The commissioner of the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), Javier Dies, and the technical director for nuclear safety, Rafael Cid, have participated in the plenary meeting of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) which took place between November 4th and 5th virtually (it usually meets periodically in spring and autumn, but due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19, the spring meeting had to be canceled).

Among the points discussed on the first day of the meeting, the presentation of the high-level group on WENRA's strategy stands out, in which the activities to achieve three very defined objectives of this association were defined: as a credible leader in nuclear safety, as an effective association and as an independent strategic partner in its field of work.

Afterwards, the attendees of this online meeting addressed the latest developments of the three permanent working groups of the association, dedicated to the harmonization of nuclear safety requirements for operating reactors, to the safe management of radioactive waste and decommissioning activities and to nuclear safety in research reactors. Among them, the progress of the preparation for the Topical Peer Review (TPR) under the Nuclear Safety Directive was discussed, as well as the next steps to launch this activity, which it is expected to be developed over the next four years. Spain, through the CSN, plans to contribute to the definition of the technical specifications that will govern this important review exercise from a technical point of view.

The main product of the WENRA association are the safety reference levels, whose regulatory and practical application is constantly verified on the basis of a robust self-assessment and benchmarking methodology. In addition, the whole set of reference levels is subject to a systematic review so that it continues to reflect the state of the art and regulatory expectations regarding nuclear safety, waste management and decommissioning activities, so that these levels serve as a mechanism for the continuous improvement of nuclear safety.

In this regard, the approval of the new reference levels related to research reactors’ safety, as well as the continuity of the group devoted to these type of reactors as a permanent group, acquires special relevance given the importance of technological development and research in order to guarantee the highest level for safety and due to its important role in professional training.

Likewise, the representatives of the different regulators that make up this association presented the most important activities that their institutions have faced since the last meeting.

The Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) was created 20 years ago in the spirit of establishing a regional forum that allows the exchange of information and experiences in nuclear safety and the development of initiatives and programs within the framework of the European Union, aimed at the harmonization of the safety of nuclear installations in Europe.

The Nuclear Safety Council is one of the founding members and participates in plenary meetings as well as in permanent working groups.

* Check here the glossary of technical terms *