2026

Juan Carlos Lentijo chairs latest edition of the International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety

Titled “Learning from the Past to Accelerate the Future”, the event analyses safety enhancements for both operating facilities and advanced designs

The headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna hosts the International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety (TIC) until next Friday, chaired by the President of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council, Juan Carlos Lentijo. Throughout this week, attendees and speakers will share knowledge and identify best practices to align the effectiveness and efficiency of nuclear projects with the highest safety standards.

In his opening address, the head of the Spanish nuclear regulatory body highlighted that the conference's various sessions will enable participants to work with concrete experiences and examine how approaches are evolving.

He also noted that the conference will provide an opportunity to explore how new technologies are being integrated into nuclear safety.

The conference, titled "Learning from the Past to Accelerate the Future", is driven by an analysis of how decades of accumulated nuclear energy experience can be applied to improve both currently operating facilities and more modern designs. In this regard, Lentijo noted that the nuclear safety ecosystem “was conceived as an engineering system based on predictability. However, recent experience has shown us that this is no longer sufficient due to challenges such as pandemics, extreme weather events, widespread blackouts, or supply chain disruptions.”

Lentijo also emphasised the current operating environment of the facilities, stating that “it has changed, and we must adapt accordingly: moving towards more cross-cutting ways of working and developing the capacity to continuously anticipate, learn, and adapt”. He added that complexity “should not be seen as complications, but as opportunities for anticipation and adaptation.”

The opening session also featured the participation of IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who delivered a message based on three key points to the attendees. Drawing on the sector's decades of accumulated track record, he insisted that experience “is not just to be accumulated, but must be better leveraged,” turning past knowledge into a key tool to improve the present and the future. 

Along the same lines, he pointed out that safety approaches must adapt to new technologies and realities, “without lowering the bar”. Furthermore, Grossi appealed to the international community, stating that “the time has come to put international cooperation on nuclear safety into practice, ensuring it is not reduced merely to a matter of goodwill.” The head of the IAEA alluded to Lentijo’s legacy at the Agency during his tenure as Deputy Director General from 2015 to 2021, recognising his contribution and international prestige.

About TIC

The programme of this international conference is structured into thematic blocks across four major areas. Until next Friday, presentations will address how to fully leverage accumulated experience, the promotion of safety and the review of current safety concepts, and the use of innovative technologies to enhance safety, including the role of artificial intelligence. 

The conference also covers continuous safety enhancements in operating nuclear power plants as well as reinforcing the safety of advanced designs, such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and next-generation nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the outcomes of the meeting will inform the next generation of IAEA safety standards, ensuring they are fit for advanced nuclear technologies. All sessions can be followed live via this link. Free registration needed.

Since 1998, the IAEA has organised these conferences, which serve as a forum to debate current practices and challenges in nuclear installation safety, fostering collaboration among regulators, plant designers, operators, and other stakeholders.

Over the years, the TIC conferences have evolved to address top-tier issues, from the continuous improvement of safety to the safety of advanced nuclear power plants. The most recent editions have focused on the safety of advanced reactor designs, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and next-generation nuclear power plants.

*Consult the glossary of technical terms here*