Convention on Nuclear Safety highlights importance of nuclear safety, supply chain

Contracting Parties of the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) recently released the summary report of their recent review meeting, which highlights the importance of a nuclear safety culture, effective legal frameworks and safety precautions throughout the supply chain.

The Seventh Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the CNS ran from March 27 to April 7 in Vienna, Austria. During the event, nuclear industry leaders from 79 countries reported, peer reviewed and discussed industry safety procedures.

“This is a common issue both for countries operating nuclear power plants and those considering nuclear power programs, because of the lack of availability of identical replacement parts and the need to be able to detect non-conforming, counterfeit, suspect or fraudulent items,” said Juan Carlos Lentijo, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) deputy director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, referring to the issue of supply chain safety. “Furthermore, with the number of nuclear-grade certified suppliers diminishing, access to manufacturers able to meet nuclear standards will become more challenging.”

CNS delegates also identified ideas for addressing financial and human resource limitations, safety concerns associated with older nuclear facilities and the need for coordinated cross-border emergency planning approaches. The report also encouraged the IAEA to continue developing guidance to support countries in strengthening regulatory body oversight and practicing safety culture.

“Maintaining nuclear safety requires long-term commitment and vigilance from countries, as well as effective mechanisms for early detection and assessment of problems and networks for sharing lessons learned,” Lentijo said.