National Atomic Energy Agency

Work on Phase 3 of the Joint Regulatory Review of the NUWARD reactor began on January 21st. The third phase is a continuation of Phase 2, in which the PAA participated in 2024-2025. The next phase of cooperation focuses on further review of the key design assumptions and safety features of the NUWARD reactor. The work will specifically address the following technical issues:

• the approach based on the assumption of pipe rupture exclusion versus the "leak before rupture" concept and its relationship to the acceptance criteria for loss of coolant failures,
• safety classification and its relationship to technical standards, approach to loss of external power supply.

 Each participating nuclear regulatory authority conducts an independent assessment based on its own national regulations. The purpose of the joint regulatory review is not to develop a common regulatory position, but rather to  compare the conclusions of the national assessments. These results will be included in a final report summarizing the assessments conducted by the individual nuclear regulatory authorities. Publication of the final report is planned for the first quarter of 2027.

Phase 3 of the joint regulatory review of the NUWARD reactor will involve the nuclear regulatory authorities from Belgium (FANC), the Czech Republic (SÚJB), Finland (STUK), France (ASNR), the Netherlands (ANVS), Poland (PAA), Sweden (SSM), and Italy (ISIN).

The joint regulatory review allows the designer of the NUWARD reactor to recieve feedback on the adopted safety solutions formulated at an early stage of the design process. At the same time, participation in this project allows nuclear regulatory bodies, including the PAA, to gain experience in the use of international cooperation in national safety assessment processes and to strengthen the competences of regulatory staff in the area of ​​assessment of advanced nuclear reactor designs.