24th WRSM panel discussion: {open_quotes}The role of research in nuclear regulation: The case of qualified importers{close_quotes}
- Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, Madrid (Spain)
Scientific knowledge and technological maturity are needed to establish regulatory requirements, what also needs talent and skills. Scientists are rarely interested in regulation and regulators not always are closely connected to scientific research. This has created gaps in regulations, mainly within qualified importers. A qualified importer, in the sense of this presentation, is a country who has acquired nuclear power plants from more technologically advanced exporters but with an increasing participation of its own industry and institutions in the design, construction, component manufacture and assembly of such nuclear power plants and is fully responsible for the operation of the nuclear units and the corresponding fuel cycle. These countries have also a long standing and independent nuclear regulatory organization and the corresponding technical body. Spain is a qualified importer. In the case of Spain, it originally adopted the codes and regulations of the UE which it was a member of, as well as the codes and standards of the country from which their reactors were produced. Since Spain added KWU plants they even went to German regulations. Plant operation rested with Spain. As problems began to appear in operating plants, local research projects were funded to study the problems, aimed at immediate solutions, but also providing training for local personnel in addition to information of use for regulators. Spain has participated in many joint research projects, which have trained people, and given confidence to Spaniards involved in science and regulations. Qualified importers, like Spain, participate in research, even though it may not translate itself into regulation. Such participation will always serve to give self-confidence and independence to regulators and licensees, to better understand the adopted regulations of the most advanced countries and to solve specific problems.
- Research Organization:
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research; Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 468641
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0157-Vol.1; CONF-9610202-Vol.1; ON: TI96014720; TRN: 97:008518
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 24. water reactor safety information meeting, Bethesda, MD (United States), 21-23 Oct 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the twenty-fourth water reactor safety information meeting. Volume 1: Plenary session; High burnup fuel; Containment and structural aging; Monteleone, S. [comp.] [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)]; PB: 372 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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