National Atomic Energy Agency

The President of PAA presented the main challenges of the regulatory body in relation to human capital - the prospect of simultaneous licensing of several reactor technologies and the PAA’s need to acquire a sufficient number of qualified staff. In this context, plans to use authorized laboratories and expert organizations (TSOs) during the PAA's safety assessment of nuclear technologies were discussed, and the role of the harmonization of approaches and standards was emphasized.

The Director of the Nuclear Power Division described in detail the NHSI initiative, which aims to accelerate the harmonization and standardization of small modular reactor design and construction. The initiative focuses on two separate but complementary tracks – the regulatory track and the industrial track. The first track aims at increasing regulatory cooperation among IAEA’s member states in order to avoid duplication of efforts, enhancing efficiency and, consequently, facilitating the development of common positions of regulatory authorities. The second track focuses on developing a more standardized industry approach to the design, construction and operation of small modular reactors. Establishing common standards and best practices in the industry will reduce costs as well as shorten the time to license and implement SMR technology.

The President of the PAA expressed his willingness to continue participating in events organized by the IAEA, including NHSI meetings and the IAEA’s International Conference on Small Modular Reactors and Their Applications, which will be held in Vienna in the autumn.