Understanding and considering the human aspects of nuclear energy are hugely important for the nuclear sector’s future success. From public engagement to stakeholder management to leadership in safety culture, these human aspects of the nuclear sector were in focus during a recent mission by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) United States at the Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix, Arizona and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) in Rockland, Maryland.
NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV was invited to deliver opening remarks at the Waste Management Symposia, an international forum created to foster discussions around solutions for safe, environmentally responsible, and technically sound management and disposition of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
During his opening remarks, the NEA Director-General emphasised that we must consider the back-end during the development phase of advanced reactors to ensure that the sector does not create a legacy site. Various advanced fuels will have an impact on the back-end, therefore the sector must be ready to address this.
As the nuclear sector moves forward with Generation IV designs and fuel types, Director-General Magwood stressed that innovative nuclear systems will require innovative waste management solutions. In response to this, the NEA has developed the Waste Integration for Small and Advanced Reactor Designs (WISARD) project, which will investigate how waste from advanced systems can be managed and how design-phase decisions impact back-end strategies necessary to support sustainable future nuclear systems.
The WISARD project capitalises on the opportunity to integrate a sustainable spent fuel and waste management strategy from the very beginning of advanced reactor life cycles and is a demonstration of the work that the NEA is doing to help its member countries develop solutions for managing radioactive waste in years to come.
NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV addressed the Waste Management Symposia in Phoenix, Arizona.
Director-General Magwood emphasised the need for human capacity to manage the disposal of radioactive waste. In this context, he noted that the NEA Global Forum on Nuclear Education, Science, Technology and Policy is a ground-breaking initiative that provides academic institutions around the world with a framework to meet international needs and support future generations of nuclear specialists.
Finally, he noted that waste management is a key priority for the public and that the sector must bring all stakeholders together to make sure that it’s done right from the beginning, creating trust and transparency. To achieve this, a constructive two-way dialogue on the topic of waste management must be developed with the public.
Later in the week, Director-General Magwood and the accompanying NEA delegation a participated in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) in Maryland, where safety culture and leadership were key topics discussed amongst more than 3000 participants from more than 40 countries.
During the conference, Director-General Magwood spoke on a panel exploring global perspectives on leadership and safety culture in the nuclear sector where he presented two new reports by the NEA exploring these topics.
Director-General Magwood (left) presented two new reports by the NEA during a panel discussion exploring global perspectives on leadership and safety culture during the 36th Annual Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) in Maryland, U.S.
The first report The Mutual Impact of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies and License Holders from a Safety Culture Perspective (2024) examines the factors and mechanisms by which nuclear regulatory bodies and site license holders influence the safety culture of the other.
The second report Practices for Enhancing Leadership for Safety in Nuclear Regulatory Bodies (2024) presents extensive data that support a range of important findings and recommendations that will aid nuclear regulatory agencies in all countries identify and develop nuclear regulatory leaders and strengthen their safety mission.
“Regardless of the country and organisation and the unique cultural traits and behaviours of each, leadership plays a critical role in maintaining healthy safety culture,” remarked NEA Director-General Magwood.
Other panelists who contributed various international perspectives to this discussion included Nobuhiko Ban, Commissioner for Nuclear Regulation Authority, Japan, Mark Foy, Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector for the Office for Nuclear Regulation, United Kingdom, Annemiek van Bolhuis, Chair of the Board for The Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, The Netherlands, and Marta Ziakova, Chair of the Slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Slovak Republic.
On the margins of the RIC, the NEA delegation met with high-level officials to discuss the developments, challenges, and emerging issues for international regulators, including Chair Hanson and Commissioners and senior staff of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and senior regulatory leaders from Czechia, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.
Throughout the mission, the NEA reaffirmed its commitment to advancing global conversations on human aspects of nuclear energy to help its member countries develop and maintain high safety standards, whilst also building trust and transparency within communities in regards to ongoing and new nuclear projects.
Related materials below.
Download the WISARD project flyer
Download the report The Mutual Impact of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies and License Holders from a Safety Culture Perspective (2024)
Download the report Practices for Enhancing Leadership for Safety in Nuclear Regulatory Bodies (2024)
