IAEA Press Room

31 January 2012, Tokyo, Japan – A team of international nuclear safety experts today completed a review of Japan’s two-stage process for assessing nuclear safety at the nation’s nuclear power plants.  The team began its work on 23 January and delivered a preliminary summary report to Japanese officials today and plans to finish the final report by the end of February.

National safety assessments and their peer review by the IAEA are a key component of the IAEA’s Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was approved by the agency’s 152 Member States following last year’s nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. At the request of the Government of Japan, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a 10-person team to review the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency’s (NISA) approach to the Comprehensive Assessments for the Safety of Existing Power Reactor Facilities and how NISA examines the results submitted by nuclear operators.

The IAEA safety review mission consisted of five IAEA and three international nuclear safety experts. To help its review, the team held meetings in Tokyo with officials from NISA, the Japanese Nuclear Energy Safety (JNES) Organization, and the Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), and the team visited the Ohi Nuclear Power Station to see an example of how Japan’s Comprehensive Safety Assessment is being implemented by nuclear operators.

“We concluded that NISA’s instructions to power plants and its review process for the Comprehensive Safety Assessments are generally consistent with IAEA Safety Standards,” said team leader James Lyons, director of the IAEA’s Nuclear Installation Safety Division.

In its preliminary summary report delivered today, the team highlighted a number of good practices and identified some improvements that would enhance the overall effectiveness of the Comprehensive Safety Assessment process.

Good practices identified by the mission team include:

• Based on NISA instructions and commitments of the utilities, emergency safety measures were promptly addressed in Japanese NPPs following the accident on March 11, 2011;
• NISA’s practice of conducting an independent walkdown of emergency measures implemented at nuclear power plants enhances confidence that plants and operators can respond effectively during an emergency; and
• By observing European stress tests, NISA is demonstrating its commitment to improving Japanese nuclear safety by gaining experience from other countries.

 Improvements that would enhance the overall effectiveness of the Comprehensive Safety Assessment process include:

•  Although NISA has demonstrated a notable level of transparency and interested party consultation related to the Comprehensive Safety Assessment and its review process, NISA should conduct additional meetings with interested parties near nuclear facilities that are subject to Comprehensive Safety Assessment;
• NISA should use the experience it gains from the first few reviews to clarify its guidance for how nuclear power plants should conduct their Comprehensive Safety Assessments and for how NISA should review those assessments;
• In the Secondary Assessment, there are areas that NISA could address more thoroughly, such as seismic safety margins and severe accident management; and 
• NISA should ensure that the Secondary Assessments are completed, evaluated and confirmed by regulatory review within an appropriate timeframe;

“We enjoyed excellent cooperation from our Japanese counterparts during this mission,” Lyons said. “I encourage all nations to implement the IAEA Action Plan to improve global nuclear safety.”

Press Contacts
Greg Webb
IAEA Press and Public Information Officer (in Japan through 31 January 2012)
Email:  g.webb@iaea.org

Phone: +43-699-165-22047
Media and Outreach Section
Division of Public Information
Tel: [43-1] 2600 21273
Fax: [43-1] 2600 29610
E-mail: press@iaea.org
Website: www.iaea.org

30 January 2012 - A number of media reports have incorrectly quoted Director General Yukiya Amano as saying the IAEA will establish an office in Fukushima at the request of Japan.

These reports are based on a misquotation of remarks by the Director General, who at no point stated that the IAEA would open a new office.

 The IAEA is giving careful consideration to a request from Japan to open an office in Fukushima, but nothing has been decided yet. The IAEA will consult as necessary on this matter.

The latest IAEA status report to the public on the current status of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is now available online.

25 January 2012 | The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is hosting an annual workshop for nations considering and planning nuclear power programs. The workshop, meeting on 24-27 January in the Vienna International Centre, is intended to create an opportunity for exchanging information on managing the development of a sustainable national infrastructure for nuclear power plants.

The workshop sessions are closed to the media, but the IAEA will offer a press briefing on the final day, Friday 27 January, at 14:30 in Room MOE75 of the VIC.

Speakers will include the meeting’s two co-chairs, William Rasin of the USA and Ramon Mendez of Uruguay. In addition, Shawkat Akbar, from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, and UAE Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi, will also be available.

Background

Embarking upon a nuclear power programme is a major undertaking for any nation, and the IAEA advises nations to follow a comprehensive Milestones approach, integrating all aspects of their government, industry and educational institutions.

The IAEA supports nuclear newcomers by providing standards, guidance, reviews and assessments, missions, and specific assistance, all at the request of the newcomer nation.

For additional information:

• IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Group
• IAEA Milestones [pdf]
• Assistance and Review Services
• Developing Infrastructure for New Nuclear Power Programmes [pdf]

Accreditation

Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at UNIS Vienna

All others must seek accreditation by contacting the IAEA Press Office; tel: [43-1] 2600-21279 or [43-1] 2600-21273).

Press Enquiries

Giovanni Verlini (Mr)
Division of Public Information
[43-1] 2600-21271
press@iaea.org

A senior IAEA team will visit Iran from 29 to 31 January 2012. The overall objective of the IAEA is to resolve all outstanding substantive issues.

The team of experts will be led by the Deputy Director General for Safeguards, Herman Nackaerts, and will include the Assistant Director General for Policy, Rafael Grossi.

“The Agency team is going to Iran in a constructive spirit, and we trust that Iran will work with us in that same spirit,” IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said.

Team Members of the IAEA International Complementary Safety Assessment Review Mission (Japan)

23-31 January 2012

Team Leader

James Lyons, IAEA, Director of Nuclear Installation Safety Division

Team Experts

Gary Booth, UK, Office for Nuclear Regulation

Charles Casto, Director of Site Operations – Japan, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Ovidiu Coman, IAEA

David Graves, IAEA

Nesimi Kilic, IAEA

Jozef Misak, Czech Republic, Nuclear Research Institute (Rez)

Javier Yllera, IAEA

Remarks by Director General Yukiya Amano

At

New Year’s Reception

Vienna

19 January 2012

Dear friends and colleagues,

Thank you for joining me for this New Year reception. Happy New Year to you all!

The nuclear world has undergone some dramatic changes since my last New Year reception in 2011. The Fukushima Daiichi accident in March had a significant impact on the Agency’s work and we will be dealing with its consequences for years to come.

I believe that, overall, the Agency responded well to this unprecedented crisis. I am proud of our dedicated staff. In addition to the immediate support which we provided to Japan, I convened a Ministerial Conference on nuclear safety in June. This resulted, several months later, in agreement by Member States on a comprehensive Nuclear Safety Action Plan.

The Secretariat is working energetically on implementation of the Action Plan, as are many Member States. I will report to you on progress in the course of this year.

The Agency intends to play its part in restoring confidence in the safety of nuclear power by helping to ensure that nuclear safety is more robust after Fukushima than before.  

The Fukushima Daiichi accident significantly altered the outlook for nuclear power. Global use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, but at a slower rate than we had previously projected. Assistance to newcomers, especially those which are most advanced on the road to having operational reactors, will remain a high-priority issue.

Helping to make nuclear power available to all countries which wish to add it to their energy mix, so they can use it safely, efficiently and profitably, is an important part of the Agency’s mandate.

Work will continue on establishing the IAEA LEU bank.

Nuclear security remains a high priority issue for the Agency. The Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul in March will provide a good opportunity for heads of state to discuss this issue.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

When I took office two years ago, I pledged my unwavering commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and stressed that all safeguards agreements and other relevant obligations must be implemented in full. I continue to pursue this goal vigorously. I am pleased with the steady rise in the number of additional protocols in force in the past two years and I hope this positive trend will continue. I also hope that the few remaining countries without comprehensive safeguards agreements in force will rectify this situation soon.

My key priority in 2012 will be to try to make progress towards restoring international confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. This is the most important of the major safeguards issues on our agenda. A senior team from the Agency, led by Deputy Director General for Safeguards Herman Nackaerts, will visit Iran towards the end of this month. I am fully committed to working constructively with Iran and I trust that Iran will approach our forthcoming discussions in an equally constructive spirit.

I will continue to engage with Syria and follow up on its pledge to cooperate with the Agency on safeguards implementation issues. I also hope that political developments will make it possible for the Agency to resume its verification activities in the DPRK. Our safeguards team is ready to go back into action in the DPRK at short notice.

Last year, after more than a decade of efforts, we held a Forum on the possible introduction of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, which proved to be more constructive than many had expected. I hope that progress will be made in this area in the coming years. The Agency is ready to play its part.

Last year, we also significantly strengthened the Agency’s safeguards analytical abilities with the opening – on schedule and within budget – of the new Clean Laboratory Extension. I trust that funding for the new Nuclear Material Laboratory will be forthcoming so that tangible progress can be made on this vital project this year.

Strengthening our technical cooperation programme has been a high priority for me since I took up office and will remain so in the coming years. Coordination between our TC Department and Nuclear Applications Department has improved, to the great benefit of Member States.

Our focus on cancer in 2010, and on water last year, proved effective in strengthening our work in the nuclear applications area. I plan to pay special attention this year to nuclear techniques related to food, which will be the focus of the Scientific Forum in September.

My experiences during my travels of just how much the Agency’s assistance matters to the thousands of people who benefit from our food, water or health projects have left a lasting impression on me. Making the benefits of peaceful nuclear technology available to developing countries will remain high on the Agency’s agenda.   

Ladies and Gentlemen,

When I took office two years ago, I stressed the need for efficient and effective management and optimum use of the resources which you have made available to the Agency.  It is now clear that we need to be prepared for a long period of economic constraint in Member States. We must demonstrate continuously that we really are prioritising effectively and working with maximum efficiency.

Nevertheless, demands for the Agency’s services in all areas continue to increase. I count on you to ensure that we have the resources we need to do the job you expect of us. I pledge, in turn, to use the resources which you provide efficiently and effectively and to the maximum benefit of Member States.

Last year, we successfully launched the first phase of AIPS, which will, in time, greatly improve transparency and accountability. We also began the introduction of IPSAS accounting standards. Roll-out of both projects will continue this year.

I would like to introduce to you our new Deputy Director General for management, Janice Dunn Lee. With her arrival, we now have a completely new team of DDsG.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the start of my term of office, I summarized my key objective as implementing the “Atoms for Peace” goals of our founding fathers in a 21^st century context. In my view, the Agency is first and foremost a technical organization, although its activities have political implications. I will continue to work in the coming years, under the guidance of the Board of Governors, on implementing the agenda which I outlined to you two years ago.  

We can all take legitimate pride in our collective achievements in recent years. But the Agency continues to face many challenges and we must produce tangible deliverables. I have every confidence that, together, we will meet those challenges.

I thank you again for your guidance and support. I wish you every success in the coming year and I look forward to working with you all to help make the world safer, more secure and more prosperous.

Thank you.

An IAEA expert mission will conduct a visit to Japan next week to assist the nation’s development of a comprehensive assessment of the safety of existing nuclear power plants.

Arranged at the request of the Japanese government, the IAEA International Complementary Safety Assessment Review Mission will conduct its visit from 23 to 31 January. The team will hold meetings with Japanese officials in Tokyo and conduct a site visit to the Ohi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture. The 10-member team will consist of IAEA nuclear experts and international specialists.

“I appreciate the invitation from the government of Japan to conduct this important safety mission and I look forward to our interactions with our Japanese counterparts,” said IAEA team leader James Lyons, Director of the IAEA’s Nuclear Installation Safety Division.

Japan’s request for the mission follows the approval of the Nuclear Safety Action Plan by all IAEA Member States in September 2011. The Action Plan defines a programme of work to strengthen the global nuclear safety framework, and it calls for nations to promptly undertake a national assessment of the design of nuclear power plants against extreme natural hazards and to implement corrective actions as needed.

Japan’s nuclear regulator, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, has prepared an approach to assessing nuclear power plant safety and the IAEA mission will review that approach and provide findings and recommendations to NISA.

Press Contact
IAEA Division of Public Information
43-1-2600-21273
press@iaea.org

16 December 2011 | Vienna, Austria - IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano issued this statement today:

The IAEA welcomes the announcement by the Government of Japan that the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have achieved a “cold shutdown condition” and are in a stable state, and that the release of radioactive materials is under control.

Overall TEPCO and the Japanese government have made significant progress and have completed the second step of the TEPCO’s roadmap by the end of the year as they had planned.

The IAEA is continuing to monitor the status of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the radiological situation in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11. The IAEA receives information updates from a variety of official Japanese sources, through the national competent authorities. The Agency continues to stand ready to provide necessary assistance to Japan as requested.

Press Contacts

IAEA Press Office
[43] 1 2600 21273
press@iaea.org

IAEA Concludes Peer Review of UAE’s Regulatory Framework

14 December 2011 | Abu Dhabi, UAE - A team of international nuclear safety experts today completed a 10-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the regulatory framework for nuclear safety and radiation protection in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, which was conducted at the request of the UAE, noted good practices in the UAE system and also made recommendations and suggestions for the nation’s nuclear regulatory authority, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).

Read the rest

Speech at World Policy Conference

Plenary Session 3: Major Catastrophes and Global Governance

Vienna, 9 December 2011

Yukiya Amano

Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency

[PLEASE NOTE: DG Amano did not read these remarks verbatim, but used them as the basis for his talk.  Journalists may quote from this document with an attribution such as "according to a written text of his remarks..."]

Mr Chairman,

It is a pleasure for me to address this World Policy Conference.

As you know, the International Atomic Energy Agency has been very active in the past nine months in addressing the very serious accident that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In this session on Major Catastrophes and Global Governance, I will therefore focus in my brief remarks on the accident and its aftermath, as well as the lessons learned.

Read the rest

2 December 2011 | Brugg, Switzerland – A team of international nuclear safety experts today completed a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the regulatory framework for nuclear safety in Switzerland.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission noted good practices in the Swiss system and also made recommendations for the nation’s nuclear regulatory authority, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI).

 ”Our team developed a good impression of the independent Swiss regulator - ENSI - and the team considered that ENSI deserves particular credit for its actions to improve Swiss safety capability following this year’s nuclear accident in Japan,” said IRRS Team Leader Jean-Christophe Niel of France.

The mission’s scope covered the Swiss nuclear regulatory framework for all types of nuclear-related activities regulated by ENSI. The mission was conducted from 20 November to 2 December, mainly at ENSI headquarters in Brugg. The team held extensive discussions with ENSI staff and visited many Swiss nuclear facilities.

Read the rest

Cattenom, France – An international team of nuclear installation safety experts led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reviewed operational safety at France’s Cattenom Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) noting a series of good practices as well as recommendations and suggestions to reinforce them.

The IAEA assembled an international team of experts at the request of the Government of France to conduct an Operational Safety Review (OSART) of Cattenom NPP. Under the leadership of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Installation Safety in Vienna, the OSART team performed an in-depth operational safety review of the plant from 14 November to 1 December 2011. The team was made up of experts from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the IAEA.

The team at Cattenom conducted an in-depth review of the aspects essential to the safe operation of the NPP, which is largely under the control of the site management. The conclusions of the review are based on the IAEA’s Safety Standards.

Read the rest

DG Amano Statement to Middle East Forum, 21 Nov. 11

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has taken us 11 years to get to this point, but I am very pleased to welcome you, finally, to this IAEA Forum on Experience of Possible Relevance to the Creation of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Middle East.

Each of the five nuclear-weapon-free zones already in existence today, covering a total of 113 countries, has its own special characteristics, but they also have many important elements in common.

All nuclear-weapon-free zones prohibit the development, stationing or testing of nuclear weapons in their respective regions. They all cover large inhabited areas. They provide for IAEA verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material. They have brought real security benefits, both regionally and to the whole world. I have long been convinced that nuclear-weapon-free zones are a highly relevant and effective means of non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament.

Read the rest

The IAEA has received information from the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) that the source of the iodine-131 (I-131) detected in Europe was most probably a release to the atmosphere from the Institute of Isotopes Ltd., Budapest. The Institute of Isotopes Ltd. produces radioisotopes for healthcare, research and industrial applications. According to the HAEA, the release occurred from September 8 to November 16, 2011. The cause of the release is under investigation.

 As previously mentioned, the levels of I-131 that have been detected in Europe are extremely low. There is no health concern to the population. If any member of the public were to breathe iodine for a whole year at the levels measured in European countries, then they would receive a dose in the range of 0.01 microsieverts for the year. To put this into perspective, the average annual background is 2400 microsieverts per year.

 The IAEA was first notified of the presence of trace levels of I-131 by authorities from the Czech Republic on 11 November. Since this notification, the IAEA contacted several member states throughout the region to determine the cause and origin. The IAEA also worked with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to conduct air dispersion modelling, as part of efforts to determine the source.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT TO THE

BOARD OF GOVERNORS 

Vienna

17 November 2011 

Yukiya Amano, Director General

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Mr Chairman,

You have before you the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Programme for 2012-2013, as conveyed by the TACC to the Board. This is the first TC programme which we have presented since the alignment of the Technical Cooperation Fund and Regular Budget cycles. This alignment was implemented in order to strengthen our internal programmatic planning capacity, and to ensure that resources are directed as efficiently as possible to meet the needs of Member States.

Read the rest

Sydney, Australia – Nuclear and radiation safety experts today concluded an eight-day mission to review the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the country’s nuclear regulator. At the request of the Australian Government, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assembled a peer-review team of five regulatory experts from as many nations and three IAEA staff members to conduct a follow-up assessment of an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted in 2007.

This follow-up IRRS mission examined ARPANSA’s progress in acting upon the recommendations and suggestions made during the 2007 IRRS mission and reviewed the areas of significant regulatory changes since that review. Both reviews covered safety regulatory aspects of all facilities and activities regulated by ARPANSA.

IRRS team leader Kaare Ulbak, Chief Advisor of Denmark’s National Institute of Radiation Protection, said: “ARPANSA should be commended for the significant amount of efforts in addressing all the findings identified in the 2007 mission and for inviting this follow-up review.”

Read the rest

15 November 2011 | Vienna, Austria - A team of international experts today completed their assessment of the strategy and plans being considered by the Japanese authorities to remediate the areas off-site TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Their final report, delivered to the Japanese authorities, is available here: Final Report

“A lot of good work, done at all levels, is ongoing in Japan in the area of environmental remediation,” said Juan Carlos Lentijo, Team Leader and General Director for Radiation Protection at Spain’s nuclear regulatory authority.

In the report, Japan is encouraged to continue its remediation efforts, taking into account the advice provided by the Mission.

Read the rest

11 November 2011 | Vienna, Austria - The IAEA has received information from the State Office for Nuclear Safety of the Czech Republic that very low levels of iodine-131 have been measured in the atmosphere over the Czech Republic in recent days.

The IAEA has learned about similar measurements in other locations across Europe.

The IAEA believes the current trace levels of iodine-131 that have been measured do not pose a public health risk and are not caused by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan.

Iodine-131 is a short-lived radioisotope that has a radioactive decay half-life of about eight days.

The IAEA is working with its counterparts to determine the cause and origin of the iodine-131.

The IAEA will provide further information via its website as it becomes available.

Press Enquiries

Press Office
Division of Public Information
[43-1] 2600-21273
press@iaea.org

UPDATED: Preliminary Mission Report (click to download)

14 October 2011 | Tokyo, Japan - A team of international experts today completed a preliminary assessment of the strategy and plans being considered by the Japanese authorities to remediate the areas off-site the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant reported to have elevated levels of radiation.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) dispatched the mission to Japan on 7 October following a request from the country’s Government. The mission, comprising 12 international and IAEA experts from several countries, visited numerous locations in the Fukushima Prefecture and conducted meetings in Tokyo and Fukushima with Japanese officials from several Ministries and institutions.

“The meetings held and visits made by the team over the last eight days gave us a first-hand appreciation of the extraordinary efforts and dedication on the part of Japanese people in their effort to remediate the areas affected by elevated levels of radiation in the Fukushima Prefecture,” says Mr. Juan Carlos Lentijo, Team Leader and General Director for Radiation Protection at Spain’s nuclear regulatory authority. “As Japan continues its current remediation efforts, it is our belief that this work will bring relief to the populations who are affected by the consequences of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.”

In a preliminary summary report delivered to Japanese authorities today, the team prepared a set of conclusions including, though not limited to, the following:

• Japan developed an efficient program for remediation - allocating the necessary legal, financial and technological resources to bring relief to the people affected by the accident, with priority being given to children. The Team was impressed with the strong commitment to the remediation effort from all institutions and parties involved, including the public;
• Japan has also taken practical measures to inform the public and involve residents and local institutions in the process of defining its remediation strategy;
• Japan is advised to avoid classifying removed materials that do not warrant special radiation protection measures as “radioactive waste”;
• Japan is advised to consider explaining to the public the importance of focusing on radiation doses that may actually be received by people rather than on data indicating contamination levels; and
• Japan is encouraged to continue its remediation efforts. In doing so, Japan is encouraged to take into account the advice provided by the Mission. The IAEA stands ready to support Japan as it considers new and appropriate criteria for such activities.

The authorities and local residents in Japan fully assisted the IAEA international team in its endeavor to conclude its mission successfully.

“The team also appreciates the openness with which our discussions were conducted and the high level of cooperation and access we were granted by Japan,” says Mr. Lentijo. “This was an invaluable opportunity for us to learn from this important decontamination initiative. We would like to continue our support to Japan in this very challenging task. We look forward to sharing our findings with the international community.”

The final report of the mission will be presented to the Government of Japan in the next month.

Background

The accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant has led to elevated levels of radiation over large areas. The Government of Japan has been formulating a strategy and plans to implement countermeasures to remediate these areas.

The IAEA organized an International Fact Finding Expert Mission Of The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Following The Great East Japan Earthquake And Tsunami, which took place between 24 May and 2 June 2011.

The mission concluded today is a follow-up to the fact-finding mission held earlier in the year and an essential component of the IAEA’s Nuclear Safety Action Plan, approved by the IAEA Board of Governors on 13 September and endorsed by all 151 Member States at the recent IAEA General Conference in September 2011. The Action Plan defines a programme of work to strengthen the global nuclear safety framework.

The international expert mission to Japan on environmental remediation was held between 7 and 15 October 2011.

Press Contacts

Giovanni Verlini, Press Officer Tokyo, Japan (NB: until morning of 15 October, only)
Division of Public Information, IAEA
mobile [43] 0 699 165 21271
g.verlini@iaea.org

IAEA Press Office
[43] 1 2600 21273
press@iaea.org

13 October 2011 - Officials from an IAEA international expert mission visiting Japan will hold a briefing for journalists to discuss their mission’s preliminary findings. The mission arrived in Japan on 7 October to help the country develop its environmental remediation plans following the 11 March earthquake and tsunami that damaged TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

The briefing, expected to last one hour, will begin at 18:00 local Japan time on Friday, 14 October 2011, at the Foreign Press Center/Japan - 6F Nippon Press Center Building, 2-2-1, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Accreditation is not required.

• The briefing will be conducted in English with Japanese consecutive interpretation provided; and
• Please note that there is no car park available at the Press Center.

About Foreign Press Center/Japan (FPCJ)
How to Get There

Background
Update on IAEA International Remediation Expert Mission in Japan [11 October]
IAEA International Remediation Expert Mission Arrives in Japan [7 October]
IAEA International Remediation Expert Mission Departs for Japan [6 October]

Photos
IAEA Remediation Expert Mission
IAEA Remediation Expert Mission at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant 

Contact in Japan:
Giovanni Verlini
g.verlini@iaea.org
m: +4369916521271 

11 October 2011|An IAEA international expert mission is visiting Japan to help the country develop its remediation plans, following the nuclear accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

The mission, requested by the Japanese Government, comprises 12 international and IAEA experts who will visit Japan until 15 October 2011.

Today, the mission visited the accident site at TEPCO’s Fukushima’s Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The team is led by Juan Carlos Lentijo, General Director for Radiation Protection at Spain’s nuclear regulatory authority.

Photos

Download

7 October 2011- The International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Commission will celebrate 30 years of cooperation on the control of nuclear materials in a ceremony on Thursday, 13 October at IAEA headquarters in the Vienna International Center (VIC).

The ceremony will feature IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts and Thomas Fanghaenel, Director, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The ceremony will be held on the ground floor of the M Building in the VIC, at 17:30.

The European Commission Support Programme started in 1981 and was among the first programmes of its kind, strengthening the IAEA Department of Safeguards by providing specific services and development work. In particular, support to the Agency’s nuclear verification work has included significant contributions to equipment development, information analysis, environmental sample analysis and the supply of reference materials.

As the in-house science service of the European Commission, the JRC provides scientific and technical support to this work with over 100 scientists and technicians working on more than 25 projects. It facilitates the transfer of technology and expertise, including training, to the Department of Safeguards of the IAEA, thus contributing to the enhancement of international safeguards by improving their effectiveness and efficiency.

Further Information:

Activities of the Joint Research Centre
IAEA Safeguards

Press Enquiries

Gabriele Tamborini
European Commission - Joint Research Centre
49 7247 951275
gabriele.tamborini@ec.europa.eu

IAEA Press Office
Division of Public Information
[43-1] 2600-21273
press@iaea.org

Juan Carlos Lentijo (Team Leader)                 Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (Spain)

Tero Varjoranta (Deputy Team Leader)          IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy

Mikhail Balonov                                             University of St. Petersburg (Russia)

Gerd Dercon                                                   U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization

Zoran Drace                                                    IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy

Igor Gusev                                                      IAEA Department of Nuclear Safety

Ralf Kaiser                                                      IAEA Department of Nuclear Applications

Horst Monken Fernandez                               IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy

Gerhard Proehl                                                IAEA Department of Nuclear Safety

Shoichiro Sakaguchi                                       IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy

Susanta Samanta                                             IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy

Giovanni Verlini                                               IAEA Division of Public Information

An IAEA safeguards inspector was involved in a contamination incident yesterday afternoon at the Belgoprocess nuclear waste processing facility in Dessel, Belgium.

The inspector, accompanied by a EURATOM inspector and a Belgoprocess official, was conducting a routine inspection at the facility when the incident occurred. The three individuals evacuated the area and have undergone external decontamination procedures and medical checks.  They are now being assessed to determine the level of their radiation exposure.

Belgian authorities have reported that the incident area has been sealed off and no radioactivity has been released to the environment.  Decontamination of the facility is expected to begin soon. 

The IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre is in contact with Belgian officials to collect information about the exposure to radiation, the nuclear material involved and other details.

4 October 2011 - Ljubljana, Slovenia — An international team of senior nuclear safety experts today concluded a 10-day mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Slovenia.

The team identified good practices and gave advice on areas for future improvements. The IAEA has conveyed the team’s main conclusions to the Government of Slovenia and final report will be submitted by the end of 2011.

At the request of the Slovenian Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 10 senior regulatory experts from nine nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission involving the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA). The mission is a peer review based on the IAEA Safety Standards.

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4 October 2011 | Vienna - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will dispatch an international expert mission to Japan to assist the country in its planning to remediate the areas off-site from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Following a request by the Government of Japan, the mission, comprising 12 international and IAEA experts from several countries, will visit Japan between 7 and 15 October 2011 under the leadership of Mr. Juan Carlos Lentijo, General Director for Radiation Protection at Spain’s nuclear regulatory authority. The team will go to several locations in the Fukushima Prefecture and conduct meetings in Tokyo with Japanese officials to:

  i) Provide assistance to Japan in its plans to manage remediation efforts;
  ii) Review the country’s remediation strategies, plans and work; and
  iii) Share its findings with the international community.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency is setting up a Nuclear Safety Action Team to oversee prompt implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety and ensure proper coordination among all stakeholders.

The 12-point Action Plan, drawn up in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, was approved by the Agency’s Board of Governors on 13 September and endorsed by all 151 Member States at its General Conference last week.

The team will work within the Agency’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, headed by Deputy Director General Denis Flory, and will coordinate closely with the Director General’s Office for Policy.   

 ”The Action Plan requires immediate follow-up,” Director General Yukiya Amano said. “This compact, dedicated team will assist Deputy Director General Flory in implementing the measures agreed in the Action Plan.”

Gustavo Caruso, Head of the Regulatory Activities Section in the IAEA’s Division of Installation Safety, has been designated as the team’s Special Coordinator for the Implementation of the Action Plan.

The IAEA has already started implementing its responsibilities under the Action Plan, including development of an IAEA methodology for stress tests for nuclear power plants. The methodology will be ready in October.

STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR GENERAL YUKIYA AMANO TO BOARD OF GOVERNORS

26 SEPTEMBER 2011 

Thank you, Mr Chairman,

One of the purposes of this Board meeting is to consider matters arising from the 55^th regular session of the IAEA General Conference.

The IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was endorsed by the General Conference, requires immediate follow-up. I therefore wish to inform you that I am establishing a Nuclear Safety Action Team in the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security.

This team will oversee prompt implementation of the Action Plan and ensure proper coordination among all stakeholders.

I have designated Mr Gustavo Caruso, Head of the Regulatory Activities Section in the Division of Installation Safety, as Special Coordinator for the Implementation of the Action Plan.

He will lead a compact, dedicated team which will assist Deputy Director General Denis Flory in implementing the measures agreed in the Action Plan. My Senior Strategy Officer in the Director General’s Office for Policy will work closely with this team.

We have already started to implement our responsibilities under the Action Plan. To take just one example, an IAEA methodology for stress tests for nuclear power plants will be ready in October.

The Action Plan was communicated immediately after its endorsement by the General Conference to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, as he was chairing last week’s High-Level Meeting in New York.

I am grateful for the Secretary-General’s strong interest in nuclear safety and, in particular, for his call for the capacity of the IAEA to be strengthened with regard to nuclear safety.

Mr Chairman,

As you will recall, an enhanced programme of peer reviews of operational safety, regulatory effectiveness and emergency response capabilities is a key element of the Action Plan. 

I am pleased that some member States have already requested IAEA peer review missions, or expressed their intention to do so, as I learned during my consultations with Member States last week.

At the request of Japan, for example, I am preparing to dispatch a mission whose mandate will include assisting with plans for the remediation of large areas contaminated as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

Meeting new and expanding demands for assistance from Member States in nuclear safety, as well as in other areas, will require an increase in the Agency’s resources. I encourage all countries in a position to do so to make additional resources available to the Agency.

Mr Chairman,

In implementing the Action Plan, we will remain focussed on the ultimate goal, which is to bring about a significant improvement in nuclear safety throughout the world.

I will update you on initial progress in implementation at the November Board. In the meantime, I count on all other stakeholders – especially governments, regulatory bodies and operators – to take a proactive approach to fulfilling their responsibilities under the Action Plan.

Finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to thank you for your highly effective work in steering the deliberations of the Board of Governors for the last 12 months and to wish you every success in future.

The following comment may be attributed to IAEA Spokesperson Gill Tudor:

 ”We can confirm that there is yellowcake stored in drums at a site near Sabha in central Libya, which Libya previously declared to the IAEA. The IAEA has tentatively scheduled safeguards activities at this location once the situation in the country stabilises.”

 Background note:

 The term ’safeguards’ refers only to issues of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons — they are technical measures by which the IAEA Secretariat independently verifies the correctness and the completeness of the declarations made by States about their nuclear material and activities. This is different from the physical protection of the same material, commonly referred to as nuclear security, which is and remains a national responsibility. 

Statement by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano

The IAEA’s 151 Member States have today endorsed the Agency’s Action Plan on Nuclear Safety.

This Action Plan – the product of intensive consultations with Member States – is both a rallying point and a blueprint for strengthening nuclear safety worldwide.

It contains concrete and achievable actions to make nuclear safety post-Fukushima more robust and effective than before.

At its core is greater transparency. If there is more transparency, there is more incentive to implement all the actions in the Plan, and to be seen to do so.

We count on Member States to implement the Action Plan fully and vigorously. It will need their sustained commitment and full involvement.

I am confident that the UN High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security, which is taking place in New York today, will continue to build on the foundations laid here in Vienna.

We must not lose our sense of urgency. Public expectations are very high.

This is an Action Plan. It is time for action.

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OPENING REMARKS AT

2011 SCIENTIFIC FORUM

WATER MATTERS – Making A Difference with Nuclear Techniques 

Vienna

20 September 2011

Yukiya Amano

Director General  

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY 

Distinguished Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to welcome you to the 2011 IAEA Scientific Forum, which is devoted to the issue of nuclear techniques related to water. It is a special pleasure for me to be joined by such a distinguished panel in the opening session: Secretary Chu, Mr Banerjee and Vice Minister Bourrouet Vargas. I know you will be anxious to hear what these very knowledgeable speakers have to say, so I will be brief.

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STATEMENT TO THE FIFTY-FIFTH REGULAR SESSION OF THE IAEA GENERAL CONFERENCE 2011

Vienna 

19 September 2011

YUKIYA AMANO

Director General

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Mr President,

Since the last General Conference, the most important single item on the IAEA agenda has been the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. This caused deep public anxiety throughout the world and damaged confidence in nuclear power. I will therefore begin my statement by reporting to you in some detail about the aftermath of the accident and the current situation at the plant.

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The IAEA Board of Governors has approved the Agency’s Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. The full text of the plan can be found at  http://www.iaea.org/About/Policy/GC/GC55/Documents/gc55-14.pdf.

Based on information received from the emergency centre of the Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN), the IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) can confirm an explosion at the Centraco nuclear installation located in Codolet near the Marcoule site. ASN has confirmed that one worker died and that four others have sustained injuries, one of whom suffered deep burns. ASN reported that there is no radioactive contamination of the injured workers.

The explosion occurred in a furnace used for the treatment of low level radioactive waste. According to ASN, the main radionuclide present in the waste materials in the oven is cobalt-60.

ASN has confirmed that there has not been any release of radioactivity from the site and that there is no prospect of any release. According to ASN, the incident has ended. The cause of the explosion is currently unknown and is under investigation. A statement has been posted on the ASN website (www.asn.fr).

The IEC remains in contact with the French authorities.

The following comment may be attributed to IAEA Spokesperson Gill Tudor:

“The IAEA is aware of an incident at the Marcoule facility in France, and its Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) has been activated. The IEC is in touch with the French authorities to seek further information.”

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT TO THE

BOARD OF GOVERNORS 

Vienna

12 September 2011 

 Yukiya Amano

Director General 

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Mr Chairman,

I would like to begin by updating the Board on the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The situation at the site remained very serious for many months. The Agency’s assessment now is that the reactors are essentially stable and the expectation is that the “cold shutdown” of all the reactors will be achieved as planned. The plant operator and the Japanese authorities have been working hard to regain full control of the situation and have made steady progress in the past six months. I saw for myself just how powerful and destructive nature can be when I visited the Fukushima Daiichi plant in July. But I was also deeply impressed by the courage and dedication of the engineers and workers at the site. The IAEA will continue to provide every possible assistance to Japan as it restores control over the Fukushima Daiichi plant and tackles the challenging work of decontamination and remediation. Continuing full transparency on Japan’s part will also be important.

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11 September 2011 | Stuttgart - Nuclear safety experts yesterday concluded a seven-day mission to review the German Regulatory System, conducted from 4 to 10 September in Bonn, Stuttgart and Berlin.

At the request of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, the International Atomic Energy Agency assembled a peer-review team of six high-level regulatory experts from six nations (Finland, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, the US and three IAEA senior staff members to conduct a follow-up assessment of an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted in 2008.

This follow-up IRRS mission examined the progress in acting upon the recommendations and suggestions made during the 2008 IRRS mission and reviewed the areas of significant regulatory changes since that review at both the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the Ministry of Environment of the federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg (UM BW).

The first mission reviewed German´s regulatory framework against IAEA Safety Standards and fostered the exchange of information and experience on safety regulation. This is a peer review based on IAEA Standards. It is not an inspection, nor an audit. The scope of the mission was limited to the safety regulation of nuclear power plants.

IRRS team leader Mr McCree, of the US Nuclear Safety Commission (USNRC), said “This was an important IRRS mission, particularly given the recent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident and the related insights which underscore the importance of having an independent, credible nuclear safety regulator.

“The IRRS team identified several strengths of the German nuclear safety regulators, including the prompt and coordinated incident response activities of BMU and UM BW to the Fukushima accident. Some suggestions were also made to further strengthen nuclear safety regulation concerning the future work of BMU,” he said.

The review team found that important progress has been made toward improving its regulatory activities at federal and at state level. The IRRS team observed that this high level clarification of duties has led to improved cooperation between the Federal and Länder regulators, a noteworthy and positive change since the 2008 IRRS mission.

A number of the findings identified in the 2008 report have been effectively addressed and therefore can be considered closed. However, further important steps need to be made to address recommendations and suggestion that are still open.

In addition, the IRRS team noted the following strengths and improvements, examples include:

• The UM BW demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement as evidenced by its responsiveness to the recommendations and suggestions from the 2008 IRRS mission;
• The BMU has implemented a comprehensive IT knowledge management approach to support the activities of the regulatory body and its stakeholders. The availability of this up-to-date online information to all involved parties has contributed to mutual trust and shared understanding among all stakeholders; and 
• The prompt and coordinated incident response activities of the BMU and UM BW to the Fukushima accident are commendable. The environmental radiation monitoring programme and the communication to the public and interested parties were carried out in an exemplary manner.

Gustavo Caruso, the IRRS Team Coordinator said, “Important changes have been made in the German regulatory system which resulted in the redefinition of responsibilities and roles among the federal and the states regulatory bodies and this is also contributing to a better understanding and cooperation among them.”

The mission should lead to increased governmental support for regulatory activities with a consequential strengthening of the nuclear safety regulation in the country.

The IRRS team also made recommendations and suggestions to further strengthen the German regulatory system. Examples include:

• BMU should ensure its ability to carry out work in such manner that its safety related activities are not diverted by other ministerial responsibilities, pressures or constraints;
• The development of regulations and guides should be considered  a key function of BMU;
• BMU should publish “Safety Requirements for Nuclear Power Plant” document in a timely manner to establish a common and harmonized set of safety requirements and criteria for use by the Länder; and
• Additional effort are necessary in the development of the Federal Oversight Manual which provides the basis for the regulatory oversight in Germany.

Jim Lyons, IAEA Director for Nuclear Installations Safety, said, “The IRRS has become an internationally accepted tool for strengthening regulatory activities in IAEA Member States. Germany, in calling for an IRRS Follow up Mission, has demonstrated their openness and transparency in their commitment to continuous improvement”.

The peer review consisted of an analysis of technical regulatory information, interviews, and discussions with key personnel at BMU and UM BW, as well as with regulatory inspectors, high level governmental officials, BMU Parliamentary State Secretary Ms Ursula Heinen-Esser and UM BW Minister Franz Untersteller. Other organisations such as the Reactor Safety Commission (RSK) and the technical support organisation Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) were also involved.

About IRRS Missions
IRRS missions are designed to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the national nuclear regulatory infrastructure of States, whilst recognizing the ultimate responsibility of each State to ensure safety in this area.

This is done through consideration of both regulatory, technical and policy issues, with comparisons against IAEA safety standards and, where appropriate, good practices elsewhere.

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7 September 2011 | The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:30 CET on Monday, 12 September, in Boardroom A of the M-Building, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC).

Director General Yukiya Amano will open the meeting with an introductory statement. His statement will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website the same day. Director General Amano is also expected to hold a press conference during the board’s lunch break on Monday, 12 September, in the Press Room of the M building.

The Director General’s report on the Draft IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety will be discussed.

Board discussions are also expected on the implementation of safeguards in Iran, Syria and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; the Nuclear Security Report 2011; and the application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East.

The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press.

Photo-Op:

There will be a photo opportunity at the beginning of the meeting.

Press Working Area:

The Press Room on the M-Building’s ground floor will be available as press working area starting from 09:00 on 12 September 2011. This area will be dedicated to working press for the duration of the Board of Governors Meeting, with the exception of Wednesday afternoon.

Accreditation:

Journalists with permanent accreditation to the VIC need no further credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at: UNIS Vienna.
All others must seek accreditation by contacting: IAEA Press Office; tel: [43-1] 2600-21279 or [43-1] 2600-21273).

You are required to bring a valid press ID card.

Due to UN security requirements, only satellite trucks are allowed to enter the VIC. Details of satellite trucks (names of crew, affiliations and license plate numbers) must be sent by 17.00 (CET) Friday, 3 June 2011 to Ms. Juanita Perez Vargas; e-mail: Juanita Perez-Vargas; tel.: [43-1] 2600-21279 or 21273.

Follow updates on the IAEA at these sites:
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2 September 2011 | Vienna - The International Atomic Energy Agency is to host a forum among its Member States to consider how the experience of Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zones (NWFZ) in several regions of the world could be relevant to the Middle East.

In a letter to Member States, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano indicates that the Forum on Experience of Possible Relevance to the Creation of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East will be held at the Agency’s Vienna headquarters on 21-22 November, 2011.

Reflecting the consensus of the IAEA’s Member States on the importance of establishing such a zone, it will consider the experience of the five existing NWFZs*.

The main focus of the Forum would be to:

• (i) study the lessons of other regions in terms of the context that prevailed there before a NWFZ was considered;
• (ii) review existing, multilaterally agreed principles for establishing such zones;
• (iii) review the theory and practice of establishing the five existing NWFZs;
• (iv) discuss the experience of representatives from the five NWFZs in setting up and implementing such zones;
• (v) discuss the region of the Middle East in this context.

The gathering follows a request by Member States at the IAEA’s General Conference in 2000 that the Director General convene a forum where participants from the Middle East and other interested parties could learn from the experience of NWFZs in other regions. Agreement on holding such a meeting proved elusive for over a decade, but a letter in March 2011 from Director General Yukiya Amano to Member States of the Middle East region led to consultations indicating that a forum was possible this year.
________________________________________
* Nuclear-weapon-free zones have already been established in Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia. The treaties contain certain variations, but all five cover large inhabited areas and all are designed to ensure the total absence of nuclear weapons from the territories of the States party to them. They also provide for IAEA verification of the non-diversion of nuclear material and for the establishment of regional mechanisms to deal with compliance problems; and contain a protocol providing for the nuclear-weapon States party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to commit themselves not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapon State party to the NWFZ treaty in question.

NWFZs have also been established in certain uninhabited areas - Antarctica, outer space and the sea bed.

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Daejeon, 22 July 2011 | An international team of senior nuclear safety experts concluded today a two-week mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear safety in the Republic of Korea.

The team identified good practices and gave advice on areas for future improvements. The IAEA has conveyed the team´s main conclusions to the Government of Korea, while the final report will be submitted by the end of summer 2011.

At the request of the Korean Government, the IAEA assembled a team of 16 senior regulatory experts from 14 nations to conduct the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission involving the Korean Ministry for Education, Science and Technology (MEST) and the Korean Institute for Nuclear Safety (KINS). The mission is a peer-review based on the IAEA Safety Standards. Read the rest