NEA Director-General William Magwood said global nuclear safety is "the responsibility of all stakeholders", including the public, governments, independent regulators and the industry. The signature of the MOU "constitutes a further step forward for the NEA to ensure that decision-makers in our member countries have access to relevant and comprehensive information derived from industry experiences", he said.
He added: "Interactions with the global industry sector through WANO would increase opportunities for NEA committees to share best practices with, and recommendations to the industry. It would, therefore, contribute to the successful accomplishment of the NEA mission to assist its membership in achieving excellence in nuclear safety."
WANO and the NEA have already identified safety culture as a "fundamental subject of common interest" and next year plan to launch a series of "country-specific discussions to explore the influence of national culture on the safety culture".
Régaldo said both WANO and the NEA "share common goals" regarding the safety and reliability of nuclear power worldwide, and their collaboration will bring mutual benefit for both organisations and their members.
WANO is a not-for-profit member association established in 1989 by the world's nuclear power operators to exchange safety knowledge and operating experience amongst organisations operating commercial nuclear power reactors. WANO members operate about 440 reactor units in more than 30 countries.
The NEA is an intergovernmental agency that facilitates cooperation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, related environmental and economic matters and law.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News