The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council has participated in the International conference of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) on “Regulators Views and Priorities on Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection ten years after the Fukushima Daiichi accident”. The meeting, held on November 28 and 29 in Japan, consisted of three technical sessions in which relevant topics on the evolution of regulatory frameworks after the nuclear power plant accident were discussed. The experience in the reassessment of safety requirements in case of natural hazards and new ways to build trust and transparency were also discussed. The participants also had the opportunity to visit the facilities and see first-hand how the decommissioning work that the company TEPCO is carrying out on the site is progressing.

The CSN commissioners, Francisco Castejón and Pilar Lucio, participated in the sessions as panelists on issues related to the evolution of the regulatory framework and the role of transparency in generating trust in regulators.

Commissioner Castejón participated in the session entitled “Evolutions in regulatory frameworks after Fukushima Daiichi NPP event” where he commented on the main changes in Spanish regulations. The commissioner highlighted the national results of the Stress Tests, the development of the different regulations relating to earthquakes and the most relevant design modifications. Finally, he commented that the CSN will continue to develop regulations in this regard. An example of this, is the preparation of a new Safety Instruction that will describe the requirements established for the construction of facilities that can store radioactive waste, such as the deep geological repository.

Commissioner Lucio highlighted the turning point that the Fukushima Daiichi accident meant in the field of communication around nuclear energy. “Today there is much more synergy in decision-making between regulators, operators and the general public,” she said. Regarding the objective of generating trust and transparency, she stressed that it must be strategically integrated into organizations, thus forming part of their Safety Culture. In this regard, Lucio commented, "the CSN is continuously working on improving information and communication, taking advantage of international operating experience and the lessons learned, specifically related to the Fukushima accident."

The commissioner wanted to highlight the incorporation, within the CSN Strategic Plan, of communication as a safety function focused on generating trust, as well as having a Communication Plan based on information that is clear, accessible and transparent.

These conferences, jointly organized by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA), have served to reinforce the joint analysis of the evolution of regulatory frameworks after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, focusing in international cooperation as a key element for the exchange of ideas and experiences for continuous improvement.

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