IRRS mission emphasises importance of nuclear safety and radiation protection

News item | 02-11-2023 | 08:26

Assessment compared to IAEA standards

The IRRS mission consisted of a team of international experts. Their work is based on a peer review method: colleagues from foreign regulators and the IAEA itself assess the functioning of the Dutch system for nuclear safety and radiation protection compared to IAEA standards. From 4 to 16 June 2023, the mission team investigated aspects such as the way the monitoring is organised, the licensing process and the legislation and regulations.

Involved in the mission

The IAEA facilitates these missions, while the Authority takes care of the coordination and preparation, together with other government organisations. In addition to the Authority, the Ministries of Infrastructure and Water Management, Social Affairs and Employment, and Health, Welfare and Sport were involved in the mission.

Dutch experts, some of whom affiliated to the Authority, also took part in international missions in other countries. This international collaboration ensures that nuclear safety and radiation protection continue to be safeguarded all around the world.

Recommendations

In the Netherlands, there are plans for the construction of two new nuclear power plants and − providing it can be done safely − for keeping the nuclear power plant in Borssele open for longer. The IRRS mission took these developments into account in its assessment of the Dutch system.

The mission team has a number of recommendations for the Netherlands, many of which were already identified in the extensive self-evaluation that preceded the mission. For the Authority, relevant recommendations include:

• Improve the organisation’s management system;
• Elaborate and execute a multi-year inspection programme for nuclear facilities;
• Clarify and put in place the safety standards current and future licensees must meet.

Good practices

The IRRS team did not only make recommendations for the improvement for the Dutch system of nuclear safety and radiation protection, it also identified good practices in the Authority’s working method.

A good practice is something the IAEA thinks may serve as an example to other countries. One such good practice is the guideline on the safety assessment of research reactors, which was used during the licensing procedure for the PALLAS reactor for medical applications.

Enriching experience

For the Authority, the IRRS mission was an intensive period, in which many colleagues contributed to the mission team’s investigation. "The 2023 IRRS mission was an enriching experience for the Authority, spanning an entire year of preparations and two weeks of thorough discussions during the mission itself. As the national authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection, we monitor compliance with legislation and regulations by other organisations and companies. In so doing, it’s important to also have our own working method assessed by colleagues from foreign regulators and the IAEA," says Annemiek van Bolhuis, chair of the board of the Authority.

Board member Marco Brugmans adds: "The first IRRS mission in the Netherlands took place in 2014. At the time, the most important recommendation was to establish an independent authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection. This is part of the reason the Authority was founded in 2015. The IRRS mission helps us to continually improve our organisation’s working method and to meet the IAEA standards. As an independent regulator, it’s crucial to participate in this international peer review. In other words, to have our working method assessed. This proves and safeguards the quality of our work."

Follow-up mission

In 2 to 4 years, the mission team will return to the Netherlands for a follow-up mission. It will then verify to what extent the recommendations from the 2023 IRRS mission have been implemented. In the time ahead we will get to work on the recommendations, to provide direction to our work.