Nuclear Power Technology Development Section
Why NPTDS exists
The IAEA's Statute includes the following functions:
Article III-A.1:"To encourage and assist research on, and development and practical application of, atomic energy for peaceful uses throughout the world."
Article III-A.3: "To foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on peaceful uses of atomic energy."
Today, global environmental change, and the continuing increase in global energy supply required to provide increasing populations with an improving standard of living, make these functions, first implemented when the Statute came into force in 1957, even more relevant.
Nuclear energy, which has demonstrated excellent technical and economical performance in many countries, can play an important and increasing role in global energy supply.
To meet the competitive challenge in the decades ahead, a new generation of advanced reactor systems is being developed. Current estimates exceed 2 billion USD annually for R&D by the nuclear industry and Governments for both evolutionary and innovative designs. Evolutionary designs require moderate development efforts mainly through modifying proven features while innovative designs call for substantial development efforts as well as pilot or demonstration plants.
NPTDS exists to foster the global realization and sharing of the benefits of the technology advances in nuclear energy by facilitating international information exchange and co-operation. Consistent with the IAEA Statute, NPTDS provides balanced, objective information to all Member States on technology status and development trends for current and future reactor systems and a global forum for experts from Member States to exchange information on technology advances and development needs, and to establish and carry out co-operative research projects.