Forum examines nuclear challenges, innovation opportunities

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials said the recent Global Forum on Innovation for the Future of Nuclear Energy proved to be beneficial in addressing industry challenges and opportunities.

“The nuclear industry is a vital part of the global energy mix, in particular to address climate change because it’s a zero-carbon energy source,” Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Vice President Neil Wilmhurst said. “This unique forum prioritized critical innovations needed in the nuclear industry, came to an understanding of the barriers and committed to working together to eliminate them.”

More than 250 nuclear industry leaders, regulators, researchers, government representatives, and technology providers used the opportunity to call for the acceleration of innovative solutions to sustain and advance the current operational fleet of nuclear power plants (NPPs) around the world. The forum was hosted in Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea.

“The effective support from the younger generation of nuclear professionals, working in tandem with management, is an inspiring sign that innovation will be driven by the combined dynamism and engagement of current and future leaders,” said Ed Bradley, Team Leader for NPP Operation and Engineering Support at the IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy.

The IAEA co-organized the form with EPRI, the United Kingdom’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), which hosted the event.