ENSREG Chair Juan Carlos Lentijo secures two-year renewal

Brussels Plenary addresses risks to nuclear installations in conflict zones and sets strategic direction for regulatory oversight until 2026

The Plenary of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) held its 57th meeting in Brussels, chaired by the President of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN, by its acronym in Spanish), Juan Carlos Lentijo, and with the participation of the CSN's Technical Director for Nuclear Safety, Teresa Vázquez.

During his address to the Plenary, Mr Lentijo stressed that the European Commission's Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) must be accompanied by a robust framework from European regulators. Furthermore, Lentijo underlined the need for the economic and licensing models for new nuclear technologies to integrate and secure the financing for decommissioning, radioactive waste, and spent fuel in the early phases of the project.

Throughout the Plenary session, progress on ENSREG’s work programme for the 2025–2026 period was reviewed, with a particular focus on the implementation of the European Directives on Nuclear Safety. Participants addressed regulatory advances from the working group on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), the conclusions of the second Topical Peer Review (TPR II) exercise on fire protection in nuclear installations, and preparations to define the next TPR III.

The Plenary also discussed the consistency between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines for Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) missions and the European Nuclear Safety Directive, with the aim of reinforcing the harmonisation of oversight processes among national regulators and international bodies.

Separately, the reflection group on nuclear safety in armed conflict situations presented its preliminary conclusions, aimed at improving international mechanisms for the protection of nuclear facilities in wartime environments. In this context, the President of the Ukrainian regulator (SNRIU), Oleh Korikov, provided an update on the situation in his country, highlighting the challenges arising from the Russian invasion, such as attacks on energy infrastructure and the difficulties in securing off-site electrical power supply to nuclear power plants.

The meeting also included a debate on the importance of the independence of European regulators in the current context, and preparations were advanced for the next ENSREG Conference, which will take place on 16 and 17 June 2026 in Brussels. Additionally, Juan Carlos Lentijo was renewed for a further two-year term as Chairman of the European nuclear regulators’ body, having assumed the office in January 2024. Finally, a specific session was dedicated to fusion energy, analysing the main aspects of the European strategy in this area, as well as ENSREG's future representation in this field.

About ENSREG

ENSREG is a high-level advisory group established in 2007 at the request of the European Commission to provide recommendations to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on nuclear safety and nuclear waste management. The CSN participates in the group's meetings, as well as in various ENSREG working groups dedicated to the areas of nuclear safety, management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, international cooperation, and regulator communication and transparency.

This forum is composed of senior representatives from national regulatory authorities for nuclear safety, radioactive waste safety, and radiological protection, as well as members from all EU Member States and the European Commission. Its mission is to promote the continuous improvement of nuclear safety and achieve a common understanding in these areas.

ENSREG operates as an independent body, facilitating the implementation of the EU Nuclear Safety Directive and the EU Waste Management Directive, enhancing cooperation and transparency among Member States, and advising the European Commission on proposals to improve nuclear safety.