[en] This report gives an overview of the regulatory concepts and practices for the periodic safety review of nuclear power plants in OECD countries with nuclear power programmes. The statutory bases for such reviews, their objectives and the processes adopted are summarised against the background of each country's regulatory practices. Although periodic safety reviews are now, or will soon be, part of the regulatory process in the majority of countries, the national approaches to these reviews still differ considerably. This report includes numerous examples of the different concepts and practices in OECD countries, thereby illustrating the variety of ways adopted to reach the common goal of maintaining and improving nuclear safety

[en] Under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, efforts are being made to compile statistical information of scram frequencies in OECD member countries. The first results of this exercise are presented and discussed. (UK)

[en] Mexico is an OECD member but is an emergent economy as can be seen from its electrical sector. Its electrical installed capacity has been growing during the last 10 years with a 4.5 % annual pace and it is planed to grow for the next 10 years with a 5.2 % annual pace. In 2004 the annual electrical consumption per inhabitant was of 2237 kWh, which is around the world average but almost one quarter of the industrial countries average consumption. The current document shows the prospective for the Mexican Electricity sector for the 2005-2014 time frames. It also shows the technologies that will be used to cover the requirements of electricity by region. (author)

[en] Precursor analysis is widely used in the nuclear industry to judge the significance of events relevant to safety. However, in case of events that may damage equipment through effects that are not ordinary functional dependencies, the analysis may not always fully appreciate the potential for further evolution of the event. For fires, which are one class of such events, this paper discusses modelling challenges that need to be overcome when performing a probabilistic precursor analysis. The events used to analyze are selected from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Fire Incidents Records Exchange (FIRE) Database

[en] This session had 18 presentations, interestingly equally from OECD countries and the emerging countries. The session provided an exceptional opportunity for sharing of technical information between countries - especially with countries with little opportunity for such sharing. Extensive new interest from many countries in producing hydrogen using nuclear power, especially using the SI process was clearly noted

[en] A questionnaire on Electricity generation, Nuclear Power and Fuel Cycle Data is distributed annually to OECD Member countries. In the questionnaire of January 1993, countries were asked to provide historical data for 1991 and 1992 and most likely projections up to the year 2010. The replies to the questionnaire or the results of the discussions between national correspondents and the Secretariat are presented in this Booklet. The Secretariat has, in some cases, referred to IEA's electricity related data and IAEA's nuclear plant data. Where data were still unavailable, the Secretariat made estimates based on information from other sources. The total capacity of those plants connected to the grid, under construction and firmly committed in 1992 was 289.3 GWe but, based both on questionnaire replies and Secretariat estimates, is expected to rise to 318.0 GWe in 2010 despite an allowance of 20.2 GWe to be taken out of service. The electricity generation and production data for fuel cycle services refer to these facilities located within the country, and thus exclude imports. The fuel cycle requirements, however, refer to the amounts of fuel cycle materials and services necessary for national nuclear programmes. 11 tabs., 6 figs

[en] Uranium 2009, Resources, Production and Demand, otherwise known as the Red Book, is jointly produced by the IAEA and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

[en] Surveys by the OECD on uranium resources adopt two categories, 'Reasonably Assured Resources', and 'Estimated Additional Resources', both of which are defined. Trends over the past years are noted. To assess the potential for further uranium, a Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) was started by OECD and IAEA. A new category 'Speculative Uranium Resources' includes uranium that is thought to exist mostly on the basis of indirect indications, and geological extrapolations. Various factors suggest that the major part of the 'Speculative Resources' will not be discovered and brought into being until the first quarter of the 21st century. (U.K.)

[en] The concept of a backstop level of electricity intensity is introduced and illustrated for the highest income economies of the world. The backstop level corresponds with the intensity that would be triggered by applying end-use electricity prices equal to the cost price of a fully sustainable electricity supply. Section 1 of the paper discusses the issue of electricity (also energy) intensity of economies. It is argued that identifying a 'demand for electricity intensity' bridges the gap between the high willingness to pay for electricity services on the one hand and the disinterested attitude of consumers regarding the invisible and impalpable product electricity on the other hand. Assessment of the demand curve for electricity intensity in a cross section of high income OECD countries comes to a long-run price elasticity of almost -1. Section 2 revives Nordhaus' concept of backstop supply technologies for weighing three power sources (fossil, nuclear, and renewable sources) in meeting today's criteria of sustainable backstop technology. Only renewable sources meet the main sustainability criteria, but the economic cost of a fully sustainable electricity supply will be elevated. The closing question of Section 3, that is, whether the countries can afford the high cost of backstop electricity supplies, is answered by indicating what reductions in intensity are required to keep the electricity bills stable. The targeted intensity level is called the backstop level, and provides a fixed point for electricity efficiency policies. The analysis supports the call for comprehensive and enduring tax reform policies. (author)

[en] This Mechanism set up by the OECD Council on 22nd July, 1977 supplements the system established by the 1975 London Convention on prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and the IAEA provisional definition and recommendations. It lays down further compulsory rules on sea dumping of radioactive waste and provides for a prior notification and consultation procedure (choice of dumping site, containers, ships etc), international surveillance and an information system consisting of regular updating of standards guidelines and recommendations to be applied in the field. (NEA)