OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

👩🎓 Calling students and graduates in nuclear-related fields 👨🎓 The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency wants to hear from you 🗯️ The NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy has developed a qualitative survey to explore how and why individuals decide to join the #nuclear field and how their experiences impact decisions to stay in or leave the field. ⚛️ ℹ️ This survey is intended for anyone who is currently a student in the nuclear field or has graduated in the last 20 years. The “nuclear field” is defined as nuclear science and engineering and related areas of science, technology, law, policy, and education. 👩🔬👷 The responses will be used to formulate recommendations for making the nuclear field more welcoming to students from all backgrounds. The responses to this survey are anonymous. 📅 The survey is open until 30 November 2024. Complete the survey here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gR-UHeek More information ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gv4Qgq-f

Spotlight on small modular reactors 💡 The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency joined some 400 experts who last week participated in the #SMR International Conference 2024 in Changwon, Korea. Véronique Rouyer, Head of the NEA Division of Nuclear Safety Technology and Regulation, delivered a keynote speech highlighting the importance of international co-operation in the development of SMRs and their potential to contribute to energy security and climate goals. 🌏⚛️ Bringing together major SMR designers, vendors and other stakeholders in the field, the conference explored the challenges and opportunities related to SMRs with discussions focusing on how to accelerate their safe deployment. The conference was organised by the Governor of Gyeongsangnam Province with the support of the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum (KAIF) and the Korean Nuclear Society (KNS). The tour of key Korean supply chain companies provided insights into the readiness of Changwon City and the Gyeongnam Province to deploy SMRs. 🏗️ Read more about the NEA's work on SMRs ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ezCNJuc4

📜 Just published📜 The 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 provides a comprehensive guide to integrating Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in radiological protection strategies during a hashtag#nuclear or radiological emergency. This publication operationalises the World Health Organization (WHO)'s 2020 framework for MHPSS, covering all phases: preparedness, response and recovery. The guide is aimed at official managers, decision makers, and specialists involved in nuclear or radiological emergency planning, response and recovery (early, intermediate, and long-term), as well as MHPSS specialists in large-scale disasters and all-hazards emergency settings. It includes a summary table of actions and detailed action sheets for various themes: 📑 Integrating MHPSS into needs assessments 🗣️ Public communication strategies 🏢 Services for host communities 👩⚕️ Clinical referrals 📋 Mental health monitoring Read here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eTk6JZ_t

When I was very young, it was understood that receiving a cancer diagnosis was essentially a death sentence. As medical diagnostic and therapy technology has advanced — in considerable respect, through the use of nuclear technologies — this is far less true. Cancers are detected quickly and treated much more effectively today than might have been imagined in past generations. Today, we are at the threshold of a new era of advanced medicine, applying new, exciting technologies that bring us closer to taking even more of the fear created when patients hear the word “cancer”. Innovations applying radioisotopes such as Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) and Actinium (Ac-225) are changing the game of cancer treatment. But the supply of these highly beneficial materials is quite limited and it is not clear how the inevitable demand will be met. We learned hard lessons in the past when substantial shortages of the vital isotope molybdenum-99 (99Mo) impacted health care around the world. The international community called on the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency to review the supply challenges and find ways to prevent such crises from occurring again. While there has been important progress, the supply chain for this material remains more fragile than would be desired. For that reason, around 130 experts from around the world, and many more joining online, have assembled at the NEA to participate in the Second International Workshop on Medical Radioisotopes Supply. They hope to chart the development of secure supply chains for current and innovative radioisotopes. I was pleased to address this group from both governments and industry to encourage them to work together to save lives around the world. Many thanks to the colleagues from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre for co-organising this important event, and to the governments of Japan and the United States for supporting the NEA’s ongoing work on medical radioisotopes.

🧬⚛️Happening this week: Second International Workshop on Medical Radioisotopes Supply ⚛️🧬 The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency gathered governmental decision makers, private sector representatives, health organisations and researchers to chart the development of secure supply chains for conventional and innovative nuclear radioisotopes in the medical field. 🌍 Co-organised with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the 2024 edition in Paris adds a focus on the market potential of Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), Actinium (Ac-225) and other innovative medical radioisotopes, strengthening the medical radioisotope supply chain’s resiliency through monitoring supply and demand and critical infrastructure needs across medical systems. 🏥💉 More about the event 🖱️ https://lnkd.in/ecqM8RMP

REPORT 📑 𝗦𝗠𝗥𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 The new publication on #SMRs for mining is the first of a series of OECD Nuclear Energy Agency case studies that assess the opportunities and challenges for SMRs to support the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries. The mining sector is one of several industries that are increasingly exploring SMRs, among a range of clean energy technologies, to support emission reduction targets in alignment with global #netzero targets by 2050. ⛏️ This NEA case study includes a qualitative assessment of the broad range of energy demands for electricity, heat and liquid fuels in mining, informed by interviews, surveys and broader engagement with stakeholders from mining value chains. 🗯️ 📊 Quantitative analysis based on multiple global mining datasets complements the qualitative information and underpins the NEA’s conclusions about the size and geographic distribution of the potential market for SMRs to provide heat and electricity to the mining sector. Download here 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJWYZRbA

Earlier this month, I opened the NEA Safety Case Symposium in Budapest together with Dr Márk Alföldy-Boruss, Deputy State Secretary of Ministry of Energy of Hungary. The event gathered nearly 200 experts to discuss the evolution and implementation of safety cases, which is an essential tool to support decision making at every stage of a geological disposal programme. When it comes to the international goal of tripling global nuclear energy capacity, safe management of radioactive waste is key. However, as the title of the 2024 Symposium suggests (“Moving towards the construction of a safe DGR – Getting real”), radioactive waste is not a “problem” yet to be solved. It is a responsibility. And it is one that we know well how to address. Since 2000, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency's Integration Group for the Safety Case (IGSC) has identified, documented and evaluated the structure and content of safety cases for deep geological repositories and established consensus positions on good practices in their development while putting safety at the core of the proposed facility. The work of the group serves as an example of success that can be achieved through international co-operation. As interest grows in constructing new reactors, including advanced and small modular designs, collaborative efforts will be essential to leverage the expertise and resources needed for the effective disposal of radioactive waste.

Apply for the International Nuclear Law Essentials (INLE) 2025 ⚖️ ✔️ The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency’s International Nuclear Law Essentials (INLE) 2025 session will be led by Paul Bowden, Honorary Professor of Law at Nottingham Law School, and will feature renowned experts from international organisations, government and the private sector, delivering comprehensive lectures on key aspects of #nuclear law. 🗓️ When? 3-7 March 2025 📌Where? OECD - OCDE Conference Centre, Paris 🌍 Language: English Participants will have an opportunity to: • Deepen their understanding of nuclear law • Engage with industry experts and peers • Access exclusive resources and materials • Attend social events Apply here 👉https://lnkd.in/exN7hw7r

Effective dialogue between stakeholders is essential for projects to construct deep geological repositories (DGR) of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Since 2018, experts from OECD Nuclear Energy Agency member countries have collaborated to tackle problems of dialogue between regulators and implementers. 🗨️ Members of the NEA Expert Group on Building Constructive Dialogues between Regulators and Implementers in Developing Disposal Solutions for Radioactive Waste (RIDD) met this week in Madrid, Spain, to discuss the ongoing and future activities. Hosted by the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, the meeting featured opening remarks by Commissioner Pilar Lucio, who highlighted the importance of effective dialogue between regulators and implementers in radioactive waste management. Members were also invited to join a site visit, hosted by the Spanish radioactive waste management agency (Enresa), of the low and intermediate level waste facility El Cabril. Current RIDD activities focus on improving dialogue between regulators and implementers in the pre-licensing phase of DGR programmes. The upcoming mandate will expand the focus to the licensing phase. ⚛️ Learn more about the activities of the expert group ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gJtYSr29

Hungary is moving forward with new nuclear. Among NEA member countries, Hungary has been one of the most proactive when it comes to new nuclear build. The government decided to proceed to expand the Paks nuclear power plant more than a decade ago and has been making steady progress. And now first concrete will be poured in the next few months. During my recent visit to Budapest to open the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency conference “Safety Case Symposium 2024: Moving towards the construction of a safe DGR – Getting real”, I had the pleasure to meet Mr Csaba Lantos, Minister of Energy of Hungary, to discuss the latest developments in the Hungarian energy sector, the status of the Paks II project as well as Hungary’s plans for long-term operation of its existing units and the future deployment of SMRs. I appreciated Hungary’s interest in joining collaborative NEA initiatives announced at Roadmaps to New Nuclear 2024 which will bring together like-minded countries to pave the way for tripling global nuclear energy capacity and addressing pressing issues in the sector. Mr Lantos’ enthusiasm was echoed by Gergely Jákli, CEO of Paks II Ltd., and Csaba Kiss, Deputy CEO and CNO of the MVM Group who provided interesting insights into both the Paks II project and plans for SMR development. A common theme in all our discussions was that more needs to be done to enhance the human resources needed to realise Hungary’s ambitions. This is a significant concern in many countries and the reason the NEA is launching Plan 2035. This initiative will assist countries in building the diverse, gender-balanced workforce necessary to fulfil their nuclear technology policies. This was the focus of our discussion with Attila Aszodi Prof. Dr., Dean of Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Our very informative meeting with Andrea Kádár, President of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA), focused on the licensing of SMRs and potential co-operation to support more efficient licensing of new technologies while ensuring safety. This is an area of high interest at the NEA and we are developing practical paths to enable this vision to be realised. As in many countries, there is much to do in Hungary. The NEA will be there to lend its support.