Contribution of European Nuclear Licensees toward Harmonisation of Regulations for Nuclear Installations

Abstract

Liberalisation of the European energy market has led to the deregulation of electricity generation and supply. More and more nuclear industry and utilities evolve in an international framework. Diversity of national regulations can seriously distort competition. Undoubtedly, harmonizing regulations is the best way of ensuring that the industry can evolve within a stable legal framework. Consequently, European nuclear license holders supported the work of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) on the harmonization of European safety standards for existing nuclear power plants, as well as for waste and decommissioning.This support led to the creation, within FORATOM, of the ENISS (European Nuclear Installations Safety Standards) Initiative, in May 2005, in Brussels. The principal mission of ENISS is to bring together decisionmakers, operators and specialists from the nuclear industry with national regulators in order to identify and possibly agree upon the scope and substance of harmonized safety standards.ENISS currently represents the nuclear utilities and operating companies from 16 European countries with nuclear power programme. ENISS above all provides the nuclear industry with the platform that it needs to express its views, provides expert input and interacts fully with regulators throughout the harmonization process. ENISS first task has been to present a common industry position with regards to the Safety Reference Levels that WENRA has proposed. By engaging in a constructive debate with WENRA and playing a dynamic role in the process, ENISS also defends the industry’s interests in a proactive way.Another task of ENISS is to strengthen the industry influence in the revision work of the IAEA Safety Standards. In February 2007, the IAEA and ENISS launched their cooperation agreement. ENISS as an NGO is actively involved in the IAEA safety standards revision process in providing comments on draft safety standards, in particular as regards those where the industry has particular competence or interest. Those areas are NPP design and operation, management systems, waste management/treatment, decommissioning and radiation protection with respect to nuclear safety. ENISS send also experts to participate in IAEA drafting groups and attend the meetings of the IAEA Safety Standards Committees (NUSSC, WASSC, and RASSC) as an observer.At the European level, ENISS is also monitoring the work of the European Commission on regulatory issues in the area of nuclear safety, waste management, decommissioning and radiation protection and participate in ENEF groups.