regulatory basis (published in November2017) and the associated regulatory analysis (publishedin 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 andeducation
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 tobuild 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 ofsmall 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 foranother nuclear power plant. The UK government gave thego-ahead to the Sizewell C nuclear plant and launched anenergy security strategy to increase research funding thatwill benefit advanced nuclear technologies. Policy towards
nuclear energy in Asia has also seen the governments ofJapan and Korea plan to enhance energy generated from
nuclear power.
The technology within the plants has become morerobust, with years of research and development (R&D)
translating to significant improvement to plant performanceand safety. Framatome announced the completion of thesecond 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 leadtest assemblies are being irradiated in various Americanand European commercial reactors with post-irradiation
examination showing promising performance. The firsttests with accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding have been
completed within the NEA Framework for Irradiation
Experiments (FIDES), which was established in 2021 to

face the dwindling availability of material test reactors. In asimilar 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 wasconnected 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 theintent of demonstrating the technology by early 2030.
To address the timely topic of advanced reactor fuelcycle issues, two reports have been released: a reportby the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, andMathematics (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 ofa 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) areconsidered 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 thedevelopment of the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment(MCRE) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which will be thefirst 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 loadedwith uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, making aconsiderable 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 technicalbasis that demonstrates the functional performance ofuranium oxycarbide (UCO) TRISO fuel to support the useof 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 isexpected that countries will need to co-operate to efficiently
develop and test innovative fuels.
Advances in machine learning are being used toaccelerate 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 coupledwith experimental data to provide first-of-a-kind informationon three-dimensional tomographic data on the compositionof irradiated fuel.
Similar to material test reactors, the scarcity of bothcritical 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 experimentmachines at the National Criticality Experiments ResearchCentre (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 seriesof experiments to provide validation cases for plutonium
systems. Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) and Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL) are collaborating on the design ofheating and cooling systems for the water of the SNL criticalfacility; and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
is working with the Los Alamos Laboratory (LANL) and the
UK National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) to design temperaturedependent 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 andaffordability 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 CleanupCompany (CPCCo), a contractor of the US Department ofEnergy Office of Environmental Management’s Richland
Operations Office, hosted 20 college interns and co-operativeeducation 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 thedemand for education and training activities. By analysing
the number of students and types of educational degrees,
the discussions with universities will aid in the establishmentof 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 theParis Convention entered into force. The two Protocols wereformally 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 underconstruction 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 themost recent and significant improvements, which wereagreed in 2004 to reflect the lessons learnt from the effectsof 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 aminimum of EUR 700 million, up from the previous minimumof 5 million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) and maximumof 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 moredetailed definition of “nuclear damage”. The Three Mile
Island and the Chernobyl accidents made it clear thatpreventive measures for the former and economic losses,
the cost of preventive measures, and the cost of restoring theenvironment for the latter were major parts of the damage
resulting from a nuclear incident. The Paris Convention waschanged to clearly specify these and other categories ofdamage to the existing ones of personal injury and damage toproperty, such as personal injury or loss of life and for a wider
range of damage suffered, such as economic loss, the costof preventive measures and of measures of reinstatementof an impaired environment. Further, victims are now able tofile claims over a longer period of time (30 years following a
nuclear accident, instead of 10 years).
Equally important is the expansion of the geographicalscope 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 todamage 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 auspicesof 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 theParis 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 madeavailable in case of a nuclear accident to persons situated incountries that are parties to this convention, i.e.:• 1st tier, corresponding to the operator’s liability amountunder 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;• 3rd tier, to be provided by contributions from all thestates 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 someparties 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 theCouncil 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 ofratification of, or accession to, the 2004 Protocol to amend theParis Convention. This decision was taken due to provisionsof the Paris Convention regarding the judicial resolution of
disputes, a subject that falls within the exclusive competenceof 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 theVienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, theProtocol 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 theConvention on Supplementary Compensation, which is the
only IAEA convention that also provides for additional publicfunds, 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 toat 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 anuclear liability convention. This is the case for Benin, Ghana,Montenegro, Romania and the United Arab Emirates. ■

35

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

NuclearDevelopment
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to provide governments
and other relevant stakeholders with authoritative, reliable
information and analyses on the role of nuclear energy inmeeting policy priorities, including with respect to climatechange mitigation and adaptation, energy security andeconomic development. The NEA provides information andanalysis to decision makers in the areas of nuclear energy
economics and financing, electricity and uranium resource
markets, nuclear technologies, as well as innovation anddisruptive technologies from within and outside the nuclear
sector. The NEA Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Strategy
includes work related to reactor concepts and configurations
and the markets and applications for power and heat,and seeks to enable conditions for SMR demonstration,
deployment and commercialisation. The NEA engages withthe private sector to obtain information, knowledge anddata relevant to the NEA’s work. NEA staff work closelywith the Committee for Technical and Economic Studies on
Nuclear Energy Development and the Fuel Cycle (NDC) and
its associated expert groups. Staff ensure co-ordination
with other NEA and OECD programmes of work as needed.

Nuclear Technolo
gy Developm
ent and Economi
2022

ChangeClimateMeeting rgets:
Ta
ergy
En
NuclearBeyond Electricit
y: The Economi
cs of Nuclear

e of
The Rolcs

Beyond Electricity:
The Economics
of
Nuclear CogenerationIn 2022, the NEA launched its Small Modular
Reactor (SMR) Strategy as a cross-cutting
approach to ensure proper and efficient co-ordination of the SMR-related activities implemented
across the different NEA bodies, as well as serving
as a structured way to communicate NEA’s workand results in this field. The NEA SMR Strategy
creates an analytical framework for understanding and analysing the conditions for successful
development and deployment of SMRs acrossvarious power and non-power markets.
In May 2022, the NEA published the report entitled Meeting Climate Targets: The Role of Nuclear
Energy. Building on the 90 net zero pathways
reviewed by the International Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC), the report concludes that tripling
installed nuclear capacity by 2050 with 1 160 GWe
is an ambitious but achievable target.
The NEA also published in 2022 a series of publications focused on non-electric applications of
nuclear power: Beyond Electricity: The Economics
of Nuclear Cogeneration, High-temperature Gascooled Reactors and Industrial Heat Applications
and The Role of Nuclear Power in the Hydrogen
Economy: Cost and Competitiveness. Both technical and economic aspects are assessed in thesepublications.
On behalf of the Clean Energy Ministerial(CEM) NICE Future initiative, the NEA co-ordinatedthe Nuclear-Hydrogen Digest, a collection of initiatives from both public and private stakeholders
around the world elaborating how nuclear energy
could provide an actionable path to decarbonise
hard-to-abate sectors.
In 2022, the NEA strengthened its engagementwith industry and convened the first meeting of the
Nuclear Industry Engagement Set (NIES) on SMR
and Generation IV reactors in October in Toronto,
Canada, on the margins of the 4th International
Conference on Generation IV and Small Reactors(G4SR-4), and the first GIF Industry Forum. The
NEA also organised the first meeting of the NIES on
SMR Industrial Applications (SMIA) in June 2022.

Cogeneration

Small modular reactors(MWe), with some as small as 1-10 MWe. The reactors aredesigned for modular manufacturing, factory production,transportability and scalable deployment. SMRs are designed
to use nuclear fission reactions to create heat that can beused 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
concepts.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) continue to build momentum
among policymakers and industry players as a promising
nuclear technology, as SMRs are smaller, both in terms of
power output and physical size, than conventional gigawattscale nuclear reactors. Typically, SMRs are nuclear reactors
with a power output of less than 300 megawatts electric

In the light of some NEA member countries’ increasing
interest in SMRs – and in line with the priorities reflectedin the NEA Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 – the NEA has
developed its SMR Strategy. The NEA SMR Strategy
facilitates gap analysis and work planning across the Agency
to ensure NEA programmes of work directly support the

NE A
NE A

36 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Artist’s impression of
SMRs for data centres.
Third Waypriorities of member countries related to SMRs, and supports
dialogue and co-operation with member countries as well as
partners and stakeholders. Beyond technical feasibility, theNEA SMR Strategy connects the technology push in thisfield 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 andtransparency on SMR-related activities within the Agency.
In 2022, two additional activities of interest wereadvanced on SMRs:• Case studies on specific SMR applications: Casestudies were initiated in 2022 for completion in 20232024 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; anddiesel 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 andconsultations 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 thestrategic 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 andsystematically assesses the opportunities and challenges
associated with four main nuclear technology options: longterm operation (LTO), the construction of large Generation
III reactors, SMRs (including advanced nuclear) and thedevelopment 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 beachieved through a combination of long-term operation ofexisting plants and future deployment of Generation III newbuilds, as well as small modular and Generation IV reactors forelectric and non-electric applications, including industrial heatand hydrogen production, in particular to reduce emissions

in hard-to-abate sectors such as industry. To achieve thisambitious 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 keyrole to play in securing affordable financing for new nuclear
projects. A system costs approach is required to understandthe full costs of electricity provision and to ensure thatmarkets place value on desired performance and outcomes:
minimal emissions; high reliability and dispatchability; withadvances 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 importantroles 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 becomea leading solution in this context. It will, however, only be acoherent solution if the electricity used as feedstock comesfrom low-carbon sources.
A significant number of countries are therefore considering arole for nuclear energy in their hydrogen strategies. This reportprovides 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, inparticular, 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 dispatchabilityof nuclear energy could contribute to improve the costefficiency 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 frompublic and private stakeholders around the world showing
how nuclear energy could provide an actionable path todecarbonise 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 powerhas contributed to the supply of low-carbon heat to industrial
sectors that need relatively lower temperature heat – up toaround 150°C. High-temperature reactor technologies now
under development can produce heat of 700°C or above andare expected to expand the opportunities for the nuclear sector
to contribute to the deep decarbonisation of heavy industry.

energy decision makers and experts assess the costs andbenefits of having nuclear energy provide both low-carbon
electricity and low-carbon heat.

This study presents the latest development for hightemperature reactors, and discusses their potential andlimitations 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 anopportunity to benefit from the insights of a diverse set ofexperts, including nuclear technology developers, industrial
heat users, economic and market analysts and policymakers.

System costs in decarbonising the electricity
system – an NEA country-specific systems cost study
for Switzerland: In 2021-2022, the NEA performed anin-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 andnuclear long-term operation (LTO). For comparison purposes,
an additional option with a mix of VRE and two nuclear newbuilds with Generation III+ reactor was also considered. Eachscenario 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.

Beyond Electricity: The Economics of Nuclear
Cogeneration: Nuclear energy is an important source of
low-carbon electricity and thus plays a significant role inavoiding 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 andfaster carbon emission reductions in an economic and safemanner. Indeed, until recently the economic competitivenessof 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 andcarbon costs are increasingly accounted for, the economics
of nuclear cogeneration become more favourable. A goodunderstanding of the technical realities and economics ofnuclear cogeneration, including its implications for electricity
and energy systems, is essential to take advantage of thischanged environment. This NEA report provides a thoroughoverview of nuclear cogeneration, with a view to helping

38 | NEA Annual Report 2022

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.

The study led to the conclusion that scenarios built on
a generation mix of renewables and nuclear baseload haveconsistently lower system costs than scenarios based
exclusively on VRE. The analysis shows that the most costeffective 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 ofinterconnection capacity. Switzerland’s high level of domestic
flexibility renders a VRE-only strategy technically feasible
as long as the level of interconnection capacity remains attoday’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 contributionof nuclear LTO, the work provided an opportunity to build up
the NEA’s modelling capabilities, which now include a stateof-the-art linear and mixed-integer optimisation model, called
POSY, for the analysis of integrated electricity systems.

Nuclear energy economics andfinancing
As a dispatchable and scalable low-carbon generating
technology, nuclear energy could play an important role inattaining the net zero targets to which an increasing number ofOECD countries are committed. Achieving the required levelsof 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 withthe 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 toovercome 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 andpresents two key conclusions. First, in a carbon-constrained
world, the true capital costs of nuclear energy and other lowcarbon generators are lower than customarily assumed dueto their ability to offset systemic financial risk. Including lowcarbon generation investments thus reduces overall portfolio
risks. Second, there exist effective policies and measures toradically reduce the economic and financial costs of otherrisk components such as construction risk, price risk andpolitical risk.
The findings of this report apply equally to private andpublic investments. There does, however, remain importantroles 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 thecase 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 inensuring 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 newbuild and will be followed by additional reports focusing on

empirical experiences, the interplay of financing and project
management or the role of environmental, social andgovernance (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 the2022-2027 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 toensure the economically sustainable, long-term and securesupply 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. Publicationis 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 acrossindustry, 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 innovationin uranium mining. The 58 th meeting of the Uranium Groupwill be held at the IAEA in February 2023.

Medical-isotope producing reactor.
Sandia National Laboratory/Randy
Montoya (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

39

NEA panel session “The Role of
Nuclear Energy in the Hydrogen Economy”,
COP 27, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
IAEA

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 anInternational 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 togather 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 theConstruction Costs of Nuclear: A Practical Guide for
Stakeholders identified three main innovative technologicalapproaches 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 entitled40 | NEA Annual Report 2022

“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 thecosts and risks of new nuclear energy projects.

Engagement with other elements of
the OECD
In 2022, the NEA supported OECD Directorates incontributing to the International Programme for Action
on Climate (IPAC). The programme helps countries movetowards net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and amore 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 andFrance.
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 andSwitzerland. 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 theOECD’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, aswell as Euratom (representing the
27 European Union members), toco-ordinate research and development on advanced nuclear energy
systems.
GIF provides a forum for collaborative R&D on six reactor concepts 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 ofthe partners of the “NICE Future”
initiative under the Clean Energy
Ministerial framework.
In January 2022, the GIF PolicyGroup members thanked the outgoing Chair Hideki Kamide of the Japan
Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) andacknowledged the notable accomplishments 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 nearterm focus on accelerating thereadiness of four th generation
nuclear systems to meet net zerotargets. In this context, a GIF forumwith industry partners was organised in October 2022 in Toronto,
Canada, along with the International
Conference on Generation IV andSmall Reactors (G4SR-4).
The 2022 GIF Industr y Forum
focused on supporting the transition
from research and development todemonstration and deployment ofGeneration IV reactor systems, aswell as on supporting initiatives
that aim to develop a talent pipeline
to run those systems. It also aimed

to strengthen relationships with thenuclear industry with a new policy
statement to serve as a framework.
The 2022 GIF Industry Forum gathered more than two hundred participants, from both the public andprivate sectors, and showcasedsome key GIF products that could be
useful to industry and Generation IV
technology developers.

Group (ETWG), reaching a growing audience worldwide. A special joint webinar between GIF, theNEA and IAEA was organised in
April 2022 addressing the role ofnuclear energy in reducing carbon
emissions. In 2023, the ETWG will
launch the second edition of a competition for young people to pitch
their Generation IV research ideas.

Further expanding on the potential
uses of nuclear energy, GIF organised a workshop on non-electric
applications of nuclear heat during
the Industry Forum, in collaboration
with IFNEC. The workshop established connections between the
research community and industry,engaging both nuclear technology
developers and energy end users.
It reviewed multiple scenarios inwhich nuclear energy systems could
be used to support heat and electricity demands outside the power
sector, covering a variety of topics
including district and industrial heatapplications, desalination and largescale hydrogen production.

Throughout 2022, in light ofimprovements with regards to the
COVID-19 pandemic, GIF members
resumed in-person meetings andmanaged to make substantive progress in their work. The NEA continued to provide support to the GIF
technical bodies in charge of developing the different systems, to themethodology working groups, andto 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 meetings in Toronto, Canada. The NEA is
fully compensated for its support of
GIF through voluntary, financial andin-kind contributions made by GIF
members.

To streamline the ability to share
nuclear technology with nations as
they develop their nuclear energy
infrastructure, GIF made substantial updates in 2021 and 2022 to theproliferation resistance and physicalprotection white papers for the six
Generation IV reactor systems.

International Framework
for Nuclear Energy
Cooperation (IFNEC)

The 16 th GIF-IAEA Interface meeting
took place on 12-13 July 2022 in virtual mode. It served as an opportunity to strengthen the links between
these two organisations and to prepare future joint work.

T he Interna tional Framewor k
for Nuclear Energy Cooperation(IFNEC) is dedicated to exploring
the beneficial approaches and usesof nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. IFNEC has a diverse membership consisting of 33 participant
countries, 31 observer countries
and 5 international observer organisations through which it promotes
exchanges and learning on the
global, regional, and national levels. In 2022, IFNEC focused on priority areas such as nuclear financing,small modular reactors (SMRs) andthe role of nuclear energy in climatechange mitigation.

Monthly webinars on GIF reactor
systems and cross-cutting subjects
have been held since 2016 (a totalof 72 by the end of 2022) by the GIF
Education and Training Working

On 28 June 2022, the IFNEC SteeringGroup held its first in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Steering Group members designated Zhijun Qin as Co-Chair

The GIF Economics and Modelling
Working Group (EMWG) issued thesecond report of the “Advanced
Nuclear Technology cost reduction
strategies and Systematic Economic
Review” (ANTSER) Framework, areport that adds to the ANSTER
framework through an investigationof modularity for nuclear energy
applications at different scales.

4141Secretariat-serviced bodies (cont’d)of the Nuclear Supplier andCustomer Countries Engagement
Group (NSCCEG) and re-designated 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 meeting, key findings of the NEA-IFNEC
Nuclear Financing series reportwere also presented. The working
groups provided updates on theirwork and discussed cross-cutting
activities.
The IFNEC working groups alsorelied on vir tual meetings andevents 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-carbon source, nuclear energy can playa significant role in contributing toclimate change mitigation efforts

as well as in addressing the energy
supply issues. This webinar focusedon the role of nuclear energy in thecontext of reaching carbon neutrality, the synergies between nuclear
energy and renewables, as well as
the multipurpose applications of
nuclear energy.
In co-operation with the NEA and theMinistry of Climate and Environmentof Poland, IFNEC organised theWarsaw Conference on Nuclear
Financing, the last in a series of
events on nuclear financing. The
conference brought together policymakers, finance industry representatives and nuclear financing
experts for in-person discussionsin Warsaw, Poland, on 8 December
2022. Effective nuclear financing
requires national policies that support nuclear power and research toadvance technological readinesswhile also improving the economic
competitiveness of nuclear projects.
NEA Chief Energy Economist Jan
Horst Keppler presented key insightsfrom the report Financing New

Nuclear Power Plants: Minimising
the Cost of Capital by Optimising
Risk Management. The roundtablediscussion that preceded the presentation brought together researchers and analysts in nuclear financeand economics.
Taking advantage of their existing
collaboration, the NEA and IFNEC
are partnering to lead action-oriented 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 fromIFNEC.
The NEA continued to support
IFNEC, including through co-operation with its working groups and inits social media strategy plan. IFNEC
activities, including NEA Secretariat
services, are fully covered throughvoluntary, financial and in-kind contributions 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

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 thatwill take effect on 1 January 2023, to be alignedwith reforms intended to improve the Committee’s
efficiency and effectiveness.

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 efficientregulation for current and advanced nuclear plants andoversight of nuclear installations and activities, and byhelping to maintain and advance the associated scientificand technological knowledge base. The staff works closelywith the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations(CSNI), the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities(CNRA) and their subsidiary groups in this area.

Nuclear Safety
Technology
and Regulat
2022
ion

Nuclear2022

SafetyHa rmonising
theProcess for Em Nuclea r Licensing
erg ing Techno
A Global Pat hlog ies:
For ward

ated
ivity-Initi od Codes
Reactent Fuel R es I-III
Accid
ark Phas
Benchmort

Rep
Synthesis

NE A
NE A

Nuclear safety technology
Safety issues
The NEA continues to monitor trends and respond to thecurrent 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 andefficient safety assessment demonstrations. The Expert
Group on Small Modular Reactors (EGSMR), establishedin 2021, handles safety challenges and develops a solid
scientific basis which supports safety demonstration of theadvanced and innovative technologies used for SMRs. The
group addresses a wide range of technologies, from watercooled reactors to innovative reactors under development,
and sets priorities for nuclear safety research to beundertaken together by NEA member countries. This groupsupports safety assessment and licensing reviews performedat the national level, which help make progress towards the
deployment of SMRs. The CSNI working groups support the

The NEA and the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) worked on the eighth edition of
Nuclear Power Plant Operating Experience: fromthe IAEA/NEA International Reporting System
for Operating Experience (commonly referred toas 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 sevenreports. 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
reactors with a singular design.
In November 2022, the NEA organised aninternational 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 Regulationand Safety Management in a Pandemic, which
deals with the long-term consequences of theCovid-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 associatedsafety concerns of nuclear power plants and nuclear fuelcycle 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, thedevelopment 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 improvementof 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 safetyknowledge 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 healthcrisis, 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 aviationand health care sectors and participants drew conclusions
on the identified challenges and opportunities to strengthen
safety. A brief summary report of the session was publishedin 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, andsource term. Reports were finalised in 2022, including arevision 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 technicalopinion paper on advances in the analysis and managementof accidents and future challenges.
The main objective of the NEA Working Group on Risk
Assessment (WGRISK) is to advance the understanding anduse of the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) as a tool tosupport nuclear safety decision making. In 2022, the groupupdated 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, andlaunched a benchmark of PSA level 3 and an activity on thetreatment 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 fuelirradiation testing both for conventional and innovative fuels
and worked on the identification and prioritisation of researchneeded to support licensing readiness for Accident-Tolerant

44 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Fuels (ATF) with near-term deployment. A new activity wasstarted to establish a basis for nuclear fuel data preservation
recommendations.

Safety of components, structuresand systems
The work of the NEA Working Group on Integrity and Ageingof 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 forstructures impacted by missiles. It prepared the final reportfrom the benchmark analysis on the application of the leakbefore-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 initiateda 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 safetyassessments, nuclear criticality safety, safety management,
decommissioning, site remediation, chemical hazards, humanfactors and fire protection. The working group periodicallyreviews the joint IAEA/NEA Fuel Incident Notification andAnalysis System (FINAS), which is the only international
system providing regulators and government bodies withinformation about lessons learnt from safety-significant eventsat 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 gradedapproach 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 onhigh 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 withWGRISK on combinations of external hazards.

Robustness of electrical systems
The NEA Working Group on Electrical Power Systems(WGELEC) collaborates on enhancing the robustness ofelectrical systems, improving the analysis of electricalsystem performance and addressing safety challenges
associated with electrical systems. In 2022, the WGELEC
continued to evaluate the design robustness of electricalsystems to withstand beyond-design-basis events, including
station blackouts. Progress was also made on studies on the
management of geomagnetic-induced currents on electricalsystems 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 andregulation of nuclear installations in 2022 with the objectiveof better understanding national regulatory requirements andharmonising 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), theWorking 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 theworking groups, the CNRA approved the Expert Group on
Operating Experience (EGOE) under the WGRO and theExpert Group on Public Communication directly under CNRA.
Other subsidiary bodies under CNRA will be considered inJune 2023.
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 innuclear supply chain activities (regulatory bodies, vendors,
licensees, international NGOs, etc.) to discuss a range of
topics related to supply chains.

Inspection practices
The Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP) held
one in-person and one virtual meeting in 2022. During thosemeetings, the WGIP exchanged best practices for inspection
and finalised a guidance document related to inspecting thesafety-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).

Approximately 50 people attended the workshop and thehost 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 theeffectiveness of a licensee’s operating experience (OE)
programme. The workshop contained three tracks:• Preparation to inspect licensee OE programmes;• Methods that can be used to inspect licensee OE
programmes;• Evaluating the results of inspections.
The event included breakout sessions among theparticipants 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.

Nuclear fuel inspection.
Idaho National Laboratory (CC BY 2.0)

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 othernational emergency;• Applying a graded approach towards inspection(i.e. scaling the level of inspection effort according to thesafety 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 thejoint 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 20182020 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 toshare information about manufacturing non-conformances,falsifications of tests, falsifications of certificates andcounterfeit circuit breakers. Several new events were added
to the system, which contributed to rapid awareness andability 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 toshare lessons learnt on the commissioning of EPRs and theearly 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 ameeting in Finland. This meeting was the occasion to meet
the Finish utility TVO and to visit the OL3 reactor, which wasclose 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 Oversightof 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 andperformance 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 identificationof 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 theinterested parties for the new international benchmark thatconsiders 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 ofmaterials in advanced reactors. The WGSAR members also
continued to interact with the Generation IV International
Forum (GIF), in particular on an initiative examining a riskinformed 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 andControl (WGDIC) addresses regulatory issues associatedwith the use of digital technologies in existing and new
nuclear installations. The WGDIC has published a seriesof consensus positions on current and emerging technicalchallenges 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 theRegulator 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 andregulatory 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 10veronique.rouyer@oecd-nea.org

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Joint Projects
Nuclear safety research
The Halden Reactor
Project – fuel andmaterials part
The Halden Reactor Project (HRP),
operated by the Norwegian Institute forEnergy Technology (IFE), was established 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 thefuel 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 boilingwater reactor (BWR) and pressurised
water reactor (PWR) core materials
under the combined effects of waterchemistry and nuclear environment. The
project programme of work is updated
every three years and the current mandate 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, technology and organisation (HTO) area.
The 2018-2020 fuel and material
work programme, which was developed after the Halden reactor closed
in 2018, was not yet fully completed
as of 2022 due to delays in the transport of material to Studsvik, where
post-irradiation examinations (PIE) andexperiments in hot cells (including lossof-coolant accident [LOCA] tests) areplanned in the areas of:• fuel safety and operational margins;• cladding performance and behaviour; and• ageing and degradation of corematerial.

The 2021-2023 programme aims
to close the Halden fuel and material

project with the establishment of synthesis reports in the following topicalareas: fission gas release, dimensionalchanges and pellet-cladding mechanical interaction, loss-of coolant accident transients, cladding corrosion andcreep and crack growth initiation andrate for core material. Some activities
are also planned to enhance data quality assurance and preservation in the
Halden legacy database, which wasmade 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 madein 2022 for the transfer of the Halden
legacy database to the NEA by the endof 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 focusedon areas such as human-automation
collaboration, digital systems for operation and maintenance, digital transformation of decommissioning andcybersecurity of the main control room,
as well as human performance, reliability and organisational design. There are
11 participating countries and 19 organisations, 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 topicsof Human Factors and Digital Systems
Research for Existing and New
Reactors. This project is financiallymanaged by the NEA, with the Institutefor 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 overview displays on human performance;a review of theories, models and measures of human-automation trust; thepresentation of a conference paper on“Improving learning by adding the perspective of success to event investigations”; the finalisation of two technicalreports 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 project status report recorded 16 HTO
reports, 5 journal articles and 13 papers
to conferences. One of the articles produced, “Human Performance Benefitsof 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, theEnlarged Halden HTO Programme
Review Group (EHPRG) held its meeting, 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 themeeting, which featured 45 presentations and 120 attendees from participating 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 othertopical papers and presentations weredelivered 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 participating countries to discuss the next
project cycle for 2024-2026.

The CIP Project
The CABRI International Project (CIP) isinvestigating the ability of high burn-up
pressurised water reactor (PWR) fuel towithstand the sharp power peaks thatcan occur in power reactors due to postulated rapid reactivity insertions in thecore, or RIAs. The project participants,from 12 member countries, intend to
determine the limits for fuel failure andthe potential consequences of possible
ejection of fuel into the coolant environment. Different cladding materials andfuel types are being studied. The projectis operated and managed by the FrenchInstitute of Radiological Protection and
Nuclear Safety (IRSN) and performedin the CABRI reactor, which belongs
to the French Alternative Energies andAtomic Energy Commission (CEA), in
Cadarache, France. While the reactor
is operated by the CEA, the project isfunded 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 thelevel of the hodoscope channel as well
as a leak in one of the water storage
vessels of the reactor, and to get theauthorisation 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 boiling 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 optimised Zirlo cladding. The CABRI reactor 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 CABRIInternational 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) mitigation and additive fuels; and the third(2014-2019) on LOCA fuel fragmentation, relocation and dispersal (FFRD)
and overheating transients, PCI mitigation at low ramp rates and the effectof oxygen. The project utilises the large
library of irradiated fuels at the Studsvik
hot cells and involves integral heatingand LOCA testing, small-scale heating
tests, mechanical testing of weakened
and damaged rods, pre-test, in-situ andpost-test examinations to obtain dataon microstructure and microchemistry,
fission gas release tests and analyses
using different techniques.
The current, fourth phase of the project (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 irradiatedcladding and fuel under dry storage
conditions, hydride reorientation in
irradiated cladding, mechanical behaviour of spent fuel rods in transport andhandling accidents, and treatment offailed fuel. The second task investigates 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 corrosion cracking (SCC) mechanisms.
The fourth task includes analytical andmodelling activities (pre- and post-test
calculations, benchmarking).
In 2022, the first creep and hydride
reorientation tests under simulated
dry storage conditions were completed for back-end investigations.
Microstructural characterisations
related to fuel fragmentation in LOCA
were performed. Different LOCA andheating tests were conducted to investigate FFRD in LOCA. Separate effecttests and transient fission gas release
tests related to LOCA have mostly
been completed as well as investigations related to spent fuel pool LOCA.
Work to design, validate and test different pieces of equipment for future
testing was performed. The boilingwater reactor (BWR) and pressurised
water reactor (PWR) fuel rod modelling benchmarks initiated in 2021 were
continued, with completion of the blindphases. 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 effecttest facility for advanced light water
reactors (LWRs) operated by the Korea
Atomic Energy Research Institute.
Tests to investigate design-basis andbeyond-design-basis accident (DBA
and BDBA) transients have been conducted in the facility since 2014 as partof the NEA ATLAS project.

Cabri Reactor.
CEAView of the ATLAS
experimental loop.
KAERI, Korea.

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 knowledge 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 toextend the database on the effectiveness of passive heat removal safetysystems, investigate reactor safety
during design extension condition scenarios, asymmetric natural circulation
phenomena, resolve scaling issues,and perform integrated tests simulating both reactor coolant system andcontainment responses during accident
transients.
In 2021, tests related to intermediate break LOCA and design extension
conditions scenarios were performed
and a benchmark exercise was defined.
In 2022, tests to investigate the effectiveness of passive heat removal systems and the thermal-hydraulic andheat transfer characteristics in the
CUBE facility, a mock-up of a containment, were completed. In addition, abenchmark was started and a joint analytical 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) project was launched in October 2020to address knowledge gaps identified from the PKL (PrimärkreislaufVersuchsanlage [Primary Coolant
Loop Test Facility]) phase 4 projectand other NEA joint projects on
nuclear thermal-hydraulic safety, suchas the ATLAS project. The project will
last until October 2024 and involves

24 partners from 14 countries. The
ETHARINUS project was establishedwith the intention to extend the database on the effectiveness of passive
heat removal safety systems, reactor
safety during design extension condition (DEC) scenarios, two-phase flows
in intermediate break (IB) LOCA transients, 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 LappeenrantaLahti University of Technology, LUT
University, Finland. A further contribution focused on specific technicalissues related to natural circulation
investigations is planned at the PSBV 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 initially planned and have been rescheduled. However, this does not affect theoverall 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 effectiveness of passive heat removal systems.
LUT University has performed a test
on a SB LOCA scenario with a breakin the hot leg and one with a breakin the cold leg with concurrent lossof off-site power. The data analysis
and other analytical activities are in
progress. The participants agreed tobenchmark thermal-hydraulic codes ona test addressing passive heat removal
system response in a station black-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 peakclad temperature excursion during a SB
LOCA and the other test will study theefficiency of safety condensers.
The ETHARINUS and ATLAS phase 3
projects are designed to be complementary in scope and testing. An analyticalworkshop, common to both projects, isplanned for November 2023.

The RBHT Project
Modelling reactor core behaviour under
accident conditions with delayed re-introduction of cooling water (commonlyreferred to as reflood) is a challenge forsafety analysis computer codes. Reflood
thermal-hydraulics (e.g. post-critical heat flux flow and heat transfer,
entrainment, quench) remain a major
contributor to code uncertainties in thesimulation of many accident scenariosand must be more deeply understoodto 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 partners from 12 countries, was to conduct 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 measurements generated (flow rates, temperature distributions, heat fluxes, droplet
size distribution and velocity, spacer
grid dry-out and rewet, carryoverand quench front movement) served
to evaluate system hydraulics and49sub-channel codes in the simulation of
reflood tests in a full height rod bundle,
prototypical of PWRs, for complex variable or oscillatory inlet flows which are
more likely in accident scenarios. The
project was conducted in two phases:
one “open” phase comprising eleventests and a first benchmark exercise
with comparison of data and code
calculations for the eleven tests, and a“blind” phase comprising five tests anda 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 produced data for a total of sixteen
reflood tests. Reflood rates ranged
from 0.5 cm/sec to 15 cm/sec, producing data applicable to dispersed
flow film boiling and inverted annular flow film boiling. Inlet subcoolingranged from 2.8 K to 80 K. Tests withvariable reflood rates and oscillatory
reflood rates were included in the test
matrix. Most tests were conducted atconstant bundle power, but tests simulating a decay heat scenario were also
performed. The evaluation of the data
produced a detailed quench profile foreach 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 thatentrainment 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 laterin time for variable reflood rate tests.
Each project participant used forthe 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 wererequested to compare their analyticalresults to a set of Figures Of Merits(FOMs) to characterise code performance and accuracy.
The participants compared thepredicted and experimental results
extensively for all tests, and made an
in-depth evaluation of two types ofexperiments, comparing the performance of the various codes. They evaluated 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 thefollowing findings:

50 | NEA Annual Report 2022

• Most codes overpredicted theamount of carryover from the bundle, while underestimating the massretained in the bundle and amountof steam exiting the bundle. Thissuggests that prediction of liquid
entrainment at the quench front
is overestimated and models forentrainment need improvement.

• Many codes overpredicted the bun-dle peak cladding temperature (PCT)
for low reflood rate tests. This suggests that the dispersed flow film
boiling heat transfer model is conservative 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 appropriate. However, it was clear that usersof the same analysis code could
obtain significantly different results.
This suggests that the developmentof User Guidelines for thermal-hydraulic analysis codes should be
developed and/or improved in association with the validation process.

The participants recommend that
research into reflood thermal-hydraulics be continued. Results from thisproject showed that several analysis
codes used for safety analysis do notpredict some phenomena with sufficient accuracy. Additional experiments
at low flooding rates would be beneficial to further code development andassessment activities. A second phaseof the project to address these gaps isbeing discussed. This new phase isplanned to start in 2023.

The LOFC Project
Following a recommendation of the
CSNI Task Group on Advanced Reactor
Experimental Facilities (TAREF) for
gas-cooled reactor safety studies, theLoss 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 coolingsystem performance and are highly
relevant for safety assessments ofadvanced reactors such as high-temperature reactors. The objectives areto conduct integrated large-scale testsof LOFC in the High-Temperature
Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), in
Oarai, Japan, to examine high-temperature gas-cooled reactor safetycharacteristics in support of regulatory
activities, and to provide data usefulfor code validation and improvementof simulation accuracy. The objectivesof the experimental programme are toprovide experimental data to:• clarify the anticipated transient

without scram in case of LOFC withoccurrence 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 phenomena coupled between reactor core
physics and thermal-hydraulics.

Three tests are to be conductedby the Japan Atomic Energy Agency(JAEA) in the HTTR. The first test
was completed in December 2010.
The project was put on hold after theHigh-temperature Engineering Test Reactor.
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 andtsunami while active discussions wereconducted between the JAEA and theregulator on the requirements for thesafe operation of the HTTR. In June
2020, after implementing modifications
requested by the regulator, the JAEA
was given permission to restart thereactor, which it did in July 2021. A second test was performed in January2022 and the last test is planned forthe end of 2023. All project participants verify the codes’ capabilities tosimulate 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 testingwith the HTTR are ongoing.

The ROSAU Project
The NEA Reduction of Severe Accident
Uncertainties (ROSAU) project aims to
reduce knowledge gaps and uncertainties associated with severe accident
progression and mitigation. Following
the Fukushima Daiichi accident, systematic 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 onthese analyses, gaps were identified
in two areas of severe accident progression 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-concreteinteraction; and 2) in-vessel and ex-vessel melt and debris coolability.
The ROSAU Project, supported
by 15 partners in 8 countries, comprises 10 tests in the above two areas.

Experiments are conducted at the
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in
the United States, under the co-ordination 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-concreteinteraction (MCCI) and coolability tests(DCAM) with up to 80 kg of molten prototypic material. Tests are conducted attemperatures up to 2 500°C, with different metal and concrete contents inthe melts, with different cooling waterflow rates and sub-cooling. In addition
to these experiments and with the support of project partners, the ANL will
carry out a parallel analytical activity torefine and validate models and codes
for each test category, so as to form
the technical basis needed to extrapolate experiment findings to plant conditions. The project started in June 2019and 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 commissioned and performance of the firsttest is planned for early 2023. Smallscale melt spreading experiments havebeen completed at KTH, Sweden, andcontributed in-kind to the project.

The ESTER Project
The Experiments on Source Termand Delayed Releases (ESTER)
Project (2020 -2024) was launchedin September 2020 to experimentally investigate delayed radionuclide
remobilisation phenomena in a severe
accident which, based on Fukushima
Daiichi accident analyses, were identified as potentially significant contributors to the radionuclide release into theenvironment. ESTER focusses mainly
on chemical remobilisation from radionuclides deposited on containmentand reactor coolant system surfaces
during the accident. Another part of the
project addresses the further development of the experimental database on
the formation of organic iodides in thecontainment during a severe accident,
largely developed in the now concluded
Behaviour of Iodine Project (BIP) andSource Term Evaluation and Mitigation(STEM) Project. The ESTER database
will support the enhancement of chemical models predicting airborne radionuclide concentrations in the containment.
These models are key to assessing radionuclide releases during an accident,
particularly for caesium and iodine.
During the ESTER project, experiments will be conducted mostly at
the IRSN in facilities developed for the
STEM Project. The CEA will conduct
experiments with prototypical radionuclide 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 arecomplementary 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 andcontinued small-scale remobilisation
tests in the dedicated ATMIRE experimental device. Additional organic
iodide tests in 2023 await new supplies 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 aimof studying the remobilisation of representative deposits involving major
fission products, such as caesium,
iodine and molybdenum. Preparations
also continued at the CEA for tests withdeposit samples from real fuel testing
which are planned in 2023.

51

The THEMIS Project
Following investigations performedin the Thermal-hydraulics, Hydrogen,Aerosols and Iodine (THAI) project inthree phases between 2007 and 2019,as regards hydrogen and fission product behaviour in a reactor containment
during a severe accident, a new project
was launched in November 2020 called
THAI Experiments on Mitigation measures, and source term issues to support analysis and further Improvementof Severe accident management
measures (THEMIS). It follows up on
outstanding questions in the area ofcombustible gas and iodine-aerosol
behaviour in the containment.
The project is supported by 25 partners from 13 countries and is due
to be completed by mid-2024. The
issues identified as needing additional
research relate to the ex-vessel phasesof a severe accident with a H2 /CO mix,
the presence of fine aerosols (iodineoxides and aerosols resulting from
remobilisation phenomena), as wellas topics such as passive auto-catalytic recombiners (PARs) performanceand interaction with fine aerosols, gas
combustion, the evolution of airborne
iodine oxides and other aerosols, andretention of fission product underpool scrubbing conditions. Regarding
remobilisation phenomena, THEMIS
provides investigations that are complementary to the ESTER project conducted by the IRSN.
In 2022, testing related to poolscrubbing and remobilisation of fine aerosols 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 technical report was released on PAR performance tests in a H2 /CO mix carriedout in 2021. A benchmark exercise on apool scrubbing test was launched after
a first benchmark exercise on a PAR
performance test was initiated in 2021.

SMR phenomenology such as the
Passive Containment Cooling System(PCCS) and natural convection heattransfer (HT) from the external wall of
the containment to the water pool.
PANDA is a four-year project (20212025) supported by 13 organisations
from 10 countries. A kick-off meeting
was held in November 2021 with discussions on the definition of the test
series. In 2022, facility upgrades werecompleted and characterisation tests
for plumes interacting with a simulated
steam generator compartment werestarted. The signature process of theagreement is ongoing and is expected
to be completed in early 2023.

The PRISME projectFire is a significant contributor to overall core damage frequency for both
new and old nuclear reactor designs.
Furthermore, it may severely affectplant safety in nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Some of the technical issues thatneed to be addressed in fire probabilistic safety analysis are: the propagationof heat and smoke between rooms,
including the effects of openings andventilation systems, resulting stresses
to sensitive safety equipment, fire
spreading in real complex fire sources
such as cable trays and electrical cabinets 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 addressing these technical issues experimentally, mostly in the SATURNE facility
designed to investigate fires in realcomplex sources and in the DIVA largescale, multi-room facility designed toinvestigate fire propagation in nuclear
facility buildings. Experiments provide
data for the development and validationof fire safety simplified zone model and
CFD codes.

Phase 3 of the PRISME project(2017-2022), supported by nine partners in eight countries, was completed
in 2022. It addressed, through tests
that were complementary to those
performed in the two first phases ofthe project, fire, heat and smoke propagation inside a plant. Its tests were
specifically tailored for fire code validation and fire spread in electrical cabinet
and cable trays and used real sources.
Five tests related to fire propagationin plants were completed in 2019 andthe test reports were issued in 2020.
Eight tests investigating fires in electrical cabinets were completed in 2020.
Eight tests investigating cable fire propagation were performed in 2021. The
final reporting is completed and thediscussions on the conclusions andoutcome of the project took place ina final open seminar in October 2022.
A combined benchmark between
the PRISME and the NEA Fire Incident
Records Exchange (FIRE) Databaseproject on a real cable fire event from aheater bay in a nuclear power plant was
concluded in 2022.
A new five-year project phase,named Fire risk Assessment throughInnovative Research (FAIR), is planned
to be launched at the beginning of2023 with a focus on cable fire propagation on long horizontal and verticalcable trays as well as with aged cables.
Other topics will include poorly ventilated combustion and fire and smoke
propagation in multi-source and multi-compartment scenarios.

The HEAF Project
Massive electrical discharges, referred
to as high energy arcing faults (HEAF),
have occurred throughout the worldin nuclear power plants switching off
components. These incidents havebeen increasing because of ageing infrastructures and growing energy demand.

The PANDA project
The PANDA project was launched inJuly 2021 to contribute to the extensionof the database on large-scale containment thermal-hydraulic phenomena.
The thematic areas studied include jetsor plumes impacting complex compartments, radiative heat transfer, activationof 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

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 electricalcabinets in order to obtain scientific dataon HEAF phenomena through carefully
designed experiments. Phase 1 of the
HEAF project was completed in 2016.
The report concluded with recommendations for areas requiring further testing, in particular to better understandthe importance of specific variables,such as bus bar material, operating voltage, current and arc duration, on theseverity 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 ofknowledge available on HEAF events.
This exercise tentatively identified aluminium oxidation, pressure effects, thecharacteristics of target structures andmitigating factors (e.g. HEAF shields)
as being areas for further research.
Discussions were completed with representatives from ten partners in ninecountries to initiate a second phase of
the project. The second phase of the
project (2019-2022) comprises electrical enclosures and bus duct tests.
Electrical enclosure tests have been
designed using the same enclosure
configuration for repeatability and basedon typical plant design for representativeness. Some of the enclosures weredismounted 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, thefirst tests were postponed to the middleof 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 material effects between aluminium and copper. The HEAF project was extended
by the project partners until the end of2022 and will need to be extended again
to cover completion of the second andfinal test series.
In parallel with the HEAF-2 project,
the NRC is conducting a domestic test
programme together with the ElectricPower Research Institute (EPRI), focusing, among other things, on the influence 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 Groupon Safety Research Opportunities
Post-Fukushima (SAREF) to follow theBenchmark Study of the Accident at
the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant (BSAF project). It addressed thefollowing objectives: i) to resolve major
open issues identified in BSAF2, ii) tocollect, compile and analyse publicly
available data and information fromthe Fukushima Daiichi plant, and iii) topropose a next-phase project to further
support management of the consequences of the accident at the plant site.
Three main tasks were conducted:
activities relevant to the refinement of
the analysis of accident scenarios andrelated fission product (FP) transportand dispersion, compilation and management of data and information anddiscussion for a next-phase project.
The first task included improvement 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 available measured thermal-hydraulics data.
Analyses emphasised the significant
impact of differences in material interaction models on core damage progression and that the remobilisation of
FPs is an important phenomenon thatneeds to be better addressed. A code
benchmark on MCCI for unit 1 was
performed. Similarly to BSAF2, continuous concrete erosion was calculated,though with narrower scatter. The mostimportant models and conditions forfurther development were identified.
The work for FP transport andsource terms covered FP transport andbehaviour in the buildings, FP speciation, pool scrubbing, iodine chemistry
and uncertainty analysis. Significant
advances were made in the description of FP chemistry, particularly for

Cs and I. The results will be used toenhance understanding of the radiological consequences of accidents andto 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 earlyH 2 combustion in the reactor well,which might be a possible cause of the
failure of the shield plugs. The analysis of H2 combustion in unit 3 aimed
at explaining the formation of orangecoloured flames and the rise of a blacksmoke plume during hydrogen explosion. Combustion of organic gases
generated by thermal decompositionof organic materials in the containment
vessel could explain the observations.
S everal improvements wereachieved in techniques for backward
source term. In particular, the identification and resolution of specific releaseepisodes could be enhanced. In theforward off-site consequence analysis, differences arose due to the useof different weather data sets. It was
proposed to evaluate weather data set
uncertainties in the future.
Two databases storing publicly
available information collected fromwebsites of relevant Japanese organisations were built and provided to theproject partners. They contain records
based on documents and samples
taken from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Finally, the scope of the work andtechnical tasks of a next-phase project
were discussed among the partnersof the ARC-F and Preparatory Studyon Analysis of Fuel Debris (PreADES)
projects. This resulted in the launch of
the FACE project.
The final summary report of the project was completed in December 2022.

The FACE Project
The FACE project is a constructive
and integrative extension of alreadycompleted 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 theEuropean Commission.

53

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Based on the Japanese organisations’ needs and the expected needsof project partners, the FACE project
has the following general objectives:• refining the interpretation of the

Fukushima Daiichi accident scenarios, including the effects ofaccident management measures inlight of insights obtained from plantinvestigations;• clarifying current capabilities anddirections to further improve modelling for severe accident progression;• interpreting the results of analysis ofuranium-bearing particles collectedon site and determining suitable hotcell laboratory analysis techniques
and procedures for future application to fuel debris analyses;• maintaining

communication
between Japanese organisations
and international partners to sharedata, information and expertise
towards the resolution of issues
related to Fukushima Daiichi plant
decommissioning and dismantling(D&D) and the improvement of reactor safety in various countries.

Three tasks are proposed in light of
the general objectives. The first task is
to carry out in-depth discussions andanalyses 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 (meltprogression, Molten Corium ConcreteInteraction (MCCI), FP and H2 issues),
taking into account uncertainties inboundary conditions such as the rateof alternative water injection and leakage from the containment vessels. It
is also important to maintain flexibility
in the choice of technical tasks basedon new insights obtained from on-site
investigations.
The second task is related to thecharacterisation of uranium-bearing
particles and the establishment oftechniques for future fuel debris analysis for D&D. It includes a study on theplausible mechanisms for the formationof uranium-bearing particles collected
on-site. This will contribute to theunderstanding of the progression of the

54 | NEA Annual Report 2022

accident and which fuel debris analysis technology and evaluation methods
may be most useful. An internationalround-robin analysis with debris simulants is also included in this scope.
Japanese organisations collect dataand information from the Fukushima
Daiichi plant investigation and sharedthem with the project partners in thethird task. This is a continuation of oneof the tasks initiated in the ARC-F project with an expansion of the information that is contributed.

The SMILE Project
The Studsvik Material Integrity Life
Extension Project (SMILE) was
launched in 2021 with the aim of investigating metallic components and materials from nuclear power plants (BWR
and PWR) under decommissioning tobetter 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 (20212025) is supported by 13 organisations
from 7 countries. Discussions wereongoing in 2022 for the adhesion of two
additional countries: China and Finland.
SMILE is conducted by Studsvik
Nuclear AB, Sweden, based on experimental 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 operation is already available and will also be
investigated, e.g. the reactor pressure
vessel (RPV) upper head and pressuriser from Ringhals 3 and 4.
The project is structured into fourmain tasks. The first task is to build amaterial library by retrieving the materials 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 replacedcomponents from Ringhals 3 and 4. Alldata 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 comprehensive database become available in theStudsvik pool facility for storage andinspection of SMILE materials.
Studsvik

future. The second task investigates
irradiation and thermal embrittlementof low alloy steels used for reactor
pressure vessels and other large vessels in the primary coolant circuits of
LWRs. The third task is to address thestainless steel alloys of core support
structures and internals and is divided
into two subtasks focusing on irradiation embrittlement, including welds
and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, and corrosion fatigue
susceptibility. The fourth task is toevaluate pressure boundary stainlesssteels, nickel base alloys and theirwelds, where irradiation effects do
not play a significant role. The task isdivided in two subtasks focusing on dissimilar metal welds and stainless steel
welds, stress corrosion cracking (SCC)
resistance in BWRs and PWRs andalloy 690/152/52 primary water stresscorrosion cracking (PWSCC) resistanceand 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 fistmaterials arrived at Studsvik and testing has started in the various project
subtasks. Further preparation of thetest equipment and planning of thematerial extraction is ongoing.

Nuclear safety databases
The CODAPThe 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 to2011 and produced an international
database on piping service experience
applicable to commercial nuclear plants,
and the Stress Corrosion Cracking andCable Ageing Project (SCAP), which
ran from 2006 to 2010 to assess stresscorrosion cracking and the degradationof cable insulation. Both have implications for nuclear safety and for plant
ageing management.
The objectives of CODAP include:•

collecting information on passive
metallic component degradationand 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 withsignificant operational impact;• developing topical reports on degra-

dation mechanisms in close co-ordination with the CSNI Working
Group on Integrity and Ageingof Components and Structures(WGIAGE).

CODAP is in its fourth phase (20212023) and has produced a numberof insight reports analysing events inthe database. The year 2022 marked
the 10 th anniversary of the project,which welcomed UAE as a new participating country. In 2022, the topicalreport 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 andlong-term operation was concluded
and is expected to be published soon.
By the end of the third phase (20182020), the CODAP database included
about 5 097 records on degraded andfailed metallic piping and non-piping
passive components. In 2022, data
continued to be collected and analysed
to support long-term operation of operating plants. The operating experienceis also of interest for the design offuture advanced reactors.

The FIRE Project
The Fire Incidents Records Exchange(FIRE) Project started in 2002 andphase 6 of the project began in 2020 for
a duration of three years, with 14 countries currently participating. The main
purpose of the project is to collect andanalyse, on an international scale, data
related to fire events in nuclear environments. The specific objectives are to:• collect fire event experience(through international exchange) ina quality-assured and consistent
database, and to define its format;• collect and analyse fire events dataover the long term to better understand such events, their causes andtheir prevention;• generate qualitative insights into theroot causes of fire events that canthen be used to derive approaches
or mechanisms for their prevention or for the mitigation of theirconsequences;• establish a mechanism for the effi-

cient feedback of experience gainedin connection with fire events,
including the development ofdefences against their occurrence,such as indicators for risk-based
inspections;• record event attributes to enable thequantification of fire frequencies andrisk analysis.

The structure of the database has
been well defined and arrangements
have been made in all countries to collect and validate data. The quality assurance process is frequently refined andhas proven to be efficient in assessing
the quality of the data provided by partners. A special emphasis is put on theusability of the database for probabilistic analyses. The participating countries
are continuously updating the structureand 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, wasdistributed in early 2021. The next version (2021:01) is expected to be madeavailable to the project partners soon.

The project members defined during 2022 the work programme of the
7th phase of the project. This work
programme includes consideration ofan extension of the FIRE database tofires in research reactors and other fuelcycle facilities as well as fires duringdecommissioning. These aspects will
be further discussed and refined in the
coming meetings.
A number of topical reports areunder discussion.

The ICDE Project
The International Common-cause Data
Exchange (ICDE) Project collects andanalyses operating data related to common-cause failures (CCF) that have thepotential to affect several components
or several systems, including safetysystems. The project has been in
operation since 1998, and has been
extended with a new phase-9 agreement from 2023 to 2026.
The ICDE Project comprises complete, partial and incipient CCF events.
It currently covers the key componentsof the main safety systems, such as
centrifugal pumps, diesel generators,
motor-operated valves, safety relief
valves, check valves, control rod drive
mechanisms, reactor protection system circuit breakers and batteries.
These components were selectedbased on several probabilistic safetyassessments (PSAs) that identified
them as major risk contributors in thecase of CCFs.
Qualitative insight from data will help
reduce the number of CCF events thatare risk contributors, and member countries can use the data for their nationalrisk analyses. As of February 2022, thedatabase included 12 028 records.
In phase 8 (2019-2022), the component reports for motor-operated
valves, safety and relief valves andbatteries have been updated. Also,
topical analyses have been performed
for the following topics: external environmental factors, severe emergency
diesel generator events, plant modifications, improving testing, multi-unit
events, inter-system dependencies
and pre-initiator human failure events.
Lastly, an example using ICDE data toquantify CCF in PSA models is underdevelopment.

55

Secretariat-serviced bodies
Multinational Design
Evaluation Programme
The Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP) is an initiative
to develop innovative approaches toleverage the resources and knowledge of national regulatory authorities engaged in new reactor power
plant design activities.
The main objective is to enable
increased co-operation and establish a reference for regulatory practices so as to enhance the safety of
new reactor designs. The enhanced
co-operation among regulators
will improve the effectiveness andefficiency of the regulatory design
reviews, which are part of eachcountry’s licensing process. The
programme focuses on co-operation on regulatory practices that aim
at harmonising regulatory requirements. The IAEA safety standards,
which provide a general level ofharmonisation, provide input tothe work and can benefit from thefinal results. MDEP is primarily
focused on design evaluation, butalso includes inspection activities
and generic issues. As the designs
moved into the construction, commissioning and eventually the operational phases, the scope expanded
to continue co-operation on oversight of construction and commissioning, and to share experiencefrom the first two years of operation,
as it pertains to design. The MDEP
framework in 2021 included the
EPR, AP1000, APR1400, VVER andHPR1000 working groups and one
issue-specific working group dedicated to vendor inspection co-operation to support the programmeby addressing cross-cutting issues.
The MDEP entered a new phasefrom 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 existing MDEP terms of reference andadopt a new organisational structure. As such, MDEP now operates
with two design-specific working
groups: the VVERWG will focus on
new-build nuclear power plant projects using Russian VVER designs,
and the HPR1000WG will focus onsafety evaluations of the Chinese
HPR1000 design.
A key concept behind MDEP isthat it will better inform the decisions of regulator y authorities
through multinational co-operation,
while each regulator retains sovereign 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 identifying 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 termsof reference and can accommodate
interactions with emerging countries if members agree.

2022 MDEP highlights
The Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP) entered a newphase from the beginning of 2022
to support the MDEP designs thatare to be active after 2022 (VVER
and HPR1000). The work has continued 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 toa 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 productpublished during the last 15 years,
i.e. 39 common positions on a variety of technical topics identified
during design reviews, as well as
43 technical reports. It also lists a
number of qualitative successes ofthe programme.
In 2022, MDEP design-specificworking groups made progress intheir 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 ofreactor pressure vessels and primary components in AES-2006
designs. Two technical reports werealso issued, one on ex-vessel melt
retention in the core catcher andone on hydrogen recombiners. The
HPR1000 working group completed
two common positions. The first
addressed the in-containment refuelling water storage tank (IRWST)
strainer performance and the downstream effects of the HPR1000 after
LOCA. The second was related toin-vessel retention strategies for
the HPR1000. The group issued one
technical report on internal andexternal hazards.
MDEP plans to hold its 5th conference on 24-25 April 2023 in Antalya,
Türkiye.
For more information on MDEP’s
structure, and to consult publicly
available technical reports andcommon 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

Highlights

Human Aspectsof Nuclear Safety
The NEA places great focus, through the work of thisdivision, 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 indecision-making, safety culture and other related issues.
In addition, robust work is carried out on improving theunderstanding 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 theCommittee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA), theCommittee 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 crosscutting and support many of the mandates of the standing
technical committees at the NEA, the work of the Divisionof the Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety (HANS) is jointly
implemented with the collaboration of other NEA bodies.

Safety culture, leadershipand capacity building
The Working Group on Safety Culture (WGSC) continues tofacilitate 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 wastreated 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 meetingson 5-7 April 2022 via video conference and 18-20 October
2022 in Paris to review its ongoing work on safety culture andleadership in nuclear regulators.
The WGSC is engaged in two projects, building upon priorwork that developed principles and attributes for the safety

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 andenhance the role of women in the nuclear sector.
Also in October 2022, the NEA signed afive-year Memorandum of Understanding with
Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global to co-operate on
improving the gender balance in the sector throughmentoring, youth engagement, communication,
education, training, joint research and events, andother activities.
Throughout the year, the HANS teamco-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 ArabEmirates 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 andcommunication 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 theorganisations they oversee, and vice versa, from a safety
culture perspective; the second is a systematic investigation
into the characteristics and competencies of leadership at alllevels of an organisation from a safety culture perspective.
In 2022, data was collected in two phases and analysed inworkshops held virtually on 21-22 June 2022 and in Paris on
17-18 October 2022. The results complement and strengthenprevious 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 datagathering mission was carried out in June by an NEA team
who visited Canadian utilities to conduct interviews andconvene 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 andcomplemented 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 inJapan 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 Marchand on 2-4 November 2022. The discussions centredaround the five activities that the WGHOF launched in
2022: the impact of COVID-19 on the nuclear sector froman organisational behaviour perspective; the developmentof a human and organisational training catalogue; human andorganisational factors (HOF) in event analysis processes;
regulatory oversight and its effects on HOF and safety
culture (looking at the Boeing MAX 737 accidents); andthe 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 partin a role playing exercise,
7 September 2022.

58 | NEA Annual Report 2022

The plenary meetings featured key external speakers fromother 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 Performancein Nuclear Installations. The first was presented during theCommittee 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, theNEA Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) facilitates theexchange of experiences on decisions and approaches tothe management of radioactive waste and the conduct ofdecommissioning 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 scientificsafety 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 technicaloptions. The workshop helped IGSC and FSC participants
better understand what inputs local stakeholders may needto gain confidence in the safety case, starting with openness,

NEA Director-General Magwood
welcoming the group ofcommunications experts andtechnical professionals to the risk
communication training workshop
in Bratislava, Slovak Republic,
7-9 December 2022.

transparency on the technical facts and the processitself, 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 toengage with stakeholders was also discussed.
The annual meeting was followed by the 11th FSC national
workshop, on “Fostering stakeholder involvement acrossgenerations - participation after site selection”, held in thesame 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 fromthe 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 fromstakeholders on the issue of radioactive waste disposals.

Public communication andstakeholder 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 umbrellaof the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities(CNRA) in response to participating countries’ needs
regarding the policies of nuclear regulatory organisationsin 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 inthis field.

In 2022, the group worked on establishing a first editionof 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 andagencies 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 andis 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 toshare 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 civilsociety 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” hasbeen launched. As a second task, the group is studying thequalitative and quantitative benefits and burdens that result
from developing and using nuclear technology. The groupseeks 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 futurescenarios 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 civilsociety, 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

The third international mentoringworkshop for female high school
students co-organised with
Women in Nuclear Global (WiN) Spain,
27 September 2022.

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, andeconomic impacts. The third NEA Stakeholder Involvement
Workshop, planned for September 2023, will build on thefindings 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 purposeof 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 postassessing the decision (i.e. executing and implementing
a decision and gaining insight/feedback on the process
post-decision). The webinars aim to identify similarities anddifferences in the understanding of optimisation during eachof 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 inthe decision-making process, and to identify the types oftriggers 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 communicationand technical professionals working in relevant publicorganisations (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 andbuilding trust by learning how to communicate effectively
before, during and after a regulatory and radiologicalprotection 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

intended to evolve and be offered on an ongoing basis sothat 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 anddeveloping the next generation of nuclear professionals andleaders. 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 ateach 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 robustand diverse pipeline of talent for the nuclear sector, theNEA co-organises international mentoring workshopswith member countries and partners that seek to create
motivating connections between female students andsenior 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 inJapan, Romania, Spain and France (by order of occurrence).
The first workshop in 2022 was held on 23-25 July inFukushima, 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 overJapan. 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 mentoringworkshop for female graduate andpost-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 thirdworkshop 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 andpost-graduate students who benefitted from discussions
with 3 senior-level mentors. They also visited the Flamanvillenuclear power plant and Orano sites.
Also during the year, the NEA collaborated with Womenin 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 andconcerns they may have about going into this field. Several ofthese workshops will continue to be held on a yearly basis, anda 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 anddeveloped a policy framework to support countries to improve

gender balance and enhance the contributions of womenin the sector. The principles of the draft framework wereapproved by the NEA Steering Committee on 20 October
2022. In September 2022, the task group launched four subgroups 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 andgirls. 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 throughits 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 andleadership skills. The second is a survey targeting students todevelop data-driven inclusion guidelines for nuclear science
departments at universities. The NEA will continue tointegrate data and policy with communications and outreachas part of a holistic strategy to support member countries
working to improve gender balance and diversity.

Contact:

Greg LamarreHead, Division of Radiological Protectionand Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety+33 (0)1 73 21 29 40
greg.lamarre@oecd-nea.org

61

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

RadiologicalProtection

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
are scheduled in late 2022 and early 2023 to work
towards a common understanding of optimisationin the nuclear sector in preparation of the main
event.

The goal of the NEA in this sector is to assist member
countries in the policy, regulation, implementationand further development of the system of radiologicalprotection by identifying and effectively addressing
conceptual, scientific, policy, regulatory, operational andsocietal issues. The staff works closely with the Committeeon Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH)
and the working parties and expert and task groups that
support this committee. More and more issues cut acrossseveral, if not all, other standing technical committees.

In May 2022, countries and relevant international organisations represented at the Expert
Group on INEX-6 (EGINEX6) began preparations
for the sixth International Nuclear Emergency
Exercise, which will be held in early 2024 and forthe first time address long-term recovery.

RadiologicalProtection2022

l Protection

Radiologica
2022

ork
Framew

Occupational Exp
at Nuclear Pow osures
er Plants

Building-Nauclear Accident
work fora Frame
Building

for Post Preparedness
ry
Recovedance
l-Level Gui
Nationance
vel Guida
National-Le
redness:
very Prepa
ent Recoar Accid
Post-Nucle

Twent y-NinthAnnuaof the ISOE Progra l Report
mme, 2019

NE A
NE A

Annual meeting of the Committeeon Radiological Protection andPublic Health
The NEA Committee on Radiological Protection andPublic Health (CRPPH) held its annual meeting virtually on
29-31 March 2022. The meeting brought together around100 delegates from 26 member countries, 11 internationalorganisations and associations, and invitees from Chile, thePeople’s Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates. The
CRPPH celebrated its 80 th meeting, marking the long historyof work in radiological protection and public health at the
NEA. The Committee agreed to align its future programme ofwork with the NEA’s Strategic Plan for 2023-2028, focusing
on radiological protection challenges posed by societal
changes related to strategies to (i) mitigate climate change;(ii) broaden stakeholder involvement in optimising protection
by developing holistic, inclusive and sustainable decisionmaking processes; and (iii) modernise radiological protection
policy and continue to improve preparedness for recovery
from nuclear and radiological accidents.

62 | NEA Annual Report 2022

In June 2022, the High-Level Group on LowDose Research (HLG-LDR) held its annual meeting
where participants discussed co-ordination withother international/regional efforts on low-dose
research and prioritised topics. The HLG-LDR has
produced and opened to its participants a global
register of planned or ongoing low-dose research
projects covering the sciences supportingradiological protection.
In August 2022, the NEA International
Radiological Protection School returned to
Stockholm University for its 4 th edition. The
event brought together 52 participants from26 countries, in person and online, for an intensive
five-day course and interactive discussion with afaculty of 23 international senior experts.
In October 2022, the Expert group on
Recovery Management held its final workshop on
preparedness for post-accident recovery, hosted
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
Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) discussed
several deliverables under preparation, notably
the practical guidance for mental health andpsychosocial support in radiological and nuclear
emergencies, for which the publication is foreseen
next year.

The CRPPH also approved the creation of a task force onradiological protection challenges related to the deploymentof small modular reactors (SMRs) and other advanced nuclear
technologies, to be implemented harmoniously with the NEA
cross-cutting strategy on SMRs.
In October 2022, the members of the CRPPH Working
Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM) contributed
to the discussion on radiological protection challenges
from a broader perspective, addressing the changing
profile of nuclear and radiological risks such as emergency
preparedness, response and recovery needs related to SMRs,
war-induced threats or other emerging risks or related issues.

International RadiologicalProtection School (IRPS),
University of Stockholm, Sweden,
22 to 26 August 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. Morethan 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 radiologicalprotection professionals with a deeper understanding of the“spirit” of the international radiological protection systemthrough an intensive and application-oriented training. The
faculty consisted of 25 international lecturers, pursuing
the outstanding participant/lecturer ratio that has alreadymade 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 theparticipants with a thorough and state-of-the-art overview
of the fundamentals, latest developments and futurechallenges. This edition also introduced novelties such as
the much-requested lecture on “Risk Communication” aswell as the introduction of a mini-workshop on the practicalexperience and challenges of implementing the radiologicalprotection system. The mini-workshop allowed participants
to put their personal experience in focus and to exchangewith peers on challenges they face in their daily work. This
edition also led to closer co-operation with industry, in linewith the new strategic plan promoted by the NEA. The 2023
edition is planned for mid-August in Stockholm.

Improving global low-dose researchco-ordination
The High-Level Group on Low-Dose Research (HLG-LDR)
addresses scientific uncertainties in the area of low-dose andlow-dose rate health effects and risks and proposes ways toimprove the effectiveness and efficiency of research throughglobal 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 wereidentified with Canada, Europe, Japan, and the UnitedStates, 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

an institution, country, region or international organisation).
These will eventually provide scientific evidence to makeradiation health risk estimates less uncertain in the low-dose(rate) area; accelerate the translation of the most impactfulresearch findings into policy and regulation; and reducemisunderstanding 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 orplanned 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 thebenefits of the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) approachfor radiation research and possibly regulatory implementationof 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 HLGLDR 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 theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development toimprove regulation of chemicals in support of human healthand 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 disseminatedon the international scene in 2022 through publicationsof 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 EffectAlliance.

63

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Identifying if, where and why theinternational 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 tothe 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 andprioritising 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 awide range of circumstances.

Exchanging national experiences on
the implementation of dose limits
for the lens of the eye inoccupational exposure
The NEA Expert Group on the Dose Limit for the Lens of theEye (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 lensof the eye for occupational exposure. The report covers
issues such as the relevant legislative changes to lens of theeye 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 ongoingor planned research projects and needs. An online platform is
now operational that facilitates the exchange of experienceamong participating countries (and beyond) on the practicalimplementation of the dose limits to the lens of the eye andshares news from the research area.

Producing a post-accident foodsafety framework to rebuild
consumer trust and ensureinternational trade
In June 2022, the CRPPH Expert Group on a Post-Accident
Food Safety Framework (EGFSF) started to work on atangible and operational methodology based on an updated
review of the 2014 report “Framework for the Post-accidentManagement of Contaminated Food” and other internationalguidelines 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 panelof 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 postaccident recovery preparedness
The Expert Group on Recovery Management (EGRM)
completed its publication entitled Building a Frameworkfor 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 achievementof the recovery objectives. For each cross-cutting or topicalissue, the EGRM documented what is at stake if countries failto 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 casestudies to showcase best practices were also considered,including the workshop that the NEA co-organised withJapan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on “Preparedness
for Post-Accident Recovery”, which was held in February2020 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 sixthInternational 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 theExpert 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 radiologicalemergency for the first time at theinternational 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

INEX-3

INEX-4

INEX-5

Early phase /communication /decision-making process
in national responses /food safety / emergency
assistance

Decision making in
uncertain conditions / realtime communications /public and media
interactions

Monitoring and data
management strategies fornuclear emergencies /international co-ordination /aspects of Conventions on
Third Party Liability

Consequence management/ long-term issues /decision making in themedium and longer term

Post-crisis emergency
management / response towidespread radiologicalcontamination of theurban environment

Notification andcommunication aspects /transboundary aspects /interfaces / identifying andobtaining resources

issues related to nuclear emergency preparedness andprovide a platform for international comparisons on bestpractice and areas for improvement. An INEX event has beenorganised approximately every five years. The Expert Groupon INEX-6 (EGINEX6), established in May 2022, agreed
the objectives for INEX-6 based on the recommendationsof a dedicated preparatory Task Force and feedback fromparticipants of the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency
Matters (WPNEM). The exercise will be driven on the basis ofa 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, withthe exercise scheduled to take place in January-March 2024.

Mitigating the mental health andpsychosocial impacts of nuclear orradiological emergencies
The mitigation of public health impacts of radiological andnuclear 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 impactsof such emergencies and of the response and recovery
protective actions. In 2020, the WHO published a Frameworkfor Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in
Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies to provide high-level
policy guidance in this area. The Expert Group on NonRadiological 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 andpsychosocial 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,

education materials, clinical referrals between medical andmental health care, services available in host communities,
mental health monitoring, and social determinants of mental
health. The final product is intended to reflect practicalexperience from radiological protection, non-radiologicaldisaster management, and mental health and social sciences,among other considerations.

Improving cross-borderco-ordination of protective actions incase of emergency
The NEA Expert Group on Comparison and Understandingof Dose Prognosis (EGDP) concluded its research and data
analysis in 2022. The research consisted of a series of threedrills considering different source terms and meteorological
data, which were used to highlight differences and similarities
between countries’ use of dose prognosis in radiological andnuclear 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 andreviewing 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 technicalaspects 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. Amongthe headline findings is that very few countries indicated thatthey had mechanisms or agreements in place to exchange
information with neighbouring countries. This will be exploredfurther 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 tocomplete the update of the handbooks in 2023.

Enhancing co-ordination withinternational organisations in thefield of radiological protection
NEA Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters,
25-26 October 2022.

The CRPPH’s working methods, which are underpinned by
the broad expertise of its participating countries, facilitate andsupport international consensus on radiological protection
concepts, regulatory issues and practices. The CRPPH

65

provides input to national governments and internationalorganisations to support state-of-the-art knowledge-,science- and social values-based regulation and to share bestpractices. Its interaction and co-ordination with internationalorganisations is essential to seek synergy, complementarity,
avoid overlap and contribute to a harmonised radiologicalprotection framework. The Inter-Agency Committee on
Radiation Safety (IACRS), for which the NEA provides thesecretariat jointly with the International Atomic Energy
Agency, is an excellent lever in this context. The NEA is alsoa participating organisation of the Inter-Agency Committeeon Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies (IACRNE).
Bilateral annual meetings with the United Nations ScientificCommittee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation or the WHO
help identify common goals to co-ordinate in areas of

Joint Project

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 acollective voice.

Contact:

Greg LamarreHead, Division of Radiological Protectionand Human Aspects of Nuclear Safety+33 (0)1 73 21 29 40
greg.lamarre@oecd-nea.org

NEA
NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

ISOE
Information System on Occupational Exposure

The Information System on Occupational ExposureOver the thirty years since it was created in 1992, the Information System
on Occupational Exposure (ISOE),
administered jointly by the NEA andthe IAEA, has been facilitating theexchange of data, analysis, experienceand lessons learnt in occupational radiological protection at nuclear power
plants worldwide. It maintains theworld’s largest occupational exposure
database and a network of utility/licensee and regulatory authority radiological protection experts.
At the end of 2022, the ISOE programme included 77 nuclear licensees
with 437 reactors (351 operating, 70
in various stages of decommissioning and 16 under construction and/or commissioning) and 27 regulatory
authorities from 31 participating countries. The ISOE programme operates
in a decentralised fashion. Operational
decisions and the overall direction areprovided by the ISOE Management
Board, which is composed of 61 representatives from licensees andregulatory authorities from all participating countries. The ISOE Bureau,
elected by the Management Board,
guides the ISOE Secretariat’s work
between Management Board meetings. 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

66 | NEA Annual Report 2022

the programme’s day-to-day technicaloperations and are contact points forthe transfer of information from andto the participants. A national co-ordinator in each country provides a link
between the ISOE participants and theISOE 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 atsome stage of decommissioning (someof which do not take part in the ISOE
Project but provide exposure data). The
ISOE database, publications, benchmarking visits and annual symposia,
along with the ISOE Network website,facilitate the exchange among participants of operational experience andlessons learnt in the optimisation ofoccupational radiological protection.
In 2022, the ISOE programme
continued to focus on the exchangeof data, analysis, best practices andexperience 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 convened 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 topicalsession on source-term characterisation and a one-day technical visit to thedecommissioning site of the AVR and
FRJ-2 reactors in Jülich, Germany.
Key outcomes of work during 2022
include the collection and integration of2021 data into the ISOE database, thepublication of the ISOE Annual Reportfor 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 wererepresented by the NEA Secretariat
at the 3 rd International Conferenceon Occupational Radiation Protection
organised by the IAEA in co-operation
with the International L abour
Organisation (ILO) and hosted by theGovernment of Switzerland in Geneva.

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

Radioactive Waste
Management
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to assist member
countries in the development of safe, sustainable andbroadly acceptable strategies for the long-term managementof all types of radioactive waste and spent fuel, and toprovide governments and other relevant stakeholders withauthoritative, reliable information on the political, strategic
and regulatory aspects of radioactive waste management.

e WasteRadioactiv
2022

Summar y ofthe
NEA Worksh
op onCompetency
Managementof Regulators (COMAREG)

nt

ManagemeueCataloglubsClay Cra
cteristicof Cha ceous Rocksof Argillaate
2022 Upd

NE A

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 toaddress a comprehensive scope of information, data andknowledge 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 andplanned 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 theactivity to revise the IDKM timescales and plans to publish areference 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.

On 4-8 April 2022, the NEA co-organised with
the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs andEmployment the Sixth International Conference
on Geological Repositories (ICGR-6) in Helsinki,
Finland. The main goal of ICGR-6 was to take stockof international progress made since 2016 in thedevelopment and implementation of deep geological repositories (DGRs).
In June 2022, the NEA held the official workshop on the international peer review of the
NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organizationof 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 Developmentof Safety Cases for Different Types of Disposal
Facilities” in Bucharest, Romania. In all, 74 experts
from 19 countries, the IAEA and a private company participated.
On 26-27 July, the NEA organised the joint
Romania-Bulgaria “Workshop on Radioactive
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.
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 characterisation of large quantities of unconventional and legacy waste.
The NEA and METI (Japan’s Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry) jointly held theWorkshop on the Joint Utilisation of undergroundresearch laboratories (URLs) for R&D projects inHoronobe (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 forRadioactive Waste Management Programmes andDecommissioning (EGKM) held its second plenary
meeting in May 2022. The meeting included presentationsof important work by countries that contributed to the
EGKM programme of work and a discussion on a methodof 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 inRome, 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 amethod 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 aworkshop 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 inback-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 hocgroups in 2020. One focused on regulatory issues in the areasof 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 for2023-2025.
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 Groupon 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 anniversarythat reflects on its achievements and visions for the future aswell 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 ofunderground research laboratories (URLs) for research anddevelopment 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 strengtheninternational co-operation and to advance the developmentof final disposal solutions for radioactive waste and spent fuelthrough joint R&D in URLs. The workshop gathered experts
representing DGR programmes that were both advanced andin early stages. A final report summarising the key outcomesof this workshop as well as the online discussions of 2021
will be published in 2023.

Management and disposal of highlevel 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 ofdeep geological repositories (DGRs) for managing high-levellong-lived radioactive waste, and to facilitate learning throughthe 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 longterm career prospects for young professionals. A summary
record of ICGR-6, including country-specific progress, will be
published in early 2023.

Workshop on the Managementof Spent Fuel, Radioactive Waste
and Decommissioning in
SMRs/Advanced Reactor Technologies,
7-10 November 2022,
Ottawa, Canada.

Reactor and fuel cycle technologies must be developed
together as a system, with waste optimisation and minimisation 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 thisregard, the NEA and Natural Resources Canada organised
jointly a workshop reviewing the state of knowledge andplans regarding the management of spent nuclear fuels from
SMRs and Generation IV systems. The workshop was heldon 7-10 November 2022 and explored the different types of
SMRs and Generation IV technologies, potential for fuel recycling (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 hightemperature gas-cooled reactors, however there is a likelihoodthat TRISO will generate 25 times more spent nuclear fuelby volume in comparison to light water reactors per tonneof fuel. Neutron activation of graphite impurities leads to
14 C accumulation in the blocks/pebbles which will need tobe 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 thedifferent types of waste streams that will be generated fromthe fuel types such as molten salts, liquid metals, TRISO andOxides to address such challenges. Depending on the outcomeof these collaborative evaluations, further assessments mayneed 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 tobe finalised in the first half of 2023.

The safety case for geologicaldisposal
The NEA Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC)
was established in 2000 and has taken a leading role inidentifying, documenting and evaluating emerging issues
and trends, and in establishing consensus on good practicein the development of the safety case over the course ofits 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 tovarious stages of site-specific safety cases for geologicalrepositories, with a new repository in Finland now underconstruction. 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 andcommonalities 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 ofknowledge and experience. The workshop outcomes will
be used by the IGSC in developing the programme of workfor 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 fromthe RWMC, included in its scope of work a study of how thepoints from the safety case for DGRs could be applied in thedevelopment of safety cases for other types of repository
and how the DGR safety cases could apply the experiencefrom 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 the24th 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 offereda presentation, which consisted of four parts reflecting themain 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 ClubThe 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 ofrequirements 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 ClubThe 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 waterpressures 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 ClubThe 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 for2023-2024, the updates to its activities and future needs.
This expert group developed the FEP Database and Salt
Knowledge Archive, which is available for registration andinternal use. Furthermore, the group continued its scientificwork on the assessment of actinide geochemistry and on thethermodynamic 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 Approachesof Safety Assessment for the Operational Period”. This
expert group continued developing internal reports on firerisk 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 lowlevel 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 aimof supporting progress in the clean-up of the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant site, senior experts from sevenparticipating 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 forJapan’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 inwaste management and decommissioning.

Fostering dialogue between
regulators and implementers
Building constructive dialogue between regulators andimplementers 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 resultsof a questionnaire distributed to participating countries, withthe 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 approachto 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.

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 groupagreed to focus the 2022-2023 work on developing guidancein 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 havebeen created to address these areas of work, while terms ofreference have been developed to help structure the workand gather relevant stakeholders.

Application of robotic and remotesystems in the nuclear back-end
The RWMC Expert Group on the Application of Robotics
and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS)

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 fora high-quality database to model thesafety 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 countries are contributing financially to theactivities associated with TDB ProjectPhase 6. The project has thus far produced 14 volumes of internationallyrecognised and quality-assured thermodynamic data. The Second Updateon 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 publishedpreviously 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 thermodynamics of molybdenum;• a review of the chemical thermo-

dynamics of selected ancillarycompounds;• a report on thermodynamic considerations for cement minerals;

ised by the NEA took place online in
November 2022. It was a webinar
with two sessions, each lasting threehours, and received over 100 registration requests. The audience included
a variety of participants, from graduate
students to university professors andrepresentatives of regulatory bodies.

• a report on assessing the modellingand experimental approaches of highionic-strength solutions.

Work for a new critical review on thechemical thermodynamics of selectedlanthanide compounds started in 2021.
Under the programme of work of
TDB‑6, one more review and one stateof-the-art report have been initiated andidentified 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 training course on Thermodynamic Data
Collection and Assessment organ-

71

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

Decommissioningof Nuclear
Installations andLegacy 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 thesafe and economical decommissioning of nuclear
facilities and the management of legacy sites.

The Working Party on Management andOrganisational Aspects of Decommissioning andLegacy 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 programme 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 andTechnologies to Support Characterisation andDecommissioning of Complex and Legacy Sites.

New CDLM developments

T he E x p er t Gr oup on C os ting f or
Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations andLegacy Management (EGCDL) completed a document to be published in 2023 that consolidates
into one document information contained in theInternational Structure for Decommissioning
Costing (ISDC) and Addressing Uncertainties in
Cost Estimates for Decommissioning Nuclear
Facilities.

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 draftedand provided to the RF at its plenary meeting in March 2022.
In 2022-2023, the RF will address the identified priorities.

The Expert Group on a Holistic Process for
Decision Making on Decommissioning andManagement of Complex Sites (HDCS) held its
second and third plenary meetings on 9 December
2021 and 7-9 June 2022. The two meetings supported the recognition and resolution of decision-making for complex sites.

A close co-operation was established with the Forum on
Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) following collaborative workin 2021. In 2022 the dedicated task group called Stakeholder
Involvement in Decommissioning and Legacy Management(SIDLM) held three meetings to address the nuances andcomplexities of stakeholder involvement in decommissioning
and legacy management. To support the CDLM and provide
focus to the work, two new working parties were createdon 15 March 2021: The Working Party on Management andOrganisational Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy
Management (WPMO) and the Working Party on Technical,
Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning andLegacy Management (WPTES). Both groups have sinceissued their programmes of work and have made good
progress towards implementing activities highlighted therein.

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 mechanisms for lessons learnt in the decommissioning of nuclear installations that was published in
December 2022.

The WPMO focuses on programme management, supply
chains and commercial topics, and stakeholder engagement.
At its October 2022 meeting, the group held two topicalsessions: The first one, called “Alpha decommissioning
in the United Kingdom – challenges and opportunities”,
highlighted the need to consider the standardisation ofprocesses and procedures, the cross utilisation of criticalskills 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

In a joint initiative of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Commission(EC) and the NEA, a standard international decommissioning taxonomy for knowledge management was built. The work will be reviewed, with areport expected to be published in 2023.

their respective benefits and challenges. Information shared
during these topical sessions will be used in the drafting ofa 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 theAustralian 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 withthe 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 forcharacterisation, decontamination and decommissioning
with the goal of covering state-of-the-art technologies andtechniques, 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 thedevelopment 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 tobe more inclusive and applicable to legacy and complex sites.
This group is currently documenting its finding in a report thatis 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 reportto capture these findings. The global task 3 report should befinished 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 theunderstanding of the scope of work focusing on complex andlegacy sites. Building on this, factors influencing decisionmaking where identified, supporting the recognition ofcomplex 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 approachto the i) recognition, ii) resolution and iii) implementation ofa holistic decision-making process for the decommissioning
and management of complex sites. A report is being preparedon the work, with a first draft expected in 2023.

Strengthening decommissioning
activities throughout CDLM-relatedbodiesClose collaboration with the Radioactive Waste Management
Committee (RWMC) was achieved through joint plenaries
and activities of common interest. Notable examples areincluded below.
In the area of the Working Party on Information, Data andKnowledge Management (WP-IDKM), under the structureof the RWMC, efforts were made to broaden the focus
and include knowledge management and digitalisation
within decommissioning and legacy management, as wellas to provide a holistic approach to the back-end in NEA
activities. Exchanges and dedicated contributions were
provided to the Expert Group on Knowledge Managementfor Radioactive Waste Management Programmes andDecommissioning (EGKM), which now includes memberswith a decommissioning and legacy management background.
The Expert Group on the Application of Robotics andRemote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS) of the
RWMC concluded a report entitled Status, Barriers andCost-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 andlegacy 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 andother industries on 18-20 October 2022, in Halden, Norway.
The EGRRS representative supported a discussion on costbenefit 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 astandard, international decommissioning taxonomy andassociated ontology. Both taxonomies and ontologies aretools for enabling common understanding of a specific systemor domain. A taxonomy offers a hierarchical classification ofentities 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, machinereadable taxonomy that provides organisations with an
off-the-shelf approach to decommissioning knowledgeorganisation, while allowing users to customise and further
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
2023. By integrating the review process of IAEA and EC, afinalised report is expected in 2023.
Decommissioning considerations play an important rolein the development of advanced reactors to improve design,
to ensure a robust decommissioning funding mechanism,and to avoid creating a waste stream that does not have adisposal path. As such, the CDLM was strongly engaged in
the preparation of, and participation in, a workshop on this
topic on 7-10 November 2022 in Ottawa, Canada.

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 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 executing or planning the decommissioning of
nuclear facilities. The objective of the
CPD Programme, launched in 1985, is
to exchange and share information fromoperational experience in decommissioning nuclear installations that is usefulfor current and future projects. Initiallyconsisting of 10 decommissioning projects in 8 countries, the programme hassince grown to 74 projects (44 reactors
and 30 fuel cycle facilities) in 15 NEA
member countries, 2 non-NEA members 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 ensuresthat the best international practices arewidely available and encourages theapplication of safe, environmentallysound and cost-effective methods in all
decommissioning projects.
Based on the CPD agreement, theTechnical Advisory Group (TAG) typically holds biannual meetings, which
each include a visit to the site of one ofthe participating projects and an open
exchange of views on decommissioning

74 | NEA Annual Report 2022

experiences. In 2022, the two meetingscomprised:• 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 methodologies for the free release ofbuildings 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 participating organisations presented on
the status of their decommissioning
projects. The presenters discussed
their experiences and the lessons
learnt in nuclear power plant decommissioning management. The meeting also included a topical session on
process qualification before operation. It included seven presentations.
Site visits were held, including to

nuclear waste management organisation Belgoprocess (the nuclear
research centre SCK•CEN and the
new waste information centre at
Tabloo in Dessel). This exchange
of information, lessons learnt andexperiences is an invaluable part ofthe biannual TAG meetings.
To make use of the decommissioning
knowledge and experience accumulated within the CPD, a database called
the TAG Knowledge Base was createdon NEA servers in 2017 to allow CPD
participants to easily access CPD reactor project and fuel facility information.
The database is continuously updatedwith data from participants shared during TAG meetings.
On 16-17 November 2022, the CPD
Management Board held its 41st meeting at the NEA premises in BoulogneBillancourt, 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 alsodecided to organise a CPD decommissioning technique demonstration
workshop for CPD participants in 2023
as well as the signature of a new CPD
agreement for the 2024-2028 period.

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

Nuclear Scienceand Education
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to help member countries
identify, collate, develop and disseminate the basic scientificand 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.

NuclearScience2021

Nuclear2021

Scienceoknal HandboyInternatiod Criticalitof Evaluate k Experiments
arhmnc
Safety Be

NE AInternati
Evalua onal Handb
ook ofted ReacBenchmark E tor Physics
xperiments

NE A

Reactor physics and transientstudies
The NEA Working Party on Scientific Issues and Uncertainty
Analysis of Reactor Systems (WPRS) fosters scientificexchange 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 withadvanced and accident-tolerant fuel designs; next generation
systems, including small modular reactors (SMRs), hightemperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR), advanced fast
spectrum systems including sodium fast reactors (SFRs) andmolten 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 andare now supervised by its four expert groups on Physics
of Reactor Systems (EGPRS), Thermal Hydraulics andMechanics (EGTHM), Multiphysics (EGMUP), and Reactor
Fuel Performance (EGRFP), by a Technical Review Groupon the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics(IRPhE) Project, and by a new Task Force on Zero Power
Reactors (see section “Experimental Needs”).

The Nuclear Science Committee (NSC)
has formed a Programme Review Group(PRG) to review and optimise the Committee’s
work with the overall multidisciplinary objectives laid out in the NEA Strategic Plan.
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 ofAccelerators, 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
Progression (TCOFF-2) was launched in August2022 with five tasks aimed at integrating materialscience 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 ofwork after changes in the geopolitical landscape.
T he Nuc le ar Educ a tion, Sk ills andTechnology (NEST) Framework, which includes
six ongoing projects, is advancing. Several
events were organised in NEA countries toenhance Fellows’ skills and competences.
The Global Forum on Nuclear Education,
Science, Technology and Policy organised
its first country-specific workshop in Tokyoin July 2022, with the support of the Ministryof Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (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 lCommencement in nuclear science and engineering on the theme “Nuclear technology
in service to society” was held in June 2022.

The WPRS held a series of remote meetings of theworking party and expert groups in February 2022 with over
120 participants, which is more than double the number ofparticipants at the last in-person meeting in 2020. This wasfollowed 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 inhybrid 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 tothe modelling and design of radiation shielding. EGMUP
supervises two new task forces on fuel temperaturemodelling 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 stateof-the-art AI/ML methodologies and to infer guidelines. TheWPRS also initiated new education activities and is planningto conduct a pilot student training session on reactor physics
simulations in the second quarter of 2023. Additionally, newbenchmarks 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 theirunderstanding of “burst” fission gas release (bFGR). Whilediffusion-based fission gas release (FGR) models are wellestablished and well validated under steady-state conditions,
FGR under transient conditions may be governed bydifferent “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 tomaintain focus on the enhancement and optimisation of thisvaluable resource.
In 2022, the WPRS issued a new report entitled Existing
Practices for Multiphysics Validation, which provides a reviewof 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 aspectsof the nuclear fuel cycle, from the front to the back end, anddeal with issues arising from various existing and advanced
systems. These include fuel cycle scenarios to assess thepotential 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 ofAdvanced 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 fuelcycles 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 elevenofficial 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 reportthat provides recommendations on oxide and metal fuelproperties 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 fuelcycle modelling and simulation. The EGCoCoT is conducting
a technology readiness level (TRL) assessment of heavyliquid-metal and sodium-cooled systems, focusing on
component materials and chemical processes. To furtherenhance this activity, the expert group is also preparing astate-of-the-art report on the effects of liquid metals on thereactor components. The EGFRW is finalising an international
review on the recycling and reuse of components fromspent fuels and conducting the first phase of a new
benchmarking exercise on simulation codes for solvent
extraction. A technical report on the treatment of volatile
fission products produced by the expert group was recently
published. Finally, the EGFRW is shaping a new activity on
the chemistry of MSR fuel cycles, which is planned to be
conducted jointly with the IAEA.

criticality safety assessments and decay heat assessments.
In addition, the working party encompasses the International
Database of Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition Data
(SFCOMPO) Project and the International Criticality Safety
Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) and their relational
databases. The WPNCS further supports the organisationof the International Conference on Nuclear Criticality, held
every four years, and for which the next edition is to takeplace in Japan in 2023. Preparation is underway together with
the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Atomic Energy
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(P&T) for Industrial Readiness by 2050 (TF-FCPT) is inprogress in collaboration with the NEA Nuclear Development
Committee (NDC). Launched in 2021, the Task Force aims
to highlight the need for and the benefit of achieving a preindustrial demonstration of the advanced fuel cycle and P&T
technologies, identify the associated R&D and infrastructureneeds, and provide policymakers with information for future
decisions to enable the industrialisation of the fuel cycle
closure from 2050. In addition, it gives guidelines for joint
experimental programmes to increase the technology
readiness level (TRL) and reduce uncertainties. In 2022,
the Task Force met several times remotely and held its firstin-person meeting in September. It made significant progresswith the preparation of a high-level report that will address
the technological, economic and societal aspects of the topic.

The WPNCS introduced in 2022 an interim wintermeeting week to enhance progress in its activities. The firstsuch interim meeting took place in January 2022, gathering
80 experts from 17 participating countries as well as European
Union (EU) representatives.
In 2022, two groups reached closure: Subgroup 5 on theExperimental Needs for Criticality Safety which, relying on asurvey, finalised its report in February 2022; and Subgroup 8
on the Preservation of Expert Knowledge, which collectedknow-how related to the use of ICSBEP benchmarks forvalidation purposes. Three groups held and reported on theirfirst meeting, namely Subgroup 9 on Transport in Random
Geometries, Subgroup 10 on Nuclear Data Uncertainties for
Depletion Calculations and Subgroup 11 on Bias and CorrelatedData. One WPNCS group was approved for launch, namely
Subgroup 12 on Decay Heat Assessment, which has createda forum for exchanging practices, methods and observations
related to decay heat calculations at a variety of time scales.
The group will produce a “current status” report indicating thepriority aspects to be tackled at an international level.

In addition, the WPFC is working with the Scientific
Advisory Committee (SAC) of the 16th Information Exchange
Meeting on Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning andTransmutation (16IEMPT) on the organisation of the event in
the new geopolitical context. The event will address the stateof-the-art developments related to advanced nuclear fuelcycles: scenario studies, transmutation systems, modellingand data, advanced fuels for transmutation and multirecycling, waste management and recycling technologies.

The WPNCS is also hosting the development andmaintenance of two experimental data preservation projects,
ICSBEP and SFCOMPO.
After the 2021 meetings of the ICSBEP Technical Review
Group (TRG), seven new evaluations were approved forinclusion in the 2021 ICSBEP Handbook. Updates weremade to the accompanying Database for ICSBEP (DICE). The
2021 ICSBEP Handbook was released in November 2022.
The 2022 meetings of the ICSBEP TRG were rescheduled tothe second quarter of 2023 to accommodate a new schedulein the preparation of the previous handbook and allow forevaluators to finalise their upcoming submission.

Nuclear criticality safety
The NSC Working Party on Nuclear Criticality Safety (WPNCS)
co-ordinates several technical activities such as modellingof used nuclear fuel (UNF) depletion and propagation of
nuclear data uncertainties, Monte Carlo modelling of random
geometries of heterogeneous media, uncertainty analysis forControlrods

Coolant salt

ReactorElectricalenergyGenerator

Molten Salt Reactor.

Pump

Purifiedsalt

US Department of Energy
TurbineHeat
exchanger

Fuel salt

Recuperator
Heat
exchanger

Chemicalprocessing
plantCompressor

Freeze
plug
Pump

Heat
sink

Pre
coolerHeat sink

Intercooler
Compressor

Emergency dump tanks

77

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Research and development tosupport the advancement ofsmall modular reactors andadvanced reactors.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories(CC BY-ND 2.0)

The SFCOMPO Technical Review Group has met threetimes 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 heldin-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 anddiscussion focusing on nuclear materials. Its objective is toprovide guidance and expertise in the area of fuel materials
and structural materials with an emphasis on multi-scalemodelling, nuclear materials testing and characterisation,and data assessment and preservation for the purpose ofmodel development and validation.
The WPFM liaises, as appropriate, with other NEA
working parties and expert groups that may benefit frommaterial 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 ofdata 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 firstis called the Expert Group on Fuel Materials (EGFM), which
promotes multi-scale modelling and simulation together
with experimental activities. The EGFM addresses all fueltypes, 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 behaviourof 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 theworkshop, a panel was held with the title: “Are We On thePath 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 resultsof two sub-groups, including studies on prompt gamma
release from fission products and a review of correlated
uncertainties (covariances) in general-purpose nuclear datalibraries. Following the publication by the Expert Group on
the Recommended Definition of a General Nuclear Database
Structure (EGGNDS) of the first specifications for the firstinternational nuclear data format (GNDS version 1.9), the
EGGNDS completed and formally approved a major updatein its May 2022 meeting (GNDS version 2.0). This new version
includes several new data structures for more sophisticatedphysics and uncertainty data that go beyond the previous defacto international standard, ENDF-6, including covariances forthermal scattering data that were developed in collaboration
with the now-completed Subgroup 44. While the publication
process proceeds, experts are able to obtain the technicalspecifications 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 acollaboration 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 thatworldwide 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

FIDES-II members during a field
trip to see the TREAT reactor being
used in the HERA experiments,
October 2022.

workflows that will be increasingly used in nuclear data
evaluation. A major recommendation is the deployment ofapplication programming interfaces (APIs) for databases ofexperimental 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 subgrouphopes that the new format will follow the success of the
GNDS-2.0 specification in defining a new standard forexperimental data interchange. Tutorials were provided by
the EXFOR utility code developers to improve the access andtranslation 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 testingand development of the new format. The development of
the subgroup’s tools continued and is now focusing on thelayers corresponding to evaluation templates, monitors anddecay data. The format definition and software tools arebeing 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 theoutputs from this group include additional experimental andcomputational 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 withcriticality 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 Scienceand Education has worked to launch an enhanced GitLabserver 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 suchas benchmarking exercises. The GitLab was restructured thisyear to allow licensed users to access controlled softwarein addition to the open-source software hosted. The new

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 theuser 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 achanged 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 ofmodelling 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 researchcollaboration, FIDES is relatively unique in its ability to consider
research opportunities independent of a specific researchfacility. The design of the Framework allows members tobenefit 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 andsafety authorities in a variety of technical disciplines.
In writing the strategic plan, participants will draw on
expert perspectives from industry, safety authorities andlaboratories with the objective to define the research needed
to answer pressing safety questions as well as researchneeded 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 theexperimental 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 anda task group has been formed to formulate a second new
proposal that could generate data needed to support thequalification 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 20232024 timeframe.
Various zero power reactors (ZPRS) have been
decommissioned within the last two decades. Thus there
is increased concern about the possibly limited capabilitiesof the remaining facilities, and about satisfying anticipatedneeds 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 hasdecided to create an international specialists’ Task Forceunder the auspices of the WPRS and with the co-operationof 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 dataand 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 theminimal functional specifications of the needed facilities andexpertise. The new Task Force on ZPR is aiming to deliver
a concise overview on gaps and needs with respect to theexisting 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, hasover 25 years of experience in collecting, preserving anddisseminating experimental data in different domains.
The data are usually contained in agreed standard andcomputer-accessible formats. They are widely used forinternational activities involving validation of current andnew 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, confidencebounds and safety margins, and to record measurement
methods and techniques. Data preservation is ongoing in theareas 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 beenrecognised as international standards for the conversion of
raw experimental data into high-fidelity benchmarks. Overthe past decades, these handbooks have enabled thenuclear 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 andthe 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 releasedin 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) experimentswith Lucite at the NCERC; pitch variation experiments at
the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) in the United Statesand structural material experiments at the Valduc facility inFrance. 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-criticalor 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 tocriticality safety applications.
The 2021 edition of the International Handbook of
Evaluated Reactor Physics Experiments was also releasedin 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

NEST Management Board
Sixth meeting,
10-11 October 2022,
Paris, France.

measurements from the ZPR-9 have been evaluated andadded, and are one of the few representative data sets forvalidating GCFR calculations.
In 2022, co-ordination with the IAEA continued on the
addition of datasets of fuel materials for fast reactors in theInternational Fuel Performance Experiments (IFPE) Databasecollection. Discussions are also underway to preserve in IFPE
the fast reactor datasets from the latest benchmark carriedout by the Expert Group on Innovative Fuel Elements (EGIFE).
A major software upgrade was provided to theInternational 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 computercodes 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 publicallyavailable 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, suchas 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 ahands-on training event named GRE@T-PIONEeR that waspart of a Euratom project and provided specialised educationand training for post graduate students.

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 Forumaims to create an inclusive network of experts from theglobal nuclear academic community. These two initiatives
have established strong links and exchanges around thegrowing 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 asobservers in the other respective governing body.
To enhance co-operation and develop synergies in the fieldof 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 launcheda 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 theEuropean 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.

Education, training and humancapacity building
There is a growing trend in nuclear education to integrate
human resources training into the technical curriculumof 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 reactorsite or progressing into nuclear policy. In 2019 and 2021,
the NEA launched two knowledge management and humanContact:

Tatiana Ivanova
Head, Division of Nuclear Scienceand 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 comprehensive, internationally recognised and quality-assured database of phase diagrams
and of the thermodynamic properties ofadvanced nuclear fuels to meet specialised requirements for the developmentof such fuels for future generations of
nuclear reactors.
The second phase of the project (TAF-ID phase 2), establishedin November 2018 by 11 signatories
from 7 countries and the European
Commission, initially established for athree-year duration, was extended until
November 2022.
The third phase of the project(TAF-ID phase 3) is under preparationand is expected to be established by
11 signatories from 7 countries and theEuropean 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 technical discussions, the focus was placedon the preparation of Phase 3, including
discussions on its programme of workand on a mechanism that will allow third
parties to access a protected versionof 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 measurementson complex fuel compositions andcompare the experimental resultswith calculations;• reassess, improve and expand thethermodynamic 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 wasdelivered for the project’s participants inJune 2022: the TAF-ID-V14 includes theassessments 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, waspublished for the project’s participantsin 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 Basedon Scenario Analysis of Severe Accident
Progression (TCOFF-II) was launchedin August 2022. The programme builds
on the first TCOFF project, but with abroadened scope, including studies onmaterials behaviour of ATFs in severe
accident conditions and looking at otherreactor 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 ofthe thermodynamics of severe accidents into severe accident analysis
codes.
The aim of TCOFF-II is to improvethe models describing the materialinteractions and the role they playin the various phases of the severe
accidents, the ultimate goal being the
integration of such models in simulation codes to increase their accuracy.
This improvement will be driven in particular by state-of-the-art knowledgeof the thermodynamic properties ofthe material systems relevant to thedescription of core materials degrading
through a severe accident sequence.
Such knowledge, partially developed
and accumulated during the executionof the first phase of the TCOFF projectand previous international efforts, will

be systematised and further extended
in this second phase of TCOFF throughjoint experts’ evaluations and thermodynamic modelling.
The Project will focus on the accident
sequence, going from the early stagesof the fuel degradation through the fuelrelocation, 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 products (FPs), their distribution in the various phases forming during the accident
and the source term evaluation.

The QUENCH-ATF
project
The QUENCH-ATF project aims toinvestigate the behaviour of ATF claddings in design-basis accidents andbeyond-design basis accidents througha series of bundle tests at the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) QUENCH
facility, Germany. This project stands
under the auspices of the NSC and theCommittee 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 asfollows:• 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 thesame type of ATF cladding;• the third test is still open for discus-sion, with the option to test anothertype of ATF cladding, namely SiCfSiC; or to test Cr-coated Zr under adifferent scenario based on the feedback from the first two tests.

The first QUENCH-ATF test was successfully performed at and by KIT in July
2022 with a 24-rod bundle of Cr-coated
OptZirlo provided by Westinghouse.

LVR-15 Reactor operated by CVR, where FIDES-II
experiments on Cr-Coated ATF claddings areloaded and generating data.
CVR

This first-of-a-kind test has demonstrated that the bundle exhibits excellent behaviour to this transient.
The quantitative results of the test
were discussed as part of the projectin December 2022, as a blind analytical
exercise was underway during the second half of 2022 to assess the abilityof various codes to model and simulate
such transients and such materials. The
full post-test analysis is ongoing andwill continue with in-kind contributions
from the Institut de Radioprotection etde Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) and French
Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy
Commission (CEA). Preparation is ongoing 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)* waslaunched in October 2022. 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 initiatedunder FIDES in March 2021 will continue
under FIDES-II. The framework aims
to support the experimental needs ofnuclear safety regulators, technical support organisations, research institutions
and industry by establishing a global
network of research facilities to perform
high-priority experiments to verify thesafety and performance of fuels andmaterials (see section “Experimental
Needs”). FIDES-II will bring together a
network of key research reactors aroundthe world and safeguard experimental
knowledge for future generations.
The FIDES-II Agreement cameinto force on 3 October 2022 with24 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 theEuropean Commission. Some academicorganisations will participate in FIDES as
third parties.
The FIDES programme of workfor the 2022-2024 period includes
three Joint Experimental Programmes(JEEPs) that cover a wide range ofexperimental needs:• A programme for quantifying ther-momechanical clad load mechanisms during light water reactor
slow transients, or Power to Meltand 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 ResearchCentre Rež, Ltd. (CVR), in the Czech
Republic.

• High burn-up Experiments inReactivity-Initiated Accident (HERA)

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 aroundthe world to have the opportunity to
deepen their understanding of thecapabilities available for research under
the Framework. The INL provided thefirst opportunity for a site visit, allowing
members to see first-hand the TREAT
reactor being used in HERA, as well assome of the other unique experimental
capabilities at the INL.
During the FIDES-II meetings, theproject members are informed of thetechnical progress in each JEEP. Eachof the three ongoing JEEPs involves
some degree of first-of-a-kind experimental methods. During the meetings,
members have the opportunity to hear
the achievements made during thelast few months and examine issues
encountered as well as the proposed
mitigating measures. The discussions
are dynamic and productive, demonstrating the value of an international
expert community gathering to review
and advise an experimental framework
as complex as FIDES-II.

* 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.

83

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Education Initiatives
NEST BEAST Summer School.

The NEA Nuclear
Education, Skills andTechnology (NEST)
Framework
The NEA Nuclear Education, Skills
and Technology (NEST) Framework
Agreement was signed by 15 organisations from 10 member countries andentered into force in February 2019.
The main objective of NEST is to foster a new generation of nuclear experts
and leaders by transmitting practicalknowledge and offering hands-on
training. NEST addresses the important
gaps in nuclear skills capacity building,knowledge transfer and technical innovation in an international context.
The NEST Management Board has
approved six NEST projects in the areasof safety, decommissioning, radioactive waste management, small modular 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 androbotics for decommissioning(ARTERD);• The NEST SMR Project organiseda 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 thewider nuclear community of the activities and participants of NEST. Two articles were published in 2022 detailingthe 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 theeducation and training activities ofinternational partners such as the Global
Forum on Nuclear Education, Science,
Technology and Policy, the IAEA, theEC Joint Research Centre (JRC) and theEuropean Nuclear Education Network(ENEN). Lately, interactions have been
made also to strengthen links andco-operation with the Generation IV
International Forum (GIF) Education
and Training Working Group as wellas the European Nuclear Experimental
Education Platform (ENEEP).

• 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, theNEST projects have been active inrestarting events, seminars and workshops for the Fellows:• The NEST BEAST Project organiseda workshop in April 2022, a workshop
in September 2022, and a week-longconference in November 2022;• The NEST ARTERD Project organ-

ised an online seminar in September
2022;

84 | NEA Annual Report 2022

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 academic community to provide creative
solutions around global challenges
the nuclear sector faces as well as toengage and initiate a policy dialogue
with all nuclear stakeholders.
The Global Forum is led by a Councilof Advisors composed of around40 representatives of 20 academic
institutions from NEA member countries. During its first meetings, in April

and June 2021, the Council of Advisors
identified four strategic areas of work:• achieving gender balance innuclear technology and academic
workforces;• defining the future of nuclear engineering education;• rethinking the relationship between
nuclear energy and society; and• revitalising innovation in the nuclear
sector to improve the competitiveness of nuclear energy.

Representatives within the Council ofAdvisors 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 working with the Global Forum Secretariat toplan working group meetings, establish
work plans, and feed the outputs of theworking groups into the programme ofwork and into the deliberations of thewider Forum.
During 2022, the Council of Advisorsof the Global Forum held one meetingand the Co-Chairs held three, while theworking 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 tocelebrate and recognise the accomplishments of the graduating classesof 2022 within the nuclear science andtechnology fields. The Commencement
brought together renowned speakers,
young professionals and students
around the theme of “Nuclear technology in service to society”. Bill Gates,
Chairman of TerraPower, delivered akeynote address followed by a panel
discussion. The first student competition was organised around the topic“Nuclear and Society: what does thisrelationship mean to you”?
Having separate scopes of work andmissions, these two NEA initiatives on
education and training are co-ordinatedto strengthen the role of the Agency innuclear education and capacity building
and provide support and policy advice
to NEA member countries.

NEA ACTIVITIES BY SECTOR

Highlights

Data Bank
The goal of the NEA Data Bank is to serve as theinternational centre of excellence for advancing bestpractices in the management, preservation, validation andutilisation of nuclear data and computer codes, throughcollaboration, integration with other NEA outputs, anddissemination of relevant data and products. The Data Bank
also maintains and distributes the databases developed
within the NEA working parties and expert groups, aswell 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 testingwith JEFF data on
the NEA GitLaband within portable
Docker images.

In 2022, the Data Bank services returned to nearly “normal”
pre-COVID-19 operations. The number of delegates andexperts participating in nuclear data activities doubled andthe first substantive deliverables were made since 2017.
Training events were hosted again as in-person events, andnew package acquisitions and technology implementation
are being used to create a more impactful Data Bank service.

Management Board for theDevelopment, Application andValidation 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 theData Bank Secretariat to review the detailed programme of

In 2022, the Data Bank created new services
with software developers to manage controlled
distribution of source code, nuclear data andbenchmarks in one platform. These will be
distributed in a client-facing service in early2023 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 andorganised a series of 11 technical workshops,
covering topics ranging from the use of artificial
intelligence (AI) to preparation of applicationspecific libraries. Two complete test libraries
were released, the first deliveries since therelease 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 anda digital credential system with Accredible tosupport in-person, virtual and hybrid training
events. All training courses from summer 2022
onward have been delivered through thesesystems, as the Data Bank creates a catalogueof courses. A detailed course preference survey
was issued in September 2022 and an expanded
course schedule in 2023 will host several firstof-a-kind courses for the Data Bank.

work and Intermediate Output Results (IORs) as part of therequested 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 Timerelated) principles. This resulted in significant changes to thedefinitions 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 GitLabbased solutions in all relevant programme areas, including
the migration of software packages and data development

85

Simulated neutron flux profile of the Advanced
Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory
visualised with the NEA Mesh Tally Viewer.

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 testingprocess 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 forcourses. 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 thesystem, as well as the new credentialing platform to provide
blockchain-based, verifiable certificates documenting theoutcomes of training events.

Computer Program Services
More than 950 establishments are officially nominated touse 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 thatwas 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 ofcomputer programs, two NEA safety joint project reports,
two integral experimental data packages and three legacy

86 | NEA Annual Report 2022

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 datalibraries, two integral experimental data packages (theInternational 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 toa post-pandemic working environment. All computer codes
and integral experimental data packages were dispatchedthrough 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 ofEnergy (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 processingof 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 automatedprocess 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 andused to run local quality assurance procedures at the Data
Bank. This was used for the JEFF-4.0T1 “Test 1” data libraryin May 2022 and subsequently used in multiple test files
during the preparation of the JEFF-4.0T2 “Test 2” librarythat was released in December 2022. These represent majordeliverables 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 firsthybrid in-person/online meetings for the Joint EvaluatedFission 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 workon fission modelling, nuclear data uncertainties andcovariances, decay data, differential experiments, evaluation
methodologies, the application of machine learningalgorithms, integral benchmarking, thermal scattering laws,
nuclear theory, data processing and depletion calculations.
In 2022, the Data Bank Secretariat delivered on thisreorganisation 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 andmaintaining the Java-based Nuclear Data Information System(JANIS), a leading cross-section visualisation tool. JANIS
is designed to facilitate the visualisation, comparison, andmanipulation 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.

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.

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.

To support the activities of NEA Standing TechnicalCommittees, 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 Handbookof Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments(DICE), the International Reactor Physics Handbook Databaseand 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 throughunique dispatches of NSC experiments, amounting to over
30% of total distribution by the Data Bank.

Databases of experiments, nuclear
knowledge management
The Data Bank role has expanded as the need for informationand knowledge management has increased at the NEA.
It now supports the preservation and controlled distribution ofsafety joint projects and of integral experiments co-ordinatedby 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 theData Bank in the preservation and management of informationand knowledge produced through NEA co-ordinated activities
and this transversal role has increased in relevance withprojects 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 andCSNI Secretariat, the Data Bank provides the framework tocollect 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 ofproject 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

The Data Bank also supports nuclear safety andradiological protection activities by maintaining databases
such as the Fire Incidents Records Exchange (FIRE), theComponent Operational Experience, Degradation andAgeing 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 Fieldof Nuclear Energy and the Brussels Convention
Supplementary to the Paris Convention enteredinto force on 1 January 2022.

Nuclear Law
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to help create thesound national and international legal regimes required
for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including as
regards nuclear safety, international trade in nuclear
materials and equipment, public engagement, issues of
liability and compensation for nuclear damage, and toserve as a leading centre for nuclear law information andeducation. The staff provides support to the Nuclear Law
Committee (NLC) and its working parties in this area, as
well as to the Contracting Parties to the Paris Convention.

c tice o fs and Praw
Principle nal Nuclear La
tio
In terna

Legal Affairs
2021

Nuclear Law Bulletin
No. 107
Volume 2021/2

NE A

NE A

The Nuclear Law Committee (NLC) met inperson and online on 29-30 June 2022, gathering
68 participants from NEA member and nonmember countries, the European Commission(EC), the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) and the nuclear insurance industry.
The second edition of the Fundamentals
of International Nuclear Law (FINL), an online
nuclear law education programme, was heldon 14-18 February 2022 with a diverse group of
42 professionals and graduate students. The FINL
provides a high-level, introductory review of thecentral aspects of international nuclear law in acondensed programme.
The 2022 session of the International Schoolof Nuclear Law (ISNL) was held in person at the
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.
Largely authored by ISNL lecturers, this publication
provides an overview of the complex body of laws
and legal regimes in international nuclear law, as
well as the many developments that have unfolded
in recent years impacting all aspects of nuclear
safety, security, safeguards and liability.
Three long-awaited reports have been
finalised in 2022 with publication expected inearly 2023: Deep Geological Repositories andNuclear Liability, Third International Workshop
on the Indemnification of Damage in the Eventof a Nuclear Accident, and Fourth International
Workshop on the Indemnification of Damage inthe Event of a Nuclear Accident.

Development and harmonisation of
nuclear legislation
Nuclear Law Committee (NLC)
The NEA Nuclear Law Committee (NLC) met in person andonline 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 geologicalrepositories and nuclear liability, and the legal aspects ofnuclear safety. The meeting was attended by 68 participants
representing 25 NEA member countries, 4 partner countries(Brazil, Lithuania, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates), theEC, the IAEA and the insurance industry.

Two topical sessions were held during the meeting.
The first, on the nuclear liability amounts applicable tosmall 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 tonuclear installations in Ukraine, with an update on the statusof nuclear facilities and impacts on the operator and the89

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 ofinternational 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 Finlandand Sweden on the latest national developments in nuclear
law in those countries, by Japan on the status of lawsuits forcompensation for nuclear damage regarding the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, by the United ArabEmirates 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 undertakenby 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 the2004 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 DRIof 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 theBrussels 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 updateon their respective national legislative and administrative
processes and the status of financial securities following
the entry into force of the 2004 Protocols, with a particularfocus on the remaining actions to be undertaken and theimpact of the entry into force of the 2004 Protocols on theinsurance 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 resultof ionising radiation emitted from an accident in a nuclear
installation or the transport of nuclear substances that areunder the responsibility of a nuclear operator situated ina Paris Convention State. During the working meeting inNovember, the Contracting Parties discussed the criteria to
be fulfilled by countries with national nuclear liability regimesthat are similar to the one set up by the Paris Convention andafford 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 theUnited Arab Emirates), the EC and the IAEA. The first day ofthe 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 andlegal challenges to licensing decisions, with updates from
Belgium, Canada, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
In addition, a session on the licensing and regulation ofsmall modular and advanced reactors took place, withpresentations 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 focusedon 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 topicalsession on climate change litigation took place, withpresentations by representatives from Australia and Canada.
Participants from the IAEA, Ukraine and the United ArabEmirates provided updates on matters of special interest to
the WPLANS.

Working Party on Nuclear Liability andTransport (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 beingtransported 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, theInternational Nuclear Law Association (INLA) and the World
Nuclear Association (WNA) also participated in the meeting.
The ad hoc expert group tackled certain practical aspectsof the implementation of the exclusion of small quantities
of nuclear substances from the scope of the application ofinternational nuclear liability conventions and held a roundtable 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 andNuclear Liability (WPDGR) finalised its report on Deep
Geological Repositories and Nuclear Liability, which wasapproved by the NLC on 7 October 2022. Its publication is
expected in early 2023.

Closing the TUK-145/C overpackage enveloping the
SKODA VPVR/M spent fuelshipment 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 fromthe Working Party on Deep Geological Repositories andNuclear 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) andthe 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 havebeen 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 andthe content of the curriculum has evolved. Each elementof the safety, security, safeguards and liability model has
been affected by events that unfolded in recent years. As aresult, 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 andPractice of International Nuclear Law examines the various
interrelated legal issues for the safe, efficient and secure useof 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 andcompensation 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 fieldof nuclear law. It provides readers with authoritative andcomprehensive 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

92 | NEA Annual Report 2022

at least three articles and studies. It is also expected toinclude case law, national legislative and regulatory updates
from Belarus, Canada, France, Hungary, Japan, the Slovak
Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United States, aswell as intergovernmental organisation activity updates fromthe EC and IAEA.
With each new edition of the NLB, an update to the
NLB Index is published on the NEA website. Issued as aresource for research purposes, the NLB Index groups
together information and articles published in the Bulletin
over the past 50+ years, classified by country and organisedby case law, legislative and regulatory activities and bilateralagreements. Separate sections detail information related tointernational 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.oecdnea.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/nuclearliability 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 concernedcountry are available at www.oecd-nea.org/nuclear-transport
and www.oecd-nea.org/pc.
The multilateral agreements page continues to be updatedwith 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.

The 2022 session of the
NEA International Schoolof Nuclear Law (ISNL),
22 August - 2 September,
University of Montpellier,France.

Nuclear law education programmesInternational 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 inperson at the University of Montpellier. This year marks thefirst time the programme has been held in person since the2019 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 careerlevels were immersed in the subject through the ISNL’s
rigorous programme, which consisted of lectures, groupassignments and panel discussions. These classes touchedon all aspects of nuclear law, including nuclear safety,
environmental protection, transport, nuclear security, nonproliferation, safeguards, nuclear liability, international tradeand management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.
Comprehensive lectures were delivered by 28 specialists innuclear 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 toaccommodate 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 toprovide 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, thisyear’s programme was expanded to five days, three hours aday, 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 peacefuluses 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

Highlights

Information andCommunication
The goal of the NEA in this sector is to provide
member governments and other major stakeholders
with information resulting from NEA activities and toenhance awareness and understanding of the scientific,
technical, economic and legal aspects of nuclear
activities, as well as awareness of the NEA itself.

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, andcovering 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 steadyorganic growth in 2022.
The Agency has continued to increase its
visibility through participation of the NEA
management in major international fora andevents in member countries and elsewhere, often
via electronic means.

Relations with the media
Relations with the media in 2022 covered a wide variety of
topics and questions concerning the development and useof 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 takenin the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, Canada’s first-ever Country-Specific Safety Culture Forum; as well as thereleases 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

A total of 30 NEA technical reports were also issued under
the unclassified “R” series, directly downloadable from thesubstantive 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 thelatest 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

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 theyear included: Uranium 2020: Resources, Production and
Demand; Principles and Practice of International Nuclear Law;
Small Modular Reactors: Challenges and Opportunities; andChernobyl: Assessment of Radiological and Health Impacts.

94 | NEA Annual Report 2022

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 freeon the Agency’s website at www.oecd-nea.org/nea-news.

Online communication
The NEA’s online presence and use of digital channels playa key role in communicating the work and accomplishmentsof 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); Newsand general information about the Agency and the NEA Data
Bank; Radioactive Waste Management.

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 witha 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 accomplishmentsof 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 producedby 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 forreplay on the NEA YouTube channel.
Subscriptions to the Agency’s newsletter NEA MonthlyNews 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.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine.
Ralf1969, Wikimedia Commons

Social media channels have helped strengthencommunication of NEA activities. The Agency maintains
a regular presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook andYouTube. In 2022, the NEA maintained its engagement on

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 passwordprotected extranet pages, e-mail discussion lists or online
collaborative work spaces to continue their work where faceto-face meetings proved impractical.
The Delegates’ Area of the NEA website continues tooffer 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 Conferenceon 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
2022

Radiological Protection
2022

Nuclear Technology Development and Economics
2022

Principles and Practice ofInternational Nuclear Law

Low Carbon Scenarios
and their System Costs

NE A

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

Achieving Net Zero Carbon
Emissions in Switzerland
in 2050

Building a Frameworkfor Post-Nuclear Accident
Recovery Preparedness

The Role of Nuclear Powerin the Hydrogen Economy

National-Level Guidance

Cost and Competitiveness

NE A

NE A

committee members, as well as access to the presentations
and background notes prepared for the Steering Committee
policy debates. During 2022 dedicated areas for somestanding technical committees and their working groups
were made available under the rubric “MyNEA”. These
dedicated workspaces provided support for the work of theSteering Committee for Nuclear Energy, as well as othergroups and NEA-organised events and workshops.

Public affairs and visibility ininternational fora

NE A

Mr Magwood also gave online lectures and held virtual
discussions with students from a number of higher education
institutions, including Purdue University, the Tokyo Instituteof Technology University, National Institute of Technology –Toyama College, Osaka Sangyo University and The Universityof Tokyo.
During 2022, the NEA co-sponsored several international
events where the NEA Director-General or NEA experts
intervened. These included:• Sixth International Conference on Geological Repositories(ICGR-6), 4-8 April;• Fourteenth Annual Conference on Nuclear Energy (NE•RS2022), 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 ina variety of fora and countries in 2022 to communicate
key messages about nuclear energy and the work of the
NEA. These fora included: the 34th Regulatory Information
Conference on 8 March; the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial
on 22 September; the 27th Conference of the Parties of the
UNFCC (COP27) on 10 November; and the International
Youth Nuclear Conference on 27 November.

96 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Contact:Andrew Macintyre
Head, Central Secretariat+33 (0)1 73 21 28 10
andrew.macintyre@oecd-nea.org

GENERAL INFORMATION

Highlights
Director-General Magwood led the firstin-person mission to a non-member country since
the COVID-19 pandemic began, visiting the United
Arab Emirates in March 2022.

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 toensure complementarity and increase synergies with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), theEuropean Commission (EC) and other international
bodies. When relevant for its programme of work, theNEA develops exchanges with industrial organisations.

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 Powerin the 21st Century, Washington, DC, United States.

BrazilIndia

The NEA continued to communicate with Brazil, including
about its future relationship with the NEA in the light of thecountry’s ongoing accession procedure to the OECD.

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 isalso 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 andradiological protection.

In 2022, Brazilian delegates were invited to participate
in the meetings of the Nuclear Law Committee (NLC), theCommittee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) andselected 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 delegatesparticipated 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 Decommissioningof 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 theMultinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP).

United Arab Emirates
Director-General Magwood met a number of high-level
representatives from the United Arab Emirates on theoccasion of the 2022 World Government Summit (WGS),
which was held in the country in March, and visited theBarakah 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 ofseveral 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.

The NEA-China Forum on Nuclear Decommissioning andRadioactive Waste Management was further postponed due
to COVID-19 policies in China, and is expected to take placein 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).

97

NEA Director-General Magwood met
Japan’s Prime Minister Mr Fumio Kishidaduring a visit to Tokyo, Japan.

Other partners
Exchanges have continued effectively with other nonmember partners on their further engagement with the
NEA. Singapore indicated an interest in initiatives in nuclear
education, public communications and the economics ofsmall modular reactors (SMRs). Director-General Magwood
met with the delegations of various countries, for example
Kenya, to discuss domestic nuclear energy policy andstrengthen collaboration on nuclear safety activities andresearch projects.
Intensive bilateral discussions with Ukraine came to ahalt as the aggression against the country escalated. The
Secretariat took part in OECD-wide horizontal actions toassist Ukraine, and at its 2022 April meeting the Steering
Committee issued a statement on the safety and securityof 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 theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through theco-ordination and consultation mechanisms provided forin 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 inthe 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-operationin the areas of nuclear safety, science and economics,
radiological protection and the situation in Ukraine. The joint
publication Uranium: Resources, Production and Demand (RedBook) 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 andfora such as the 13 th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) heldin 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 renewableenergies. 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 andstakeholders
Following the adoption of the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, theNEA 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 theJapanese 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 informationexchange with industry, including to gather input andfeedback relevant to NEA activities. The NIES is organisedin 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 tothe NEA SMR Strategy (launched in 2022), The NEA SMR
Dashboard (launched in early 2023) and SMR industrial casestudies (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 toparticipate in the activities of the Agency must make a formal
request to join. In 2022, the NEA had 34 member countries:
Argentina

Korea

Australia

Luxembourg

Austria

MexicoBelgium

Netherlands

Bulgaria

NorwayCanadaPolandCzech Republic

Portugal

Denmark

Romania

Finland

Russia (suspended)

FranceSlovak Republic

Germany

Slovenia

GreeceSpain

Hungary

SwedenIceland

Switzerland

Ireland

Türkiye

Italy

United Kingdom

Japan

United States

The NEA is governed by the Steering Committee for
Nuclear Energy. This committee is primarily made up ofsenior officials from national atomic energy authorities andassociated ministries. It oversees and shapes the work of the
Agency to ensure its responsiveness to member countries’
needs, notably in establishing the biennial programmes ofwork and budgets. It approves the mandates of the sevenstanding technical committees and one management board(see page 100).
In 2022, the members of the Bureau of the Steering
Committee for Nuclear Energy were:• Dr Marta ŽIAKOVÁ (Slovak Republic), Chair• Dr Won-Pil BAEK (Korea), Vice Chair• His Excellency Mr Jean-Louis FALCONI (France), Vice
Chair as of 7 October 2021

• Mr KINJO Shinji (Japan), Vice Chair• Dr Fiona RAYMENT (United Kingdom), Vice Chair• Mr James WARDEN (United States), Vice Chair
The standing technical committees and the
management board of the Data Bank are composed ofmember country experts and technical specialists. These
NEA bodies constitute a unique feature and importantstrength of the NEA, providing flexibility for adapting to newissues and helping to achieve consensus rapidly. Their mainareas of work are listed in the chart (see page 100).

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• Mr Petteri TIIPPANA (STUK, Finland), CNRA Chair• Dr Thierry SCHNEIDER (CEPN, France), CRPPH Chair• Mr Hiroyuki UMEKI (NUMO, Japan), RWMC Chair• Ms Haidy TADROS (CNSC, Canada), CDLM Chair• Dr Kemal O. PASAMEHMETOGLU (INL, United States),
NSC Chair• Prof. Gert VAN DEN EYNDE (SCK•CEN, Belgium),
MBDAV Chair• Mr Roland DUSSART-DESART (SPF Économie, Belgium),
NLC, Chair

Participation in the work of the Agency by non-member
countries is an established practice. Engaging with Partners
can also help NEA members better understand and address
at a global level diverse policy and technology challenges,
ranging from the enhancement of nuclear safety of existing
and future nuclear power plants to the promotion of talent,skills and labour. Closer co-operation may lead to theconsideration of new NEA membership in the long term,in accordance with the criteria set out in the NEA StrategicPlan.
In line with the evolving global landscape, the NEA has
sought to carry out a targeted strengthening of its outreachin 2022 despite the reduced possibility of physical contact
and travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategic working
relationships with selected Key Partners (Brazil, China andIndia) and others remain important to ensure the continuing
global relevance of the NEA’s work. Partners are alreadyinvolved in many aspects of the NEA’s work, in part throughparticipation in meetings of the Steering Committee andits subsidiary bodies as well as high-level discussions on
the occasion of physical and virtual visits and through joint
projects and information exchange programmes, whichenable interested NEA member countries and Partners to join
forces in carrying out studies and benchmarking exercises ona cost-sharing basis. Co-operation also takes place throughthe international initiatives for which the NEA provides
technical secretariat support such as the International
Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC). NEA
publications and reports freely available online provide animportant means of outreach for sharing the conclusions of
NEA work with Partners, which are encouraged to consult
them. Finally, the NEA also engages with non-Members
through international fora such as the COP meetings, theClean Energy Ministerial conferences, the G7 and the G20,
regional events, as well as through other international fora in
the fields of energy security and climate change.

99

NEA COMMITTEE STRUCTURE IN 2022

NEA Task Group on Improving
the Gender Balance in the
Nuclear Sector (GB-TG)

Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy

Committee
on Nuclear
Regulatory
Activities

Committee
on the Safetyof Nuclear
Installations

Radioactive
WasteManagement
Committee

CNRA

CSNI

RWMC

Working Group on
Safety Culture(WGSC)CSNI Programme
Review Group(CSNI PRG)

Regulators’ Forum
(RF)

CDLM

Working Groupon Inspection
Practices(WGIP)

Working Groupon Risk Assessment(WGRISK)Forumon Stakeholder
Confidence(FSC)

Regulators’ Forum(RF)

Working Groupon Analysis andManagement of
Accidents(WGAMA)

Working Party on
Information, Data
and Knowledge
Management(WP-IDKM)

Working Group on
Operating Experience(WGOE)
Working Group on
the Regulationof New Reactors(WGRNR)
Working Groupon the Safety of
Advanced Reactors(WGSAR)
Working Groupon Digital
Instrumentation
and Control(WGDIC)
Working Group on
Codes and Standards(WGCS)
Working Groupon PublicCom­mu­nication of
Nuclear Regulatory
Organisations(WGPC)
Working Party
on Boiling Water
Reactors(WPBWR)

Working Groupon Integrity andAgeing ofComponents
and Structures(WGIAGE)Working Groupon Humanand Organisational
Factors(WGHOF)
Working Groupon Fuel Safety(WGFS)
Working Groupon Fuel Cycle Safety(WGFCS)
Working Groupon External Events(WGEV)
Working Groupon ElectricalPower Systems(WGELEC)
Senior Expert Groupon Preservation of
Key Experimental
Datasets(SEGPD)
Expert Groupon Small Modular
Reactors(EGSMR)

100 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Committee
Committee on
Decommission- on Radiologicaling of Nuclear Protection andPublic HealthInstallationsand Legacy
Management
CRPPH

Forum
on Stakeholder
Confidence(FSC)

High-Level Groupon Low Dose
Research(HLG-LDR)
Expert Groupon International
Recommendations(EGIR)

Expert Group
Working Party
on a Post-accident
on Management
Food Safety
and Organisational
Framework
Expert Group on
Aspects of(EGFSF)
the Application of
Decommissioning andRobotics and Remote Legacy Management
Expert Group
Systems inon Nuclear(WPMO)
Installations for thethe Nuclear Back-end
ExpertGroup
Decay Storage of(EGRRS)on Costing for
Certain Types ofExpert Group on
Decommissioning of Low-level Short Lived
Building Constructive Nuclear Installations
Radioactive Waste
Dialogues between
and Legacy(EGDS)
Regulators andManagement
Working
Party
Implementers in(EGCDL)
Developing Disposalon Nuclear
Working Party
Solutions for
Emergency
on Technical,
Radioactive Waste
Matters
Environmental and(RIDD)(WPNEM)
Safety Aspects ofIntegration Group
Decommissioning andfor the Safety Case
Legacy Management(IGSC)(WPTES)
Expert Groupon a Holistic Process
for Decision Making
on Decommissioning
and Managementof Complex Sites(HDCS)

Nuclear Law
Committee

NLC
Working Partyon Deep Geological
Repositories andNuclear Liability(WPDGR)
Working Partyon the Legal Aspectsof Nuclear Safety(WPLANS)
Working Partyon Nuclear Liability
and Transport(WPNLT)

Committee forTechnical andEconomic Studies
on Nuclear Energy
Development andthe Fuel Cycle

NuclearScienceCommittee

NDC

Programme Review
Group (PRG)

Working Party on
Nuclear Energy Economics(WPNE)
Joint NEA/IAEA Groupon Uranium
(UG)

NSC

Management
Board for theDevelopment,
Application
and Validationof Nuclear
Data and Codes

MBDAV

Task Forceon Demonstration
Joint Evaluatedof Fuel Cycle Closure
Fission andincluding Partitioning Fusion (JEFF) Nuclear
and Transmutation
Data Library(P&T) for Industrial
Co-ordination Group
Readiness by 2050
(TF-FCPT)
Working Partyon International
Nuclear Data
Evaluation
Co-operation(WPEC)
Working Partyon Scientific Issuesof the Fuel Cycle(WPFC)
Working Partyon Materials Science
Issues in Nuclear
Fuels and Structural
Materials(WPFM)
Working Partyon Nuclear
Criticality Safety(WPNCS)
Working Partyon ScientificIssues of Reactor
Systems(WPRS)

NEA MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IN 2022

William D. Magwood, IV
NEA Director-General

Vacantpost

Nobuhiro Muroya
Deputy Director-Generalfor Management and Planning

Maxime Ahouré
Head ofthe Office of Resource
Management

Deputy Director-General andChief Nuclear Officer

Emma Leguillon
Acting Head of
the Office of General
Legal Affairs

Daniela Lulache
Head ofthe Office of Policy
and Co-ordination

Andrew Macintyre
Head ofthe Central Secretariat

Véronique Rouyer
Head ofthe Division of Nuclear
Safety Technology andRegulation

Rebecca Tadesse
Head ofthe Division ofRadioactive Waste
Management andDecommissioning

Greg Lamarre
Head ofthe Division ofRadiological Protectionand Human Aspects of
Nuclear Safety

Tatiana Ivanova
Head ofthe Division of Nuclear
Science and Education

Diane Cameron
Head ofthe Division of
Nuclear Technology
Development andEconomics

Daniela Lulache
Secretary of
the Steering Committee
and IFNEC Secretariat

Kimberly Nick
Head ofthe Division of
Nuclear Law

Michael Fleming
Head ofthe 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
2021NEA
Annual Report

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

https://oe.cd/4EH

https://oecd-nea.org/ar21

Nuclear Technology in 2021
NEA Activities by Sector
General Information

Rapport annuel 2021
AEN n° 7644. 116 pages.

In this issue:
COP26: Talking nuclear energy in the global
drive towards net zero

https://oecd-nea.org/ra21

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
Agency 2023-2028

2 0 2 3 - 2 0 2 8

NEA No. 7610. 54 pages.

OF THENUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

https://oecd-nea.org/7610

October 2022

uclearnergy
gency

Nuclear Energy Agency
34 pages.
Available online at: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

Nuclear technology
development andeconomics
Nuclear Technology
2022

Development

and Economics

CarbonNet Zero
Achieving in
Switzerland
Emissionsin 2050

Low Carbon Scenarios
Costsand their System

Achieving Net Zero
Carbon Emission in
Switzerland in 2050: Low
Carbon Scenarios andtheir System Costs

NE A

NEA No. 7631. 132 pages.
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4KO

Development

and Economics

Beyond Electricity:of

The Economics
neration
Nuclear Coge

The Economics

Beyond Electricity: The
Economics of Nuclear
Cogeneration
NEA No. 7363. 212 pages.

of Nuclear Cogeneration

102 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Nuclear Technology
2022

Beyond Electricity:

With an electricity system defined by highshares of hydropower, large capacity forinterconnection with its neighbours andlow carbon intensity, Switzerland is well
positioned to attain its objective of net
zero carbon emissions by 2050. However,
the exact pathway remains the subject of
discussion. First, what should the sharesof nuclear energy and variable renewableenergies such as solar PV and wind be in
the energy mix? Second, what degree ofelectricity trade should Switzerland havewith its European neighbours? New systemmodelling of different energy policy choiceswith the Nuclear Energy Agency’s POSY
model shows that all considered scenarios
are technically feasible. However, relying

on variable renewables alone or decoupling
Switzerland from neighbouring countries
could increase total system costs by up
to 250%. Instead, continuing to operate
Switzerland’s newest nuclear power plants
alongside existing hydropower resources,
while maintaining interconnection capacity
at current levels, emerges as the mostcost-effective option to achieve net
zero emissions in 2050. Ample data andtechnical documentation of a least-cost
mixed integer (MILP) modelling with hourly
resolution are also provided in order toallow replication, extension and discussionof this study’s findings.

NE A

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4I7

Nuclear energy is an important sourceof low-carbon electricity and thus plays
a significant role in avoiding carbon
emissions. It has the potential todecarbonise the global energy sector evenfurther by also providing heat for industrial
applications and residential heating, which
both continue to run mainly on fossil fuels.
More than 65 nuclear reactors around theworld (about 15% of the total) with decadesof experience demonstrate on a daily basis
the feasibility of providing non-electric
applications of nuclear energy such as
district heating, desalination or other forms
of process heat.
In order to further reduce carbon emissions,the share of nuclear reactors used forcogeneration needs to be expanded.
However, until recently the economic
competitiveness of thermal energy
produced by nuclear power plants has beena challenge. Not accounting for climatechange impacts, heat produced by gas- orcoal-fired power plants has frequently beencheaper. Yet, as fossil fuel prices rise andcarbon costs are increasingly accounted
for, the economics of nuclear cogeneration
begin to look more favourable. A goodunderstanding of the technical realities
and economics of nuclear cogeneration,
including its implications for electricity
and energy systems, is essential to takeadvantage of this changed environment.
This NEA report provides a thoroughoverview of nuclear cogeneration, witha view to helping energy decisionmakers
and interested experts in assessing thecosts and benefits of having nuclear energy
provide both low-carbon electricity and lowcarbon heat.

Nuclear Technology
2022

Development

and Economics

Financing New

for
New Perspectivears New
Build
Financing Nucle

Nuclear Power

Plants:Nuclear Power
Financing New
byCost of Capital
Minimising theManagement
Optimising Risk

Plants: Minimising
the Cost of Capitalby Optimising
Risk Management

NE A

Financing New Nuclear
Power Plants: Minimising
the Cost of Capital by
Optimising Risk
Management

the medium to long term while identifying
the remaining challenges for the industrial
deployment of this technology.
ate Change
Meeting Clim
Targets:ar Energy
The Role of Nucle

NEA No. 7632. 62 pages.

Available online at: https://oe.cd/4Ov
Realising the contribution of nuclear energy
to achieving net zero carbon emission in
2050 will require raising significant amountsof capital at competitive rates. On the basisof work under the aegis of the Nuclear
Energy Agency (NEA) – International
Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation(IFNEC) Initiative on Nuclear Financing,
this report explores a new framework foranalysing the cost of capital for nuclear
new build projects. Its key insight is that
capital costs can be substantially lowered
if the different risks pertaining to suchprojects such as construction risk, pricerisk or political risk are properly understood,
optimally managed and fairly allocated. In a
carbon-constrained world, the true capitalcosts of nuclear energy and other lowcarbon generators will also be lower thancustomarily assumed due to their ability tooffset systemic financial risk. The findingsof this report apply equally to private
and public investments. Governments
nevertheless have important roles to playin ensuring credible net zero commitments,
implementing frameworks for optimal risk
management and by becoming involved as
project participants, in cases where theyjudge that private actors do not realise thefull value of a nuclear power project.
Nuclear Technology
2022

Development

and Economics

tureHigh-tempera
Reactors
Gas-cooled
Heat
and Industrial
Applications

NE A

High-temperature Gascooled Reactors andIndustrial Heat
Applications
NEA No. 7629. 52 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4OE

NEA No. 7628. 52 pages.
NE A

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4ui

All credible models show that nuclear
energy has an important role to play inglobal climate change mitigation efforts.
Despite clear analyses from many sources,
including the NEA, that point to the needfor a massive, “all-the-above” approach that
includes nuclear energy, some multinational
activities, financial institutions, and policymakers avoid discussion of nuclear energy.
This dynamic is deeply problematic to thecause of carbon reductions. All low-carbon
technologies, including nuclear energy
must be included in relevant discussions
about the energy transition in order tomaintain the integrity and evidence base of
the policy dialogue. Without a significant
contribution from nuclear energy, theprospects for meeting Paris targets will besignificantly lower.
New analysis by the NEA identifies thepotential contribution of nuclear energy
to clean energy capacity and emissions
reductions between 2020 and 2050,
taking into consideration the potential
contributions from power and non-power
applications of nuclear technologies.
Taken together, the contributions of longterm operation, new builds of Generation
III nuclear technologies, small modular
reactors, Generation IV systems, nuclear
hybrid energy and hydrogen systems begin
to reveal the full extent of the potential for
nuclear energy and nuclear innovations
to play a significant and growing role inpathways to net-zero by 2050.
The NEA estimates included in this report
are not forecasts but represent what can beachieved with timely enabling decisions.
and Economics
Development and Economics
Nuclear Technology Development
Nuclear Technology
2021
2022

CarbonNuclear Energy
Data – 2021

Reducing industrial carbon emissions is
one of the most difficult challenges on
the path to net zero by 2050 due to themagnitude of greenhouse gas emissions
from the industrial sector and technicalrequirements for heat in addition to power.
High-temperature gas-cooled reactors(HTGRs) are a promising Generation IV
nuclear technology that can supply
process heat for a variety of industrial
applications. The Nuclear Energy Agency
investigated the potential and limitationsof HTGRs for industrial heat applications.
This study reviews the technical featuresand development status of HTGRs as a
low-carbon heat source and explores how
this technology could meet the process
heat requirements of different industrial
processes. It revealed the potential
industrial applications of HTGR heat in thenear term as well as further opportunities in

Meeting Climate Change
Targets: The Role of
Nuclear Energy

Net Zero
Achievingy Dataerlandr Energ
in Switz
uclea
N
ions
Emiss
in 2050

Nuclear Energy
Data 2021
NEA No. 7608. 72 pages.

2021
Low Carbon Scenarios
Costsand their System

A
EA
NE
N

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4wD

Nuclear Energy Data is the Nuclear Energy
Agency’s annual compilation of statistics
and country reports documenting nuclear
power status in NEA member countries
and in the OECD area. Information provided
by governments includes statistics on total
electricity produced by all sources andby nuclear power, fuel cycle capacities
and requirements, and projections to2040, where available. Country reportssummarise energy policies, updates of thestatus in nuclear energy programmes andfuel cycle developments. In 2020 and 2021,
the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted
the importance of electricity security inmodern societies. Although the long-term
implications for electricity generation are
difficult to assess, during the crisis nuclear
power continued to support the securityof supply and has been, together withrenewables, one of the most resilient lowcarbon electricity sources. Governments
committed to having nuclear power in theenergy mix advanced plans for developing
or increasing nuclear generating capacity,
including plans for small modular reactor
and advanced reactors. Further details onthese and other developments are provided
in the publication’s numerous tables,graphs and country reports. This publication
contains “StatLinks”. For each StatLink,
the reader will find a URL which leads tothe corresponding spreadsheet. These links
work in the same way as an Internet link.
Nuclear Technology
2022

Development

and Economicsr
Nuclear Powe
The Role of gen
Economyin the Hydro
eness
Cost and Competitiv

NE A

The Role of Nuclear
Power in the Hydrogen
Economy: Cost andCompetitiveness
NEA No. 7630. 88 pages.
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4OD

Hydrogen is expected to play importantroles in decarbonised energy systems,
as an energy source for otherwise hardto-electrify sectors as well as a storage
vector to enhance power system flexibility.
However, hydrogen is not a primaryenergy resource and has to be produced
using different chemical processes. Water
electrolysis, which uses electricity to split
water molecules to extract hydrogen, is
expected to become a leading solution inthis context. Electrolysis will, however,
only be a feasible 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 nuclearproduced hydrogen across the hydrogenvalue chain and explores the impacts ofhydrogen production on the overall costs ofintegrated electricity and energy systems.
It shows, in particular, that nuclear energy
can be a competitive source to produce anddeliver low-carbon hydrogen for centralised
industrial demand. The large scale anddispatchability of nuclear power can also
improve the cost-efficiency of hydrogentransport and storage infrastructures, andreduce the overall costs of the energy
system.

103

NEA PUBLICATIONS AND BROCHURES PRODUCED IN 2022

Nuclear safety
and regulation
CSNI Technical Opinion
Paper No. 19

Nuclear Safety
2022

on
CSNI Techn19ical Opini
Paper No.
Nuclear Fuel Safety
Applicability ofolerant Fuel
Criteria to Accident-T
Designs

NE A

Applicability of Nuclear
Fuel Safety Criteria to
Accident-Tolerant Fuel
Designs
NEA No. 7576. 52 pages.

Available online at: https://oe.cd/4Ic
Following the accident at the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, many
countries began funding research anddevelopment on nuclear fuel designs
with enhanced accident tolerance (ATFs).
ATFs have improved designs, materials
and performance features compared withthose of the current generation of slightly
enriched UO2 ceramic pellets within
cylindrical zirconium alloy cladding.
This report evaluates the applicabilityof existing fuel design and performancerequirements to some of the new ATF
designs (coated zirconium alloy fuel rod
cladding, FeCrAl fuel rod cladding, siliconcarbide fuel rod cladding, doped uranium
dioxide ceramic fuel pellets, uranium
silicide ceramic fuel pellets), identifies
new phenomena which create the needfor new or different performance metrics
and design requirements, identifies data
gaps and discusses opportunities forinternational collaborative research to fillthem.
A variety of new phenomena wereidentified for the examined ATF designs
which challenged the applicability ofexisting performance metrics and analyticallimits or created the need for new criteria.
Recommendations to address thesechallenges are provided with the intention
to inform future international research
programmes and support ATF licensing.
Nuclear Safety2022

Technology

and Regulation

sing
the Nuclear Licen s:
Harmonising
ing Technologie
Process for Emerg rd
Forwa
A Globa l Path

NE A

Harmonising the Nuclear
Licensing Process for
Emerging Technologies:
A Global Path Forward
NEA No. 7616. 16 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4Vk

Independent safety regulation has beena hallmark of the global nuclear power
sector from its beginnings. Industry andgovernment have long understood theimportance of a predictable and adaptable
regulatory structure and have worked
co-operatively to ensure the safety ofcivilian nuclear energy throughout the
lifetime of nuclear power projects –design, construction, operations anddecommissioning.

104 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Nuclear energy has benefitted fromthe adoption of new technologies andregulatory approaches developed by othersectors. Disruptive, innovative and emerging
technologies from other industries continue
to provide the civil nuclear industry withsafety and economic benefits that support
existing and planned reactors.
The deployment of advanced reactors
incorporating emerging technologies ishighly anticipated and will depend on
regulatory frameworks that are appropriately
positioned to independently analyse andevaluate the safety implications of the newtechnologies.
Innovation brings new and sometimes
unknown risks, for example in the areas ofdigital instrumentation, data security andprivacy. The adoption of new technologies
in nuclear energy is also changing thebusiness models that have historically
governed the sector. While safety assurance
is the primary objective of the regulatory
authority, regulators often work at theintersection of safety and economics in thatcertain regulatory frameworks require a
consideration of costs and benefits.
Regulators and industry should work
together to protect the public from
unnecessary risks while also enabling thebenefits of innovation.
The lessons learnt from other sectors,
which have managed both the regulationof innovative technologies and global
harmonisation, are valuable for the nuclear
sector as it is implementing advanced,
disruptive technologies.

Reactivity-InitiatedAccident Fuel Rod Codes
Benchmark Phases I-III

Nuclear Safety2022

itiatedReactivity-Ins
Fuel Rod Code
Accidents I-III
Benchmark Phase
Synthesis Report

Synthesis Report
NE A

NEA No. 7577. 64 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4Id

One of the key areas in fuel safety is theanalysis of fuel behaviour under reactivityinitiated accident conditions. Reactivityinitiated accident fuel rod codes have beendeveloped for a significant period of time
and they all have shown their ability toreproduce some experimental results witha certain degree of adequacy. However,they sometimes rely on different specificmodelling assumptions whose influenceon the final results of the calculations isdifficult to evaluate. This report summarises
three phases of benchmark conductedby the NEA between 2010 and 2019with codes for calculating fuel behaviour
in reactivity initiated accidents. Building
on previous NEA reports, it provides
recommendations for future research andcode enhancements for safety analysis
regarding reactivity accidents.

Nuclear Safety
2022

rt on

rt RepoState-of-the-aBeha
viour

Nuclear Fuelinitiated
Under Reactivityitions
Accident Cond

State-of-the-art Reporton Nuclear Fuel
Behaviour Under
Reactivity-initiatedAccident Conditions

NE A

NEA No. 7575. 332 pages.
Available online at: https://oe.cd/4OU
As a follow-up to the 2010 NEA report
Nuclear Fuel Behaviour under Reactivityinitiated Accident (RIA) Conditions:
State-of-the-art Report 2010, this reportpresents the state-of-the-art knowledge
on nuclear fuel behaviour under reactivity
initiated accident (RIA) conditions for lightwater reactors (LWRs) and conventional
fuels. It gives an overview of scenarios
for RIAs in major types of reactors and a
description of key phenomena in fuel rod
behaviour under RIAs, including burn-up
effects. It provides an overview of tests
and experiments that have been conductedto study RIAs, a summary of results fromexperimental programs with integral RIA
simulation tests, and a description ofcomputer programs used for analyses of
RIAs. As regards fuel safety analyses, it
discusses the transferability of test results
to LWR RIA conditions and state-of-the-art
methods for analysing postulated scenarios
for RIAs in LWRs. It also gives a review of
the regulatory acceptance criteria for RIAs
applied in twelve NEA member countries.
Finally, it provides recommendations
as to the research work needed to fill
the remaining knowledge gaps for RIA
analyses.

Radiological protection
and human aspects ofnuclear safety
Radiological
2022

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

work
Building a Framear Accident
Building a Frameworkfor Post-Nucle
redness
Recovery Prepa
National-Level

Guidancefor Post-Nuclear
Accident Recovery
Preparedness:
National-Level
Guidance

NE A

related factors which are themselves undercontinuous interaction with each other.
The report highlights the need for all
managers to develop an understanding thatthe continuous application of a systemic
approach is required to establish andsustain an effective management systemand to foster safety culture.
Radiological2022

Protectionures

l Expos
Occupationa
Power Plants
at Nuclear

NEA No. 7582. 88 pages.

Annual Report
Twenty-Ninthe, 2019of the ISOE Programm

Available online at:https://oe.cd/7582
Ten years after the Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear Power Plant accident, many
lessons have been learnt that havehelped improve preparedness fornuclear emergencies and awarenessof the global risks that such accidents
can entail. This includes a number oflong-lasting, multidimensional impacts
on health (including mental health andpsychosocial support), the economy,
and the environment. Recovery froma nuclear or radiological accident is along, complex and resource-intensive
process. To facilitate efficient recovery, it
is important to establish processes andprocedures during the preparedness phaseto activate the resources required and to
involve the relevant stakeholders at alllevels. This report addresses the need fora harmonised approach towards efficient
recovery management from nuclear orradiological accidents, which aims to assist
countries to develop their own national
plans and procedures for post-accident
recovery preparedness in a harmonisedmanner, through the introduction of acyclical approach.
Human Aspectsof Nuclear Safety

2022

al

isation
Human and Organin Nuclear
Performance
Installations

Human and
Organisational
Performance in Nuclear
Installations
NEA No. 7579. 44 pages.

NE A

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4IS

This report from the NEA Working Groupon Human and Organisational Performance
establishes a common understandingaround the terms human performance(HP), organisational performance (OP), andhuman and organisational factors (HOF)
through a simple model.
The model presented illustrates the strong
inter-relationship between the terms.
It shows that HP includes both humanactivities and the results of these activities.
HOF are the factors which have influenceon HP in a positive or adverse manner ina given situation. They can be categorised
as human-, technology- and organisation-

NE A

Occupational Exposures
at Nuclear Power Plants:
29 th ISOE Annual Report,
2019
NEA No. 7620. 140 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4OW

This 29 th Annual Report of the International
System on Occupational Exposure (ISOE)
presents the status of the programme forthe year 2019.
As of 31 December 2019, the ISOE
included 76 participating licensees(348 operating units; 69 shutdown
units; 11 units under construction and/or commissioning) and 28 regulatory
authorities in 31 countries, and the ISOE
database contained occupational exposure
information for more than 500 units,
covering over 88% of the world’s operating
commercial power reactors.
This report includes a global occupational
exposure data and analysis collected andaccomplished in the year 2019, informationon the overall programme events andachievements as well as principal events inparticipating countries.
Human Aspectsof Nuclear Safety2022

Capabilities
rganisationalning Nuclear
for Decommissio
Installations

O

Organisational
Capabilities for
Decommissioning
Nuclear Installations
NEA No. 7580. 56 pages.

NE A

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4Am

The transition from nuclear power
generation to decommissioning carries a
number of safety challenges tied to humanand organisational factors. This reportdiscusses these challenges and brings
together the experiences of membersof the NEA Working Group on Humanand Organisational Factors. It includes an
overview and topical case studies fromglobal decommissioning activities and sums
up the good practices and lessons learnt tohelp organisations in their own endeavours
to decommission nuclear installations.

Nuclear, technology
and education
Nuclear Science2021

Handbook
International
Criticalityof Evaluatedsmark Experiment
Safety Bench

NE A

International Handbookof Evaluated Criticality
Safety Benchmark
Experiments
NEA No. 7592. DVD.

Available online at: https://oecd-nea.org/
icsbep-handbook
The International Criticality Safety
Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP)
Handbook contains criticality safety
benchmark specifications that have been
derived from experiments that were
performed at various critical facilities aroundthe world. The benchmark specifications
are intended for use by criticality and safety
analysts as well as nuclear data evaluators
to validate calculational techniques anddata. The handbook is produced by the
ICSBEP working group, under the aegis of
the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
While co-ordination and administration of
the ICSBEP is undertaken by the NEA,
each participating country is responsible
for the administration, technical direction,and priorities of the project within theirrespective countries.
The evaluated criticality safety benchmark
data in the 2021 edition are presented
in nine volumes. These volumes span
approximately 80 000 pages andcontain 587 evaluations with benchmark
specifications for 5 121 critical, near-criticalor subcritical configurations, 45 criticality
alarm placement/shielding configurations
with multiple dose points for each, and237 configurations which have been
categorised as fundamental physics
measurements that are relevant to criticality
safety applications.
New to the 2021 edition of the handbook
are experiments from the Kilopower
Reactor Using Stirling Technology(KRUSTY) – shown on the front cover – andThermal/Epithermal eXperiments (TEX)
programs performed at the National Critical
Experiments Research Center (NCERC) in
the United States; highly enriched uranium
experiments with Lucite at NCERC; pitch
variation experiments at Sandia National
Laboratory in the United States; andstructural material experiments at the
Valduc facility in France.

This report can be used as a guide for selfassessment for both licensee organisations
and regulatory bodies to manage thehuman and organisation factors in thevarious phases of their decommissioning
activities.

105

NEA PUBLICATIONS AND BROCHURES PRODUCED IN 2022

International Handbookof Evaluated Reactor
Physics Benchmark
Experiments

Nuclear Science2021

ook of
International Handb
or Physics
Evaluated React iments
Benchmark Exper

NE A

Radioactive waste
management

NEA No. 7593. DVD.
Available online at: https://oecd-nea.org/
irphe
The International Handbook of Evaluated
Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments
contains reactor physics benchmark
specifications that have been derived
from experiments that were performed
at nuclear facilities around the world. The
benchmark specifications are intended
for use by reactor designers, safety
analysts and nuclear data evaluators tovalidate calculation techniques and data.
While co-ordination and administrationof the International Reactor Physics
Evaluation (IRPhE) project is undertakenby the Nuclear Energy Agency(NEA) at the international level, eachparticipating country is responsible forthe administration, technical direction
and priorities of the project within theirrespective countries. The informationand data included in this handbook areavailable to NEA member countries, to allcontributing countries and to others on acase-by-case basis. Example calculations
are presented; however, these do notconstitute validation or endorsement of thecodes or cross-section data.
The 2021 edition of the International
Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics
Benchmark Experiments contains datafrom 169 experimental series that were
performed at 57 nuclear facilities. A totalof 165 of the 169 evaluations are published
as approved benchmarks. The remaining
four evaluations are published as draft
documents only. The cover of the handbook
shows the ZPR-9 machine at Argonne
National Laboratory-East in Illinois tosupport development of a gas cooled fast
reactor (GCFR) in the United States. Newly
evaluated criticality, control worth, andspectral characteristics measurements fromthe ZPR-9 have been added to this editionof the handbook.

Radioactive Waste
2022

Clay Club Catalogue of
Characteristics ofArgillaceous Rocks –2022 Update

Management

ogue
Clay Club Cataltics

of Characteris Rockssof Argillaceou
2022 Update

NE A

NEA No. 7249. 244 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4OZ

The NEA Clay Club has been gathering
the key geoscientific characteristics ofthe various argillaceous formations thatare – or have been – studied in NEA
member countries in the context ofradioactive waste disposal, resulting in the
publication of the Clay Club Catalogue of
Characteristics of Argillaceous Rocks in
2005.
This publication builds upon the 2005 NEA
report by providing updated datasets for aselect number of argillaceous formations
presented in the previous report, as well as
an expanded discussion of: the formations
and their properties; the nuclear waste
management organisations responsible forthe implementation of the deep geologicalrepository concept; the design concept
proposed for a deep geological repository
in the respective countries and rockformations; and some of the favourable
properties of said argillaceous formations.
A key goal of this report is to present thedata in a manner that allows reasonable
comparability (in both scale and methods)of the included parameters, in orderto support the formal assessment anddemonstration of the capacity of clayrich formations to securely contain andisolate nuclear waste from the naturalenvironment.

theSummar y of
p on
NEA WorkshoManagement
Competencys (COMAREG)
of Regulator

NE A

Summary of the NEA
Workshop on
Competency
Management ofRegulators (COMAREG)NEA No. 7623. 16 pages
Available online at: https://
oecd-nea.org/comareg

Data Bank

The NEA DataBankfor its
centre of referencesuch asan international
Bank acts as
nuclear tools,
he NEA Data
respect to basic
and prediction
countries withthe analysis
participating
data, used forto its users by
and nuclear
a direct service
computer codes
field. It offers
tools, distribin the nuclear
validate thesetrainof phenomena
improve andmeans to develop,
rules, and organisingproviding thewith international
knowledge management.
in accordance
uting them
support nuclear
activities to
ing and education

T

NE A

The Nuclear Energy
Agency Data Bank– brochure
NEA No. 7594. 4 pages
Available online at: https://
oecd-nea.org/db-brochure

106 | NEA Annual Report 2022

The NEA organised a Workshop on
Competency Management of regulators
for the broad discussion of the challenges
regarding the competency of regulatorsin the areas of radioactive waste
management, decommissioning andlegacy management. On 4 January 2019,
the NEA issued the Results from the
RWMC Regulator’s Forum (RF) Survey on
Gaining and Maintaining Competencies
for the Regulator (NEA/RWM/RF(2019)1.
In the document, some conclusions weremade regarding future challenges incompetency management. Based on these
conclusions, the RF decided to organisesuch a workshop in order to discuss how
to prepare for future tasks and challenges
in competency management and to ensurethat regulatory bodies are necessarily fed
and fed by the right skills and abilities for
future work.
The Workshop was initiated and ledby the RF, and other interested NEA
STCs are invited to participate andcontribute: CRPPH, CSNI/ CRNA and
NSC (NEST). Also, the NEA invitedinternational organisations, the EC, IAEA
(SITEX, WENRA, ENSTTI ) and others toparticipate.
This document is a summary of the
COMAREG activity.

Decommissioningof Nuclear Installationsand Legacy
Management
Feedback Mechanisms
for Lessons Learnt in theDecommissioning of
Nuclear Facilities
An international snapshot
6 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4RU
The NEA Committee on Decommissioningof Nuclear Installations and Legacy
Management (CDLM) and the TechnicalAdvisory Group (TAG) of the International
Co-operative Programme for the
Exchange of Scientific and Technical
Information Concerning Nuclear
Installation Decommissioning Projects(CPD) addressed the topic of “Feedback
Mechanisms for Lessons Learnt” in the
topical sessions of their 2021 meetings.
This brochure summarises the key findings.

Nuclear law
Nuclear Law Bulletin
No. 107

Legal Affairs
2021

Nuclear Law Bulletin
No. 107

Volume 2021/2

Volume 2021/2

NEA No. 7598. 92 pages.
NE A

Available online at:https://oe.cd/nea-nlb-107

The Nuclear Law Bulletin is a uniqueinternational publication for bothprofessionals and academics in thefield of nuclear law. It provides readerswith authoritative and comprehensive
information on nuclear law developments.
Published free online twice a year in both
English and French, it features topicalarticles written by renowned legal experts,
covers legislative developments worldwide
and reports on relevant case law, bilateraland international agreements as well
as regulatory activities of internationalorganisations.
Feature articles and studies in this issue
include “Significant legal developments
concerning “independent” regulatory
agencies in the United States and what
it could mean for the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission” by Eric Michel; “Slovak
legal system for ensuring feasible nuclear
back-end system implementation Part 2:
Outlook for future development” by Martin
Macášek, Michal Šnírer and Vladimír
Slugeň.
Prac tice ofPrinciples andNuclear Law
Inter national

Principles and Practiceof International
Nuclear Law
NEA No. 7599. 416 pages.

NE A

Energy Agency (NEA) in co-operation
with the University of Montpellier andwhich benefits from the support of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency. For
over 20 years the ISNL has offered aunique educational opportunity to the next
generation of nuclear professionals from
more than 100 countries.

Available online at:https://oe.cd/4r3

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 thecomplex body of laws and legal regimes
in international nuclear law, as well as themany developments that have unfolded
in recent years impacting all aspects ofnuclear safety, security, safeguards andliability. It also gives a concise overview
of the main international institutions, andaddresses such issues as radiologicalprotection, nuclear safety, environmental
protection, nuclear transport, nuclear
security, safeguards, nuclear third party
liability and compensation for nuclear
damage, insurance, nuclear trade andproject development.

Publications ofSecretariat-serviced
bodiesGeneration IV
International Forum (GIF)
2021 Annual Report
ANNUALREPORT
2021

L DESIGN
MULTINATIONA RAMMEEVALUATION PROG
ary Report
Phase 1 Summ
2006-2021

Multinational Design
Evaluation Programme(MDEP) Phase 1 Summary
Report 2006-2021
28 pages.
Available online at:https://oe.cd/4RVThis report presents a summary of
the Multinational Design Evaluation
Programme (MDEP), undertaken
between 2006 and 2021, with the intent
to ensure an appropriate transition to a
new MDEP framework beyond 2021.
This report highlights the key milestones,
successes and lessons learnt from thefirst 15-year period of MDEP, explains the
documentation produced during this period
and its future storage, and introduces the
new MDEP framework from 2022 onwards.

GIF report. 84 pages.
.org

www.gen-4

2

Available online at:https://bit.ly/40uR9Ka

This fourteenth edition of the Generation
IV International Forum (GIF) Annual Reporthighlights the main achievements of
GIF in 2021. In 2021, GIF completed its
second decade as the sole internationalorganization dedicated to collaborative
research and development (R&D) on
Gen-IV systems. Since 2001, GIF has beenpromoting international R&D collaboration
for six types of Gen-IV reactor systems
using sodium, lead, gas, molten salt
and supercritical water coolants.
During 2021, one of the significant
activities and efforts that GIF addressed
was substantive engagement with theprivate sector, as well efforts to deepen
GIF’s role in climate change initiatives. GIF
also made significant strides in advancing
the safety framework of Gen-IV systems,
including strengthened collaborations
with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy
Agency (NEA). Going forward, GIF willfurther reinforce Gen-IV system features
to combat climate change and enhance
engagement with industry, while continuing
to support the Gen-IV talent pipeline.

The articles in Principles and Practiceof International Nuclear Law are largely
authored by lecturers at the International
School of Nuclear Law (ISNL), which wasestablished in 2001 by the OECD Nuclear

107

NEA ONLINE EVENTS IN 2022

NEA web-based events: A typology• N EA WebChat: An online dialogue led by Director-General William D. Magwood, IV with leaders in the sector
on the major issues of the day, open to the public.
• E xpert Roundtable: A roundtable conversation with experts and an extended Q&A session, aimed at a
specialist audience, open to the public.
•	
NEA Webinar: Presentation of recent NEA work, usually the release of an NEA flagship publication, for ageneral audience, open to the public.
•	
Online Workshop/Meeting: A traditional NEA meeting or workshop held remotely, open to NEA delegates.

Expert Roundtables

NEA Webinars

High-temperature Gas cooled Reactors and Industrial
Heat Application – 16 June 2022

Regulatory implementation of the ICRP’s
recommended equivalent dose limit for the lens of theeye for occupational exposure – 7 March 2022

Reducing industrial carbon emissions is one of the mostdifficult challenges on the path to net zero by 2050, due
to the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions from theindustrial 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 replacefossil 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 Gascooled 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

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), createdin 2019 by the Committee on Radiological Protection andPublic Health (CRPPH), with the objective of providing
an opportunity for regulators and stakeholders toshare lessons learnt in the practical implementationof the International Commission on RadiologicalProtection’s (ICRP’s) recommended equivalent dose
limit for the lens of the eye for occupational exposures.
It summarises the practical experiences of regulatorsand stakeholders worldwide in implementing the ICRP’s
recommended equivalent dose limit for the lens of theeye for occupational exposure, including successes andchallenges to the approaches.
Opening and welcome address:• William D. Magwood, IV, NEA Director-General
Moderators:

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)• Christina Dodkin, Chair of the NEA Expert Group on the• Hiroyuki Sato, General Manager, Department of Hydrogen• Jacqueline Garnier-Laplace, Deputy Head, Division on

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

Dose Limit for the Lens of the Eye (EGDLE), Radiologicalprotection specialist, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

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 RadiologicalProtection and Nuclear Safety, France• Salah Djeffal, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s Lead

Technical Advisor for Canada’s Federal Nuclear Science andTechnology 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-thelens-of-the-eye-for-occupational-exposures• 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, Officeof 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
Workshop on Advanced Construction and
Manufacturing Methodologies for New Nuclear Build– 16-17 March 2022
The construction phase of a nuclear power plant iswhen 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, theseprojects have served to renew industrial capabilities
and to explore new approaches to construction andmanufacturing. Future nuclear projects will continue thelearning process, allowing for design improvements andprocess optimisation, and paving the way towards Nthof-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 notavailable in traditional large reactor projects.
The NEA workshop on “Advanced Construction and
Manufacturing Methodologies for New Nuclear Build”
explored recent experiences and the development ofconstruction 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 therole 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 andRegulatory 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 Leaderof 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

Co-founder, Terrapraxis

109

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 andKnowledge 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 theworld are urgently seeking to rapidly decarbonise theireconomies 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 fornuclear 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 apresentation 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

Building a framework for preparedness to postaccident recovery – national-level guidance – 23 May
2022
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) held an online eventto 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 theCommittee 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 radiologicalaccident is a lengthy, complex and resource-intensive
process, and this report emphasises the importanceof preparedness for long-term recovery along withpreparedness arrangements for emergency responseto 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 ingeneral. 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

Outlook, IEA• Yves Lheureux, Director, French National Federation of

The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4rs• Andrew Mayall, Deputy Director (Acting), Radioactive

Local Information Committees (ANCCLI)

Substances and Installations Regulation, Environment Agency,
Vice-Chair of the NEA CRPPH
The video recording is available at: https://oe.cd/4t2

110 | NEA Annual Report 2022

Third global nuclear science and engineeringcommencement - Theme: Nuclear technology inservice 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 Forumon Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy,
the event will gather luminaries in the STEM field, as wellas nuclear energy professionals to share their words ofadvice and encouragement.
The first global commencement was organised in 2020
to inspire nuclear science and technology graduatesentering 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 andAssociate Provost at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (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 Centerand CEO of Last Energy
Panellists:• Vitor Fernandes de Almeida, PhD Student at the Centerfor 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 andchallenges for nuclear energy in the context of carbon
neutrality – 15 September 2022
Decarbonisation of the world’s energy sector is achallenging task that many governments around theworld are working on. As a stable and low-carbon source,

nuclear energy can play a significant role in contributing toclimate change mitigation efforts as well as in addressing
the energy supply issues.
This webinar will discuss the role of nuclear energy in thecontext of reaching the carbon neutrality, the synergies
between nuclear energy and renewables, as well as themultipurpose 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 andEnvironment 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 toachieve 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 degreeof 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 underwhich 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 andexperts 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

111

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:• Łukasz Mlynarkiewicz, President, Poland’s National Atomic• Jan Horst Keppler, Chief Economist, Division of Nuclear

Fuel and Waste Disposition, Office of Nuclear Energy,
U.S. Department of Energy

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 andSupervision, 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 theirdecarbonisation targets by 2050, they are focusing theirattention on the ongoing development of small modular
reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV reactor technologies
as an option to address the effect of climate change andfuture energy demand. To ensure these new technologies
are viable to supplement existing energy sources, themanagement, storage, transport and disposal of theradioactive waste needs to be closely examined at theearly stages of the design process.
In this context, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) andNatural Resources Canada (NRCan) are organising aninternational workshop “Management of spent fuel,radioactive waste and decommissioning in SMRs oradvanced reactor technologies”.
The workshop convened participants from various fields ofexpertise 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

Energy Agency• Kimberly Petry, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent• 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-anddecommissioning-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 inthe Hydrogen Economy. Launched by the NEA and NICE
Future ahead of the 13 th Clean Energy Ministerial, thepublication sheds light on initiatives from both public
and private stakeholders around the world showing
how nuclear energy can provide an actionable path todecarbonise 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 · ElectricPower 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 shortseries 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 themedical field, however, in order to limit the complexity ofthe subject matter. Regarding the preparatory webinars,
the scope was reduced to finding a common practicalunderstanding of what optimisation means in decisionmaking 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 analysedindividually. For the purposes of the webinars and theworkshop, the terms “decision” and “decision-making”
refer to decisions that will have, or can be expected tohave, 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 andRadiation Protection and Assessment, CSNC
Keynote remarks• Commissioner David A. Wright, US Nuclear Regulatory
Commission

Keynote presentation

NEA-IFNEC Financing Initiative – Warsaw Conferenceon Nuclear Financing – 8 December 2022
The imperative to reduce carbon emissions in order tofollow 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 conceptualand 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 Capitalby Optimising Risk Management which combined newwork on the relationship between optimal risk allocationand nuclear financing in low-carbon energy systems.
Key insights from the report was discussed during theconference.
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
KingdomRoundtable discussions:• Anne Crepin, Deputy Head, Export Finance Department,
SFIL, France

How can strategic foresight support more holistic policy
decision making?

• Mihai Darie, Romania Country Manager, Last Energy, United• Alexander Atarodi, Senior Foresight Expert, OECD

• Daniel Dean, Chairman, Implementation Organization

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

StatesStrategic Advisory Group, International Bank for Nuclear
Infrastructure• Aleshia Duncan, Chair, IFNEC• Tomáš Ehler, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry andTrade, 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 andEnvironment Division, Export-Import Bank of the UnitedStates (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
coursesA full list of all NEA meetings and workshops held
remotely is available on the NEA website Delegates’ Areaat 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 fornuclear materials;• liability, compensation and insurance for nuclear damage;and• international trade in nuclear materials and equipment.
Lectures are delivered by specialists in nuclear law frominternational organisations, governments and private
industry.
Information available on: https://oecd-nea.org/finl2022

114 | NEA Annual Report 2022

115

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENTThe OECD is a unique forum where the governments of 38 democracies work together to address the economic, socialand environmental challenges of globalisation. The OECD is also at the forefront of efforts to understand and to help
governments respond to new developments and concerns, such as corporate governance, the information economy
and the challenges of an ageing population. The Organisation provides a setting where governments can compare
policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and work to co-ordinate domestic andinternational policies.
The OECD member countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Korea, the Slovak Republic,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Commission
takes part in the work of the OECD.
OECD Publishing disseminates widely the results of the Organisation’s statistics gathering and research on economic,
social and environmental issues, as well as the conventions, guidelines and standards agreed by its members.

NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCYThe 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, theUnited 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, thescientific, 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 thenuclear fuel cycle, nuclear law and liability, and public information. The NEA Data Bank provides nuclear data andcomputer program services for participating countries.

Also available in French under the title:

AEN – RAPPORT ANNUEL – 2022

This document, as well as any [statistical] data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory,
to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
Corrigenda to OECD publications may be found online at: www.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda.

© OECD 2023
You can copy, download or print OECD content for your own use, and you can include excerpts from OECD publications, databases andmultimedia products in your own documents, presentations, blogs, websites and teaching materials, provided that suitable acknowledgementof the OECD as source and copyright owner is given. All requests for public or commercial use and translation rights should be submitted toneapub@oecd-nea.org. Requests for permission to photocopy portions of this material for public or commercial use shall be addressed directly to
the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) at info@copyright.com or the Centre français d’exploitation du droit de copie (CFC) contact@cfcopies.com.
Cover page photo credit: Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant, Korea (IAEA, CC BY-SA 2.0); Research and development to support the advancement ofsmall modular reactors (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, CC BY-ND 2.0); Cabri reactor (CEA).

NEA publications and information
The full catalogue of publications is available online at www.oecd-nea.org/pub.
In addition to basic information on the Agency and its work programme, the NEA website offers
free downloads of hundreds of technical and policy-oriented reports.
An NEA monthly electronic bulletin is distributed free of charge to subscribers, providing updatesof new results, events and publications. Sign up at https://oe.cd/nea-sub.
Visit us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/oecd-nuclear-energy-agency or follow us on
Twitter@OECD_NEA.

OECD/NEA Publishing, 2 rue André-Pascal, 75775 PARIS CEDEX 16
NEA No. 7653

OECD Boulogne building.

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
46, quai Alphonse Le Gallo
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Tel.: +33 (0)1 73 21 28 19
nea@oecd-nea.org www.oecd-nea.org

NEA No. 7653