Slovenia is committed to nuclear safety, says IAEA: Regulation and safety
April 14, 2022
Slovenia is constantly striving to further strengthen its mature framework for nuclear and radiation safety, concluded a group of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission team recommended that the government consider allocating sufficient resources and human resources to the country’s nuclear regulators to ensure their continued independence and effectiveness.
Members of the IRRS mission with representatives of the SNSA and the SNSA (Picture: SNSA)
IRRS missions are designed to enhance the effectiveness of the national regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety, based on IAEA safety standards and international good practices, while recognizing the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety.
Today, the IAEA team completed an 11-day mission to assess the governmental, legal and regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Slovenia. The mission was requested by the Slovenian government. It was hosted by the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA), the nuclear regulatory body, and the SNSA, which regulates radiation safety in medicine and veterinary practice. The team consisted of 17 people and included experts from Brazil, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Pakistan, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as three IAEA staff.
The mission team conducted a series of interviews and interviews with the SNSA and the SNSA, as well as with the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning and the Minister of Health. The group also observed safety inspections at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, the Jožef Stefan Research Institute, the Ljubljana Oncology Institute and the Vrbina Waste Management Facility.
The group identified good practices, including: the SNSA initiative to develop written instructions for licensees on how to participate in successful and effective remote screening in the early stages of a pandemic; the SNSA web portal, which provides the results of on-line dose monitoring and nuclide-specific results from environmental samples to the public; and the establishment of a National Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Protection Strategy, developed in accordance with the IAEA Guidelines on Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The head of the IRRS mission group, Cantemir Ciurea, chairman of the Romanian nuclear safety regulator, said: “The SNSA and the SRPA are experienced regulators in the field of nuclear and radiation safety and have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement.” Ciurea highlighted national emergency drills using cybersecurity scenarios as one of the countries where the country is a leader in nuclear safety, Ciurea added that “such scenarios are at the crossroads of nuclear safety and security and preparation for these emergencies proves mature emergency response framework. “
The group also identified several recommendations and proposals on how the government and regulators could further improve Slovenia’s regulatory system, including: providing sufficient financial and human resources for both the SNSA and the SNSA to meet their obligations; improving coordination between all relevant competent authorities responsible for nuclear, radiation and nuclear safety; development of guidelines for licensees on the use of documents with an application for authorization; improving the training of inspectors to cover the principles, concepts and technological aspects of security inspections and procedures for inspecting facilities and activities; and developing communication strategies and plans to ensure that stakeholders are informed about their work.
The final report on the IRRS mission will be provided by the government in about three months.
“We are committed to implementing all the findings of the mission in the coming years in order to further improve our security framework,” said SNSA Director Igor Sirc.
“This will strengthen nuclear and radiation safety in Slovenia and make the regulatory body more efficient and resistant to external influences,” added the director of the SRPA Damijan Škrk.
Slovenia hosted the first IRRS mission in 2011 and a subsequent mission in 2014.
The IRRS mission to Slovenia will be followed by the IAEA Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel, Decommissioning and Rehabilitation (Artemis), which is expected to take place from 22 to 30 May. and remediation. in the country.
Slovenia has one Krško nuclear power plant, which is co-owned by neighboring Croatia and provides almost 40% of Slovenia’s electricity. Slovenia also has one research reactor and a facility for radioactive waste and uses radiation in industry, research and education.
Researched and wrote World Nuclear News