The following is the text of a speech by Director General Yukiya Amano to the Biennial General Meeting of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) in Moscow today:

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,

When I addressed the last WANO Biennial Meeting in Shenzhen, China, in October 2011, we were still in the direct aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Japan was working hard to stabilise the crippled nuclear reactors.

We have come a long way since then. In Japan, a relatively stable situation has been established at Fukushima Daiichi, although the clean-up and remediation work will take many years. Internationally, many useful lessons have been learned. Effective steps have been taken to make nuclear power plants safer everywhere. There has been much sharing of information and experience.

After more than two years, we are beginning to put the Fukushima Daiichi accident behind us and looking to the future with a stronger commitment than ever to nuclear safety.

Public confidence in the safety of nuclear power was deeply shaken by the accident. I believe we have made good progress towards winning back that confidence. But operators, regulators and governments must maintain their unwavering commitment to safety. They must also continue to demonstrate as much openness and transparency as are compatible with safety and security.

Cooperation between WANO and the IAEA has been significantly strengthened in the past two years. You have played a vital role in ensuring that nuclear operators everywhere learn the necessary lessons from Fukushima Daiichi.

Mr Chairman,

The key focus for the IAEA and our 159 Member States has been implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, which was endorsed by our General Conference in September 2011. I will highlight a few of the main areas in which solid progress has been made.

First, stress tests.

Most IAEA Member States have completed assessments of safety vulnerabilities of nuclear power plants to ensure their ability to withstand extreme natural events. Many countries have developed action plans to implement the findings of the stress tests in order to improve safety in the short, medium and long term.

Second, safety standards.

IAEA safety standards have been subjected to thorough review, particularly the safety requirements applicable to nuclear power plants and spent fuel storage. No deficiencies were identified, but specific areas are nevertheless being strengthened. These include the requirements dealing with prolonged loss of power, identification of potential external hazards, and measures to ensure safety under severe accident conditions.

Third, peer reviews.

The IAEA has expanded its programme of peer reviews of operational safety, emergency preparedness, and regulatory effectiveness, to meet growing demand from Member States, both with and without nuclear power plants. Countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes are especially interested in our Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Missions, known as INIR.

Last year, we carried out eight Emergency Preparedness Review – EPREV – missions. This was the largest number in a single year since this programme began. In addition, the IAEA established the Emergency Preparedness and Response Expert Group (EPREG) to advise on strategies to strengthen international practices for nuclear and radiological emergencies.  We are actively involved in strengthening Member States’ emergency preparedness and response capacities through training events and exercises at the national level.

The Action Plan called on all Member States with nuclear power plants to host at least one IAEA Operational Safety Review – OSART - mission within three years. However, requests for this review service do not appear to have increased and several countries have still not requested an OSART mission. I encourage all countries to make full use of the whole range of IAEA peer reviews.

I also encourage all nuclear power plant operators to undergo international review of their severe accident management programmes and make the results public. Severe accident management has been a stand-alone review area within the OSART peer review service since 2011. It has been evaluated in eight OSART missions so far and some good practices were identified.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Great progress has been made in improving cooperation between WANO and the IAEA since I last spoke to you.

As you know, Mr Stricker and I signed a new Memorandum of Understanding between WANO and the IAEA in September 2012. This has enabled us to work more closely together to support the safe and reliable operation of the world’s nuclear power plants and to enhance information exchange.

WANO and the IAEA are adopting a more coordinated approach to their work in order to help prevent further accidents and to mitigate the consequences if an accident should occur. WANO has established a point of contact for communication with the IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre.

WANO has provided the Agency with the recommendations from all of its Significant Operating Experience Reports as of 5 April 2013. We, for our part, have given WANO broader access to our joint IAEA/NEA web-based International Reporting System database, and to IRS Highlights.

Our two organizations have exchanged information about the schedules of peer reviews and related missions to be conducted in the coming years. We plan to coordinate the timing of our respective review missions in future. This should help to reduce duplication and ease the burden on operators.

WANO representatives are attending meetings of the IAEA International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG) and of the Nuclear Safety Standards Committee. WANO staff have made presentations at several important IAEA meetings, including the post-Fukushima International Experts Meetings.

These improvements address many of the issues which I raised in my last statement to WANO. I believe they are making an important difference to global nuclear safety.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you may recall, the Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety took place in December 2012 in Fukushima Prefecture. The main goal was to contribute to strengthening nuclear safety worldwide.

In their concluding statement, the Co-Presidents stressed that strengthening nuclear safety is a continuous process and that there should be no complacency in safety matters. I know we all agree on that. In fact, I am pleased that I have seen no let-up in the past two years in the sense of urgency of everyone involved in nuclear power about the importance of improving nuclear safety.

The IAEA has begun work on a comprehensive report on the Fukushima Daiichi accident, which will be finalised by the end of 2014. The goal is to produce an authoritative, factual and balanced assessment, with sufficient technical depth to be of real value to experts in the field. The report will address the causes and consequences of the accident, as well as lessons learned. We will draw on the support of regulators, operators and designers, among others.

This IAEA report will be a major undertaking, which will involve well over 100 experts from more than 40 countries. The intention is that it should serve as the key reference document on the accident for years to come. I am grateful for the support of WANO members.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite the Fukushima Daiichi accident, nuclear power will remain a very important part of the world’s energy mix for at least decades to come.

The latest IAEA projections suggest that the total number of nuclear power plants in the world – 436 today – could increase by at least 80 or 90 in the next 20 years. It could even double.

Major users such as China, Russia and India have significant expansion plans. A number of countries have taken the decision to introduce nuclear power, including Bangladesh, Jordan, Nigeria, Poland, Turkey and Vietnam. The United Arab Emirates has started building a nuclear power plant, the first new country to do so for 27 years.

Next month, the IAEA International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century will take place in St Petersburg. I believe it could prove to be a turning point for nuclear power. The emphasis will be on the way forward. The conference will discuss issues such as energy and the environment, the deployment of innovative technology, new models of financing, and developments in radioactive waste management.

The St Petersburg conference will be attended not just by Ministers, but also by high-level representatives of the nuclear industry. It will provide a valuable opportunity to consider nuclear power’s long-term contribution to sustainable development.

It is clear to me that the contribution of nuclear power to development in the coming decades will be significant. I am confident that WANO and the IAEA will continue to work closely together to ensure that the expansion of nuclear power takes place in a way which ensures maximum safety, reliability and efficiency.

I wish you every success with your Biennial General Meeting.

Thank you.

IAEA to Host Experts’ Meeting on Human and Organizational Factors in Nuclear Safety

17 May 2013 | The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will host an International Experts’ Meeting (IEM) on Human and Organizational Factors in Nuclear Safety in the Light of the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant from 21 to 24 May 2013. This is part of a series of expert meetings held in connection with the implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, endorsed by the Agency’s General Conference in September 2011.

The IEM will offer a forum to share knowledge and experience concerning human and organizational aspects of nuclear safety — in particular, the interactions between individuals, technology and organizations — as well as to identify lessons learned and best practices.

The meeting will feature a closing news briefing on 24 May at about 12:00 in Room M3 of Vienna International Centre. The briefing will feature IEM Chairperson, Marta Ziakova, Chairperson of the Slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority, IAEA Deputy Director General for Nuclear Safety and Security Denis Flory, and IAEA Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy Alexander Bychkov.

Among other goals, the IEM aims to:

• Identify ways to strengthen human and organizational aspects of nuclear safety in operating and regulatory organizations;
• Analyse best practices developed from previous nuclear events; and
• Exchange information on the interactions between individuals, technology and organizations and their influence on nuclear safety.

The IEM background, objectives, topics, format and other organizational details are described on the IAEA Website.

Press Access:

In addition to the closing news briefing, the meeting will offer a 10-minute photo opportunity at the start of the opening session on 21 May at 13:00 in Room M3 of the Vienna International Centre.

The remainder of the meeting will be closed to journalists.

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 the IAEA Press Office; tel: [43-1] 2600-21273).

Background on Nuclear Action Safety Plan

The IAEA Nuclear Safety Action Plan defines a programme of work to strengthen the nuclear safety framework worldwide in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. The Plan was unanimously endorsed by Agency’s Member States at the General Conference in September 2011. One of the Plan’s 12 main actions is “Protection of people and the environment from ionizing radiation.”

Reports from 2012 IEMs:

• IAEA Report on Reactor and Spent Fuel Safety in Light of Accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
• IAEA Report on Enhancing Transparency and Communication Effectiveness in Event of a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency
• IAEA Report on Protection Against Extreme Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Light of Accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

The following is a transcript of remarks made on 15 May 2013 by Herman Nackaerts, Deputy Director General for Safeguards, at the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna after the talks with Iranian officials:

“We had intensive discussions today but could not finalize the structured approach document that has been under negotiation for a year and a half now.

“Our commitment to continue dialogue is unwavering. However, we must recognize that our best efforts have not been successful so far.

“Therefore, we will continue to try and complete this process. A date for the next meeting has still to be set.”

The following is a transcript of remarks by Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts to reporters today, ahead of talks at the Iranian Permanent Mission:

“Good morning everybody. 

As we indicated in February, our goal is to finalize the structured approach document. This document is aimed at facilitating the resolution of outstanding issues regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program. 

As you know, differences remain, but we are committed to dialogue and we are determined to solve these issues. So we will be working hard today to resolve the differences. 

 Thank you.”

Warsaw, Poland – International safety experts last week concluded a two-week International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Poland.

In its preliminary report, the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission team found that Poland’s nuclear regulator, Państwowa Agencja Atomistyki (PAA), has a clear commitment to safety, a high level of transparency, competent staff and leadership, and a good recognition of challenges ahead related to Poland’s efforts to develop nuclear power.

“Poland’s regulatory framework and the work of PAA give high confidence of strong radiation protection for the Polish people. Further, there has been significant progress in the development of Poland’s regulatory framework in preparation for the challenge of regulating nuclear power,” said team leader Robert Lewis, a senior executive in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Poland from 15-25 April. The team was made up of 11 regulatory experts from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as five IAEA staff members.

“The IRRS review team was very thorough in its review, and we welcome its advice on how to continue to improve our programmes to protect people and the environment,” said Janusz Włodarski, President of PAA.

The team interviewed members of PAA and officials from various ministries, as well as key players in the Polish safety framework. Such IRRS missions are peer reviews based on IAEA Safety Standards, not inspections or audits.

Among its main observations the IRRS review team identified the following good practices:

•      Applying the considerable experience of PAA’s senior management to regulatory issues;

•      The introduction of changes to Poland’s laws and regulations following broad public consultation at an early stage in the development of the nuclear power programme;  and

•      PAA’s proactive approach to coordination with Poland’s Office of Technical Inspection.

The IRRS team made several recommendations and suggestions for PAA as it grows in the next few years, facing challenges and increasing demands as its nuclear power programme expands. 

To position PAA to address its growth, additional responsibilities, and the retirement of many senior managers, and to maintain its strong focus on safety for currently regulated facilities and activities, the IRRS team advised PAA to:

•       Establish and frequently review that there is a clear link between PAA’s organizational goals and objectives, and resource planning, such as staffing and strategies for external support;

•       Consider strengthening and documenting PAA’s management system; and

•       Develop and strengthen internal guidance to document authorization processes, review, assessment, and inspection procedures. 

In its preliminary report, the IAEA team’s main conclusions have been conveyed to PAA. A final report will be submitted to the Government of Poland in about three months. PAA has informed the team that the final report will be made publicly available. The IAEA encourages nations to invite a follow-up IRRS mission about two years after the mission has been completed.

Background

The team reviewed the legal and regulatory framework for nuclear safety and addressed all facilities regulated by PAA. This was the 46th IRRS mission conducted by the IAEA.

About IRRS Missions

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

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

More information about IRRS missions is available on the IAEA Website.

Media and Outreach Section
Division of Public Information
Tel: [43-1] 2600 21273
E-mail: press@iaea.org
Website: www.iaea.org

Vienna – Government ministers and international experts will discuss the future of nuclear energy at an IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century, to be held 27 – 29 June 2013 in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation.

The conference aims to provide a forum for policy-makers and experts to discuss and take stock of the role and viability of nuclear power in sustainable development, including climate change mitigation, and in meeting the growing global requirements for electricity. The status and prospects of nuclear power for the future, including the importance of nuclear safety and security as necessary prerequisites for nuclear power, will also be in focus, as will different technical aspects involved in the development of nuclear power.

The IAEA’s projections for the future of nuclear power show continued growth globally, albeit at a slower pace than predicted before the March 2011 accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

The meeting, organized by the IAEA in cooperation with the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency and hosted by the Government of the Russian Federation, will feature a plenary session where national statements will be delivered and panel sessions on the following topics:

 Energy and the Environment

 Nuclear Safety and Reliability Through International Cooperation

 Infrastructure, Technology and Institutional Developments — The Way Forward

 Drivers for Deployment of Sustainable and Innovative Technology

Speakers at the opening session include IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, Rosatom Director General and Conference President Sergey Kirienko, and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria.

Previous IAEA Ministerial Conferences on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century were held 2005 in Paris and 2009 in Beijing.

More information about the conference is available here.

Journalists wishing to cover the conference must follow procedures for media accreditation specified by Rosatom and are reminded of the need to leave time to obtain a visa if required. The deadline for accreditation is 1 June 2013.

Press Office
Division of Public Information
Tel: [43-1] 2600 21273
E-mail: press@iaea.org
Website: www.iaea.org

Tokyo, Japan – An IAEA expert team today completed an initial review of Japan’s efforts to plan and implement the decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The International Peer Review of Japan’s Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap towards the Decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Units 1-4 conducted its visit from 15 to 22 April 2013.

As requested by the Government of Japan, the IAEA team held extensive discussions with officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The team also met with officials of the Nuclear Regulation Authority. The team visited the nuclear accident site to gain first-hand information about conditions at the power plant and progress toward decommissioning the facility. Read the rest

19 April 2013 | Sofia, Bulgaria — An international team of senior nuclear safety and radiation protection experts today concluded a 12-day mission to review the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Bulgaria.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, conducted at the request of the Government of Bulgaria, identified a series of good practices and made recommendations to help enhance the overall performance of the regulatory system. IRRS missions, which were initiated in 2006, are peer reviews based on the IAEA Safety Standards; they are not inspections or audits. Read the rest

The IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) contacted the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority (INRA) concerning the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which occurred at 12:44 UTC today in the south-east of the country. INRA informed the IEC that the earthquake caused no damage to Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant or other nuclear facilities.

The IAEA has made an offer of good offices to Iran, indicating it is ready to help the country obtain any assistance required to ensure the safety of radioactive sources such as medical equipment that may have been affected by the earthquake. The offer is in line with IAEA’s IEC routine procedures after strong earthquakes that might affect nuclear or radiological safety.

INRA said records showed no fixed high-level radiation sources were installed in the area of the earthquake, which struck near Iran’s border with Pakistan.

Team Leader:

Juan Carlos Lentijo, IAEA, Director of Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

 Team members:

Zoran Drace, IAEA, Division of Nuclear Power

Akira Izumo, IAEA, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

Christian Glorennec, EDF/CIDEN, France

Anton Leschenko, Sosny R&D Company, Russian Federation

Vladan Ljubenov, IAEA, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety

Vladimir Michal, IAEA, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

Nesimi Kilic , IAEA, Division of Nuclear Power

Jason Petti, Sandia National Laboratory, United States

Laszlo Sagi, IAEA, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety

Susanta Kumar Samanta, IAEA, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

George Stoyanov, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission)

Greg Webb, IAEA, Division of Public Information

The IAEA’s International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) has notified the Agency’s Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that an earthquake struck southern Iran today at 11:53 UTC, about 91 kilometres from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

Iran has informed the IEC of the event, reporting that there has been no damage to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and no radioactive release from the installation. 

Based on this information, and the ISSC’s analysis — which considers the earthquake’s magnitude and other seismic parameters, as well as its location — the IEC is not currently seeking additional information from Iran.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that cooling systems at all spent fuel pools at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have resumed operation.

This follows a power outage that began at 19:00 local time on 18 March 2013, disabling spent fuel cooling systems at Units 1, 3, and 4 and the Common Spent Fuel Pool.

The NRA said the cooling system at Unit 3 was restored at 22:43 local time on 19 March, and at the Common Spent Fuel Pool at 00:12 on 20 March.

The systems at Unit 1 and Unit 4 were restarted earlier on 19 March.

The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, continues to investigate the cause of the power outage.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority today informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that several systems that cool spent fuel pools at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station stopped working following a power outage that began at 19:00 local time yesterday.

Two of the systems – at Unit 1 and Unit 4 – were restarted today, and the system that cools the spent fuel pool of Unit 3 is set to be restarted at 20:00 local time today, according to the Authority. Work continues to restart the system that cools the Common Spent Fuel Pool.

The Authority reported that officials are watching the situation and that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected.

The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, is investigating the cause of the power outage.

The IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Centre remains in contact with the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority, and will provide updates when they become available.

The following is a statement by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano to mark the second anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, on 11 March, 2013:

“Two years have passed since disaster struck Japan. The Great East Japan Earthquake and the enormous tsunami of March 11, 2011 devastated large areas of land, caused great loss of human life, and crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. I was deeply saddened by this tragedy in my homeland. But I was also inspired by the courage and resilience of the Japanese people, including the brave workers at Fukushima Daiichi. Read the rest

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.  This afternoon, the Board of Governors appointed me for a second term.  This requires the approval by the General Conference to be held in September this year.  I am deeply grateful for the trust that the Board of Governors placed in me once again.  I regard this as the expression of support not only in me, but in the entire Secretariat.

As in my first term, I will be guided by the mandate of the IAEA.  That includes the peaceful use of nuclear technologies for health, for protection of environment, for food production and other issues.  The mandate also of course includes to help to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.  I will pursue these objectives in a balanced manner.  And in light of the economic difficulties that many countries are facing now, I will do my best to ensure the most effective management.

Challenges are many and huge, but it is a great privilege to serve as Director General of the IAEA.  I like my job, and I enjoy my job, and I’m very happy to do good in the world and to make a difference.

On this occasion, I would very much like to say that I very much value your work to pass the message to the world.  And in my second term too, I will be looking forward to meeting you as frequently as possible.

 Re-appointment of Director General Yukiya Amano

Today the Board of Governors re-appointed by acclamation the current Director General, Mr Yukiya Amano, to a further term of office for four years, from 1 December 2013 to 30 November 2017. The Board extended to Mr Amano its congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of his re-appointment.

The appointment will be before the General Conference for its approval at its next regular session in September.

Press Contacts:
Media and Outreach Section
Division of Public Information
Tel: [43-1] 2600 21273
E-mail: press@iaea.org
Website: www.iaea.org

Mr Chairman,

I would like to begin by congratulating the Kingdom of Swaziland on becoming the 159^th Member State of the IAEA.

Mr Chairman,

Next Monday is the second anniversary of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.

It has been a challenging two years, especially for the people and Government of Japan, but also for the IAEA. However, the worst elements of the accident are behind us and we are now in the post-accident phase. Read the rest

Good morning. We had discussions on the structured approach document but could not finalize the document. As you know, that document, once agreed, should facilitate the resolution of outstanding issues regarding possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme. However, our commitment to continued dialogue is unwavering. We will work hard now to try and resolve the remaining differences, but time is needed to reflect on the way forward. As on previous occasions, we were not granted access to Parchin.

AP: did you get closer to agreement; did you make progress?

You will understand that this is part of the negotiation and it is difficult for me to comment on that. Thank you.

EFE: are you going to meet again?

We haven’t agreed yet on a date of the next meeting so we will inform you in due course.

“Good afternoon, as we indicated in December of last year and in January this year our goal is to finalize the structured approach document. This document will facilitate the resolution of the outstanding issues related to the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme. Differences remain and also this time we will  work hard to try to resolve these differences. ”

In response to a question on how optimistic the team is:

“We will have a good negotiation.” 

In response to a question regarding the DPRK’s announced nuclear test:

“As the DG has said, we deeply regret the announcement of a nuclear test of DPRK. We as a safeguards department are ready to go to DPRK and to resume our verification activities as soon as the Member State concerned have a political agreement on this.”

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano expressed deep regret about the announcement that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted a third test of a nuclear weapon.

“I understand that the DPRK announced it had carried out a third test of a nuclear weapon, despite calls from the international community not to do so.  This is deeply regrettable and is in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” he said.

The Director General strongly urged the DPRK to fully implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and all relevant IAEA Board of Governors resolutions.

“The IAEA remains ready to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue by resuming its nuclear verification activities in the country as soon as the political agreement is reached among countries concerned,” Director General Amano added.

Brussels – The following is a joint statement by the European Union and the IAEA after their first Senior Officials Meeting today:

On 25 January 2013 officials of the EU and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) met in Brussels for a first ever Senior Level meeting bringing together officials from the European External Action Service and various EU Commission Services with senior officials from the IAEA to discuss enhanced cooperation between the institutions.

The meeting was co-chaired by Senior Commission and EEAS officials (Acting Deputy Director-General Peter Faross, Directorate-General for Energy; and Managing Director Mara Marinaki, European External Action Service) on the EU side and Assistant Director General for Policy, Mr. Rafael Grossi, on the IAEA side. Other Senior Officials participated from the relevant Directorates General of the Commission, the European External Action Service)  Services and the relevant IAEA Divisions. Read the rest

Davos, Switzerland – The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, met President Shimon Peres of Israel on 24 January while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Director General and President Peres discussed areas of common interest, as well as developments in the Middle East region.

Director General Amano noted the intensification of the IAEA’s dialogue with Iran, aimed at resolving the outstanding issues related to that country’s nuclear programme. He made clear the Agency’s commitment to dialogue, and the need to resolve issues with Iran by diplomatic means.

The Director General thanked President Peres for Israel’s participation at the November 2011 Forum on Experience of Possible Relevance to the Creation of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in the Middle East, and stressed the importance of a successful conference on a Middle East free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

 Director General Amano and President Peres also discussed ongoing cooperation between Israel and the Agency in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

On 16 January 2013, the operational status of 47 Japanese nuclear reactors in the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS) was changed by Japan’s Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) from ‘in operation’ to ‘long-term shutdown’.

The Agency asked its Japanese counterparts for additional clarification and justification for these status changes. The counterparts yesterday advised the Agency that the changes resulted from a clerical error.

At Japan’s request, the status of the 47 reactors has now been restored in PRIS to ‘in operation’.

The IAEA runs the PRIS database with input from its Member States, which own the information provided. The data is entered by government-authorised entities, such as Japan’s JNES, which identify the appropriate status for each reactor.

The Nuclear Energy Department of the IAEA, which runs the PRIS database, is implementing a software upgrade that in future would prevent status changes being entered into the system without the agreement of the system administrators, and would require clear justification from the national counterparts.

Please feel free to attribute this to Serge Gas, IAEA Director of Public Information:

 “The IAEA has seen media reports that Director General Amano will visit Iran to discuss nuclear issues.  There are no such plans at this time.”

Minsk, Belarus– The International Atomic Energy Agency today delivered the final report from an IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission to Belarus. The report concludes that Belarus has made important progress in its development of nuclear infrastructure for a nuclear power programme and that Belarus is on its way to being well-prepared with its infrastructure to support the construction of a nuclear power plant. The report makes 16 recommendations and 22 specific suggestions to assist the national authorities in preparing the infrastructure necessary for the project. Read the rest

18 September 2012, Vienna |

The Director General of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, met yesterday with H.E. Dr Fereydoun Abbasi, Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Head of the Atomic Energy Agency of Iran (AEOI).

The current status and future of negotiations between the IAEA and Iran on the clarification of outstanding issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme were discussed. Referring to the outcome of the meeting, Director General Amano said: “I confirmed to Dr Abbasi that the Agency is committed to continued dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran and expressed the readiness of Agency negotiators to meet with Iran in the near future.” Read the rest

Vienna |The following is the text of a media statement by Herman Nackaerts, Deputy Director General for Safeguards, after talks between senior International Atomic Energy Agency officials and Iranian delegates in Vienna on 24 August:

“Ladies and gentlemen,

“As announced by the Director General earlier this week, we met today to continue our discussions with Iran on the clarification of concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear programme, focusing on its possible military dimensions.

“As in our last meeting in June, we intended to finalise the structured approach paper that has been under consideration for many months. Today the Agency team came with a constructive spirit and hoped that the few remaining differences in the text could be resolved.

“The discussions today were intensive, but important differences remain between Iran and the Agency that prevented agreement on this structured approach paper.

“The team will now inform the Director General, and in a few days he will present his report to the Board of Governors.

“At the moment we have no plans for a follow-up meeting.”

IAEA Press Office

43-1-2600-21273

press@iaea.org

Vienna – An IAEA staff member was contaminated by a small amount of radioactive liquid at the IAEA’s Seibersdorf laboratories in eastern Austria on Thursday.

There was no release of radioactivity to the outside environment, and there is no danger to the public. The Austrian authorities have been informed.

The incident happened while the IAEA staff member was examining small amounts of radioactive waste as part of the Agency’s nuclear verification programme. Read the rest

Vienna, 8 June 2012 – Senior International Atomic Energy Agency officials met an Iranian delegation in Vienna today to seek agreement on a structured approach document to resolve outstanding issues relating to Iran’s nuclear programme.

The following is a statement by IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts after the meeting:

“As announced by the Director General earlier this week, we met today to discuss the structured approach paper.  The Agency team came to the meeting in a constructive spirit with the desire and intention of finalising the paper.  We presented a revised draft which addressed Iran’s earlier stated concerns.  However, there has been no progress and, indeed, Iran raised issues that we have already discussed and added new ones.  This is disappointing.  A date for a follow-on meeting has yet to be fixed.”

Vienna, 22 May 2012 – The following is a partial transcript of comments by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano to journalists at Vienna airport on his return today from Iran:

“Ladies and gentlemen, I just came back from Tehran.  During my stay in Tehran, there was an important development on the structured approach document on which we have been working since January.

“The decision was made by me and Mr. Jalili to reach agreement on the structured approach.  Mr. Jalili elaborated that the existing difference will not be the obstacle for agreement.” Read the rest

Vienna, 15 May 2012 – The following is a transcript of a media statement by IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts after meetings with Iran on 14-15 May 2012:

 “During these two days, the Agency and Iran discussed a number of options to take the Agency’s verification process forward in a structured way. The primary focus of our discussions was how to clarify issues related to possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear programme. We had a good exchange of views and we will meet again on Monday.”

The Agency has been informed that two of its safeguards inspectors were involved in a car accident in Iran earlier today. One of the inspectors, from the Republic of Korea, was killed; the other, from Slovenia, was injured. The Agency is in touch with the inspectors’ families, and with the Iranian authorities.

The Agency would like to express its condolences to the inspector’s family.

For further information, contact:
IAEA Division of Public Information
[43-1] 2600-21273
press@iaea.org 

Vienna, 9 March 2012 | Nuclear power is safer than it was a year ago as the nuclear industry, regulators and governments act on the lessons of Fukushima, but that safety must never be taken for granted, said Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking ahead of the first anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident on 11 March, Amano said a culture of constant vigilance and improvement was vital to ensure that the benefits of nuclear power could be harnessed as safely as humanly possible. Read the rest