Initiating Nuclear Power Programmes Responsibilities And Capabilities Of Owners And Operators

The development of the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme includes the establishment of policies and strategies in areas such as human resource development, nuclear fuel cycle and waste management, industrial involvement and nuclear safety. It also requires the establishment of a legal and regulatory framework that creates an environment enabling the project to be implemented in a transparent and effective manner. These elements of this infrastructure will have an impact on the project and will guide the discussions of the future owner/operator with potential vendors. In this regard, it is important that the owner/operator, if already identified, participates in this process from the beginning. This publication provides information on the establishment and development of the owner/operator so that it can discharge its responsibilities throughout the phases of the programme. It also discusses the management of the interfaces between the owner/operator and other stakeholders.

The introduction and development of a nuclear power programme is a major undertaking. It requires the building of a nuclear infrastructure to construct and operate nuclear power plants in a safe, secure and technically sound manner. This publication provides practical guidance on the main activities, responsibilities and desirable attributes of the designated owner/operator in a country initiating a nuclear power programme. It also describes the interfaces that the owner/operator will need to have with other organizations involved in the nuclear power programme.

The development of the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme includes the establishment of policies and strategies in areas such as human resource development, nuclear fuel cycle and waste management, industrial involvement and nuclear safety. It also requires the establishment of a legal and regulatory framework that creates an environment enabling the project to be implemented in a transparent and effective manner. These elements of this infrastructure will have an impact on the project and will guide the discussions of the future owner/operator with potential vendors. In this regard, it is important that the owner/operator, if already identified, participates in this process from the beginning. This publication provides guidance on the establishment and development of the owner/operator so that it can discharge its responsibilities throughout the phases of the programme. It also discusses the management of the interfaces between the owner/operator and other stakeholders.

Protection of the environment is one of the cornerstones of sustainable development, a key consideration for Member States embarking on new nuclear power programs. National requirements and international instruments increasingly reflect this concern and for the provision of opportunities for interested parties and stakeholders to be involved in decision-making processes. This new edition provides valuable guidance to Member States on issues related to environmental protection when considering a new nuclear power plant. It aligns more closely with the phased approach and takes into account Revision 1 of IAEA Nuclear Energy Series NG-G-3.1 and highlights the interface with other infrastructure issues. It also considers lessons learned from the 30 Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions conducted to date, and ensures consistency, and alignment of approaches and terminology with other relevant IAEA publications. This publication is primarily intended for Member States who are considering or embarking on new nuclear power programs, and specifically the decision makers and technical specialists who are involved in environmental protection.

Nuclear cogeneration to produce electricity and process heat for nonelectric applications such as desalination, district heating or cooling or hydrogen production can play an important role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The implementation of nuclear cogeneration projects is inherently complex and such projects require a clear understanding of actions and responsibilities during the design, operation and management phases. This publication focuses on analysing the requirements and responsibilities of users and vendors and correspondence between them through the life cycle to of a nuclear cogeneration project, highlighting experience and lessons learned from retrofit and new build projects.

The development and implementation of an appropriate infrastructure to support the successful introduction of nuclear power and its safe, secure, peaceful and sustainable application is an issue of central concern, especially for countries that are considering and planning their first nuclear power plant. In preparing the necessary nuclear infrastructure, there are several activities that need to be completed. These activities can be split into three progressive phases of development. This publication provides a description of the conditions expected to be achieved by the end of each phase to assist with the best use of resources. 'Milestones' refer to the conditions necessary to demonstrate that the phase has been successfully completed.

Member States intending to introduce a nuclear power programme will need to pass through several phases during the implementation. Experience shows that careful planning of the objectives, roles, responsibilities, interfaces and tasks to be carried out in different phases of a nuclear project is important for success. This publication presents a harmonized approach that may be used to structure the owner/operator management system and establish and manage nuclear projects and their development activities irrespective of the adopted approach. It has been developed from shared management practices and consolidated experiences provided by nuclear project management specialists through a series of workshops and working groups organized by the IAEA. The resultant publication presents a useful framework for the management of nuclear projects from initiation to closeout and captures international best practices.

This publication provides guidance on project management from the preparatory phase to plant turnover to commissioning of nuclear power plants. The guidelines and experiences described will enable project managers to obtain better performance in nuclear power plant construction.