EU launches peer reviews for the ageing management of nuclear power plants

The safety assessments of European nuclear power plants will continue even after the completion of the EU stress tests. Next year, Switzerland and the EU countries will compile reports on the ageing management of their nuclear power plants. These will then be considered within the framework of a Topical Peer Review. WENRA has developed the technical specifications. Up until 30 November 2016, interested parties can comment upon the specifications.

After the reactor disaster in Fukushima, all nuclear power plants in the European Union, Switzerland and the Ukraine were subject to stress tests in 2011. The reports were then reviewed by international experts and published.

wenraIn 2014, the Council of the European Union amended the EU Nuclear Safety Directive for the safety of nuclear installations.

Amongst other things, this envisages Topical Peer Reviews for nuclear power plants, a process in which partner countries review a particular key topic.

Every six years the focus will be on a different aspect of the technical safety of nuclear power plants. In 2017, the first Topical Peer Review will focus on the ageing management of nuclear power plants.

Switzerland is participating in the peer review

“ENSI will require the operators of the nuclear power plants in Switzerland to participate in the process,” explains ENSI-Director Hans Wanner.

Based on the operator reports, ENSI will then submit a country report.

The Steps within the Topical Peer Review 2017

  • As part of the Topical Peer Review 2017 all participating countries will undertake an assessment of their nuclear power plants in relation to ageing management.
  • In a second step, all participating countries and the European Commission will conduct a peer review of these respective national assessments.
  • Each country will define suitable measures from this peer review process.
  • Relevant reports will be published for each step.

As a first step in the Topical Peer Review 2017 all participating countries will prepare a report on the ageing management of their nuclear power plants.

To configure the peer review so that it is as constructive as possible, the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association, WENRA, is defining the structure and content of these national reports in technical specifications.

Public consultation concerning the technical specifications for the 2017 Topical Peer Review

Up until 30 November 2016, WENRA is conducting a public consultation on these technical specifications for the national reports. Interested parties are invited to submit their comments in writing.