Standards for Success: IAEA Initiative Works to Boost SMR Deployment [eng., ar., zh., fr., ru., es.]

As the global community works towards achieving the ambitious goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement, the consensus is increasingly clear: nuclear energy has a significant role to play in decarbonizing the energy and industrial sectors. However, in order to expand the deployment of nuclear power on a vast scale, including through the use of advanced technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), novel approaches are needed to implement new build projects sustainably and at cost and to ensure a high level of safety and security. The IAEA's Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI), launched in 2022, aims to facilitate the deployment of safe and secure SMRs and other advanced reactors through harmonized regulatory approaches and industrial standardization. Focusing on standardized development, manufacturing and construction, members of the NHSI Industry Track are set to publish two white papers this year: one providing guidance on the challenges of harmonizing inspections of safety significant high integrity components, and the other highlighting the need to better harmonize non-nuclear codes and standards across jurisdictions. A third paper is planned regarding practical steps for early engagement in the use of high quality industrial grade components in safety systems. Members of the NHSI Regulatory Track, who are focused on the development of processes that enhance regulatory cooperation, are developing a comprehensive publication to support regulatory cooperation on design reviews and launching a multinational regulatory review process that will enable regulators to conduct joint reviews of SMR design.