With over 150 000 visitors each year, the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS) is one of the Agency’s most consulted resources. PRIS is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, which is commemorated as part of a Technical Meeting on the Development of the IAEA’s Power Reactor Information System, held in Vienna this week.
“For over half a century PRIS has been serving as the main information source on nuclear power reactors. You need information on performance of operating reactors? You need the number of reactors under construction? Or breakdown of reactors by age? You look at PRIS,” said Marta Maria Gospadarczyk, PRIS Officer in the Nuclear Power and Engineering Section of the IAEA. “The strength of PRIS is that all the information we collect is coming from Member States themselves!”
At present, all countries that have nuclear power reactors in operation, under construction, or in the decommissioning stage consistently submit data to the database. PRIS data and reports are routinely sources in various technical documents and references. These include the IAEA Annual Report and the Nuclear Technology Review, resources which inform sessions at the IAEA Board of Governors.
Statistical reports available through PRIS help users understand nuclear power development and evaluate nuclear power performance. PRIS data can also be used for comprehensive trend analyses and benchmarking against best performers and industrial standards. PRIS status and performance reports help nuclear power plants with safety performance analysis and assist the nuclear industry with analysis of global trends and strategic planning. The PRIS website includes over 30 types of statistical reports such as reactor status reports, energy availability, unit capability loss and trend reports.
Peter Prozesky, Chief Executive Officer at the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), noted: “PRIS is a useful platform to quickly find detailed information, such as reference unit power, model and first criticality date of various reactors. Country-by-country statistics provide useful resources for nuclear capacity forecasts around the globe.”
“WANO and the IAEA perform an annual cross-check to ensure data consistency and quality. If discrepancies are identified, they are resolved to ensure the highest reliability of data. The widely accessible information of the IAEA PRIS is an important resource that goes beyond the nuclear industry and encompasses electricity generation worldwide.”
All information on PRIS is open to the public through registration.
