Nuclear safety review 1992. Part D of the IAEA Yearbook 1992

Activities aimed at upgrading the safety of nuclear power plants in countries of eastern Europe, the birth of the concept of an international nuclear safety convention and the new recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) made 1991 a very important year in the fields of radiation protection and nuclear safety. Following the political changes in eastern Europe, attention is now centred on the safety of Soviet designed reactors. It has become apparent that the safety approach adopted in the design and operation of the older reactors (WWER-440/230s) was different from that which has been prevalent in western countries for many years and does not meet present safety standards. In addition to continuing its project on the safety of WWER-440/230s, the IAEA is proceeding with activities relating to the other reactor types operating in eastern European countries: WWER-440/213s, WWER-l000s and RBMKs. Concern for nuclear safety led the decision makers participating in the International Conference on the Safety of Nuclear Power: Strategy for the Future to support the concept of an international nuclear safety convention - a concept later endorsed by the IAEA General Conference and Board of Governors, the latter authorizing the Director General to set up an open ended working group with the task of carrying out the necessary preparations for such a convention. The radiation protection area was dominated by work on the revision of regulations and standards in the light of the new ICRP recommendations. The revision of the Basic Safety Standards for Radiation Protection, which is well under way, reflects a major international consensus on the basic requirements for restricting the risks from practices which could expose people to radiation. Co-operation between interested international organizations through a Joint Secretariat has proved to be efficient. Major lessons can be learned from experience with the utilization of nuclear technology in general and nuclear power production in particular: Safety must be the first priority, from the design stage through to decommissioning; Safety must be enforced at all levels and at all stages; therefore, strong regulatory bodies are needed; Transparency in operating experience feedback and the open international exchange of lessons learned are essential for improving design and operational safety; The safety assessment of old reactors is not easy, expert judgement being needed in determining the safety significance of major findings; More emphasis must be placed on acquiring and maintaining a sound safety culture. Nuclear safety may be costly, but the resources allocated to it represent money well spent and the potential savings are very large. Countries launching nuclear power programmes must be ready to allocate the necessary financial and human resources to nuclear safety. The radiological accidents which have occurred and various reviews performed in Member States have also demonstrated the importance of appropriate infrastructures, of the human factor and of training. The management of radiation sources remains a major concern of the radiation protection community