OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIF2024 Japan’s INROW on
the Implementation ofthe Reactor Oversight
Process in JapanNEA Secretariat:
John Nakoski
Anais Nouailles-Mayeur
Yuji Kumagai
December, 2023
© 2023 OECD/NEA

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June 2023
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFOutline
1. OECD• NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency)• CNRA (Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities)• WGRO (Working Group on Reactor Oversight)
2. 1st INROW (International Nuclear Reactor Oversight Workshop)• Session 1 (Day 1-3)
• Session 2 (Day 4-5)

© 2023 OECD/NEA

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFOECD Nuclear Energy Agency• Founded in 1958
• 34 member countries• 8 standing technical committees and 1management board• ≈ 74 working parties and expert groups• ≈ 26 international joint projects© 2023 OECD/NEA

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFNEA Committees© 2023 OECD/NEA

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFCommittee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA)
Expert Group on Public Communication (EGPC)
Responsible for NEA activities concerning all regulatory activities that support nuclear safety, with an emphasis on current and futurenuclear reactors. Focused on aspects such as policy, licensing, supply chain, new technologies, oversight (e.g., inspection, operatingexperience), as well as cross-cutting activities such as leadership, safety culture, and public communication.

Working Group on New
Technology (WGNT)
Focused on the regulatory approaches toensure safety of new technologies deployed
or being considered for deployment

Working Group on Leadershipand Safety Culture (WGLSC)
Focused on leadership and safety culture
related to regulatory activities, whilst
appreciating the mutual impact of theoperator and other stakeholders within thewider interconnected system© 2023 OECD/NEA

Working Group on Reactor
Oversight (WGRO)

Working Group on Supply Chain(WGSUP)

Expert Group on Operating
Experience (EGOE)

Focused on supply-chain-related issues ofoperating nuclear power reactors andthose progressing towards nuclear license
application or are under construction

Focused on identifying and sharing
relevant good practices in reactor
oversight that provide the necessary
assurances of day-to-day safe
operation on nuclear power plants,
with special attention to inspection

Working Group on Policy andLicensing (WGPL)
Focused on issues related to policy andlicensing for both operating nuclear
reactors and proposed new reactors(including those under construction)www.oecd-nea.org

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Working Group on Reactor Oversight (WGRO)
Purpose of WGROWGRO is focused on identifying and sharing relevant good practices innuclear reactor oversight that provide the necessary assurances of dayto-day safe operation on nuclear power plants, with special attention toinspection approaches by regulatory bodies to meet member needs.
https://www.oecd-nea.org/jcms/pl_87020/the-working-group-onreactor-oversight-wgro© 2023 OECD/NEA

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFWGRO Organization and Meetings
Organization
Chair:Mr. Yves Guannel (ASN, France) since January 2023
Vice chair: Mr. Mahtab Khan (ONR, UK) since January 2023
Bureau: Mr. Kenneth Broman (SSM, Sweden) since January 2023
NEA Secretariat: Mr. Yuji Kumagai, Mr. John Nakoski
Ms. Chloe Torrance
WGRO Meetings
Last:25-28 September 2024 (OECD/NEA)
3rd Meeting:
12-15 February (OECD/NEA)
1st INROW:
11-15 November 2024

© 2023 OECD/NEA

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OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFOutline
1. OECD• NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency)• CNRA (Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities)• WGRO (Working Group on Reactor Oversight)
2. 1st INROW (International Nuclear Reactor Oversight Workshop)• Session 1 (Day 1-3)
• Session 2 (Day 4-5)

© 2023 OECD/NEA

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2024 Japan’s INROW Background / ObjectivesContext:• NEA WGRO (Working Group on Reactor Oversight) plans to conduct a International
Nuclear Regulatory Oversight Workshop (INROW) in Japan in November 2024.
• The NEA held a ROP workshop in Japan in 2018. NRA has implemented their ROP sinceApril 2020.
• As part of the WGRO INROW, an activity was proposed to do a small study of Japan’s
ROP activities to observe interactions between onsite inspectors and licensee/operator
staff and management.
• Insight gained from these observations would part of a Workshop session thatdiscusses the authority and responsibility of the regulator’s inspectors; organizationaland cultural barriers to communicating findings and observations during and after
inspections and other oversight activities; and characteristics of a good inspector.

© 2023 OECD/NEA

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Organization / Venue&Date• Organizing committee (OC) members for 2024 Japan’s INROW Observed
Inspection and Session 2:– Leads: Philip Mckenna (NRC), Mahtab Khan (ONR)– Members: Rodney Bos (ANVS), Kenneth Broman (SSM), Yves Guannel(ASN), Toshiyuki Koganeya (NRA), Tatsuki Watanabe (NRA),– NEA: John Nakoski, Anais Nouailles-Mayeur, Yuji Kumagai• Date:– INROW Session 1 (Day 1-3): 11 – 13 November 2024
– Plant visit (Day 4): 14 November 2024
– INROW Observed Inspection (Day 4): 14 November 2024
– INROW Session 2 (Day 4): 15 November 2024
• Venue: nearby Ohi NPP (Kansai Electric Power Company called KEPCO)© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Session 1 (Day 1-3)
• Workshop will be held at a NPP in Japan in coordination with NRA andthe NPP Operator from 11 to 15 November 2023
• Session 1 will be with WGRO Members and Invited Participants• Three topics for the INROW session 1 portion of the expanded
workshop:
1. Oversight Framework regarding Licensee’s Cross Cutting Issues(Japan as Lead and France as co-lead) - Interactions with EGOE and WGHOF or
WGLSC

2. Inspection of Licensee’s Readiness for External Events that could result in astation blackout(US as lead and Poland as co-lead) - Interactions with WGEV, EGOE

3. Innovative Approaches to Regulatory Oversight(UK as lead and Canada as co-lead) - Interaction with several WG to be confirmed(EGOE and WGNT for instance)© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Session 1 (cont.)
Topic 1: Oversight Framework regarding Licensee’s Cross Cutting Issues
The purpose of the WGRO task is to share experiences on regulatory
activities involving cross cutting issues (safety culture, humanperformance, problem identification and resolution (PI&R), Management
System, etc.) Which often underline the issues of performancedegradation and to extract insights that contribute to the improvement ofreactor oversight programs that are specific to each member country.
Topic 2: Inspection of Licensee’s Readiness for External Events that could
result in a station blackout
The purpose of the WGRO task is to share information about methods,
procedures and criteria used to perform regulatory oversight of how theplant prepares for external events to include severe weather, flooding, fireand seismic which could result in a station blackout.
© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Session 1 (cont.)
Topic 3: Innovative Approaches to Regulatory Oversight
Objective: Identify, learn, and share good practice and innovative
approaches/ideas focused on the following oversight areas.
Scope
Use of modern technology in preparing inspection/oversight planssuch that oversight effort is better targeted and risk informed.
Use of guidance that delivers consistent outcomes – future
proofing guidance.
Innovative inspection techniques for inspectors (AI, Augmentedand virtual reality etc…)
Innovative approaches resulting from oversight/regulatory works
on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Observed Inspection (Day ４)
INROW Observed Inspection
Plant walk-down with international inspectors assigned by WGRO members
countries, NRA’s inspectors and licensees’ site staffs for the input to theSession 2’s case study of Japan’s ROP. This should be considered as apeer-to-peer exchange of experiences, practices, and challenges
encountered between the NRA and international Observing seniorinspectors.
Additional Information and Background– Best if 2 NRA inspectors participate (site inspectors)– Observing inspectors will work with 1 NRA inspector• 2 Observing inspectors, a translator, and a facilitator will make up a team
– NRA inspectors should plan to conduct typical inspection activities• Inspection activities and related inspection procedures should be provided to NEA inadvance for translation into English for use by Observing inspectors© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Observed Inspection (cont.)
INROW Observed Inspection (tentative)
Additional Information and Background– Observing and NRA inspectors should attend the entire workshop, spending as muchtime together as practical to get to know each other– Observing inspectors should ask questions during the inspection at appropriate times
to gather information or to understand what the NRA inspector is doing and why– At the end of the Observed Inspection, the NRA and Observing inspectors shouldmeet to discuss the observations and insights from the Observing inspectors– Discussions between NRA and Observing inspectors should include for example:• How things could be done differently based on cultural, procedural, or practical matters• Experiences in identifying issues warranting regulatory actions or that are safety significant• Challenges the inspectors face with implement the program• Challenges in communicating issues to licensees and their own management© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Observed Inspection (cont.)
INROW Observed Inspection (tentative)
Additional Information and Background– From these discussions, the NRA and Observing inspectors should prepare a set of key
messages that they will discuss during Session 2 of the INROW the following day– After the INROW the NRA and Observing Inspectors will be requested to provide a 1 to
2 page report capturing their individual insights from their participation in the observed
inspection.
– Desired outcomes from the Observed Inspection• Insights on commendable practices for interactions between inspectors and licensee staff• Insights on cultural, procedural, or practices that act as barriers or strengths that impede or
support effective implementation of inspections• Insights on inspection approaches that help inspectors focus on safety significant activities
conducted by the licensee• Insights on characteristics that make an effective inspector© 2023 OECD/NEA

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1st INROW Session 2 (Day 5)
INROW Session 2 (tentative)•Opening: NEA / NRA•

Sub-Session 1:– WGRO Chair: WGRO activity and summary of 1st INROW Session 1-3– NRA: Overview of Japan’s ROP– International Regulatory Bodies: Expectation of inspector– KEPCO: Observation inspection practice•Sub-Session 2:– NEA: Objective for the Day-4 Observed Inspection– Plant walk-down participants: Case study of Japan’s ROP with plant walk-down participants•Panel:– International experts: Discussion to find common issues/interesting and future actions on
regulatory inspections•Closing:– KEPCO / Local government / NEA / NRA© 2023 OECD/NEA

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Deliverables / Expected Future Collaborative
Deliverables:• Report summarizing conclusions and recommendations of the WS to support updating
Japan’s ROP programme as well as the international members regulatory inspection
activities.
Expected continue working collaborative:– Encourage the regulators to send inspectors to other countries to observe how
inspectors interact with licensee/operator staff and management, select activities toinspect, how to identify findings of safety or regulatory significance, and how theinspectors communicate with others within their organization and external
stakeholders. (this can be done under WGRO).
– Develop a Green Booklet on characteristics of an effective inspector (WGHOF, WGLSC,and WGRO)– Develop a Green Booklet on Inspectors authorities and responsibilities (WGRO,WGLSC, WGPL)© 2023 OECD/NEA

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18OFFICIAL USE ONLY / À USAGE EXCLUSIFSchedule•••••Schedule:
Q4 2023 and Q1 2024: Establish OC (Organizing Committee), decide
WS venue and dates, prepare and disseminate the WS announcement,
establish a tentative programme.
Q4 2023 and Q1 2024: Advertise and solicit participation/contribution tothe WS, invite key industries, regulators to contribute.
Q2/Q3 2024: Consolidate and distribute the WS programme to widelyindustries, (local) governments?, academia?, etc.
Q4 2024: INROW
Q1/Q2 2025: Develop a summary report© 2023 OECD/NEA

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Thank you foryour attention!

John Nakoski
Yuji Kumagai
Nuclear Safety Technology andRegulation Division
OECD Nuclear Energy Agency© 2023 OECD/NEA

www.oecd-nea.org

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