The commissioner of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), Javier Dies, and the technical director for Nuclear Safety, Teresa Vázquez, participated in the plenary meeting of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) that took place in Liverpool, United Kingdom. During the meeting, the requirements and criteria to assess the possible integration of new members in the association were reviewed. In particular, the Turkish regulator's request to join the association as an observer was addressed. The discussion allowed members of the association to reflect on the organization's procedures in order to ensure that its operations are maintained efficiency despite the increase in its membership.

The meeting was opened with a discussion on the experience in the application of the current WENRA strategy, which will have to be adapted in the near future to reflect on the challenges of the nuclear industry and regulation in a geopolitical and economic context of great complexity and uncertainty.

The development of new reactor designs and technologies, as well as the extension of the operating life of nuclear power plants, have given rise to the need in the nuclear sector to reflect on improving the efficiency and adaptability of regulatory processes, always maintaining the basic premise in compliance with safety requirements, where WENRA's role is essential as a support association for European regulatory bodies.

During the conference, various discussions were included on technical and regulatory issues, such as the use of advanced accident-tolerant nuclear fuel designs in current nuclear power plants, the international coordination initiatives for the authorization and safety evaluation of new nuclear reactor designs (i.e. Small Modular Reactors, SMR) or the implementation of the EURATOM Directive on Nuclear Safety.

Finally, the plenary reviewed the progress and forecasts in the activity of the permanent working groups, dedicated to the to the harmonization of nuclear safety requirements for reactors, the safe management of radioactive waste and decommissioning, and the nuclear safety in research reactors. Also the activities of the Steering Group of Reference Levels were reviewed, which addresses the ongoing process of revising, updating and reorganizing the association's entire body of safety reference levels.

The meeting also allowed to update the situation in Ukraine and the international support dedicated to the country and the Ukrainian regulatory body (SNRIU). It also allowed the representatives of the different regulators that compose WENRA to share information on the most important activities that their institutions have faced since the last meeting.

WENRA

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

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