The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), through Commissioner Francisco Castejón and a delegation of technical experts from the regulator, has participated in the working sessions of the Committee for the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) held on the 30th and 31st of May in Paris (France). This committee is part of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).

The Committee has eight working groups focused on safety research on various technical topics that seek to keep up to date with a defined work program based on the interests and needs defined by the its members. In this meeting, three reports and eight new activities have been approved, based on the presentations, reports and proposals of the working groups. In addition, an additional report with guidelines for the launch and development of joint research projects was approved.

During the meeting, the representatives of the groups on risk assessment, human and organizational factors, electrical systems, and integrity and aging of components and structures presented the development of their work programs, products and foreseen activities. The main Committee also reviewed the activity and discussed the proposals of the CSNI groups dedicated to accident analysis and management, fuel safety, safety of fuel cycle activities and analysis of external events.

The Committee approved the incorporation of a good practices guide for the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes in safety applications for nuclear reactors, and a new activity on the management of uncertainties and innovative methodologies in risk analysis.

Similarly, the Committee reviewed the practical application of the NEA strategic plan for the 2023-2028 period, which had been approved in October last year.

Joint session

In addition, the importance of improving its synergies with the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) was stressed out. To this end, both standing committees will hold a joint session on the lessons learned during COVID-19. This session will be held on June 1st, on the intermediate day between the meetings of the CSNI and the CNRA, scheduled for June 2nd and 3d.

The incorporation of Ukraine as an observer was also highlighted and all the working groups were encouraged to incorporate Ukrainian representatives so that this country would be in contact with the CSNI´s activities.

The CSN actively contributes to numerous CSNI groups and projects. The Spanish regulator considers it important to maintain active participation in all of them, since their results are vital for advancing in technical knowledge that is incorporated into the regulation.

The Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations

The mission of the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Facilities (CSNI) is to assist the NEA member countries in maintaining and developing the scientific and technical knowledge bases necessary to assess the safety of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities on an ongoing basis. The CSNI is made up of experienced scientists and engineers with responsibilities for nuclear safety and associated research programs, as well as representatives of the regulatory authorities.

 

The CSN participates in the main Committee and in the working groups that depend on it, dealing with the analysis and management of accidents, the integrity and aging of structures and components, risk assessments, human and organizational factors, among other matters. The Spanish regulator also collaborates with the research projects and databases dependent on this Committee.