- Status
- Closed
Background
In October 2007 the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt took the strategic decision that Egypt has (i) to develop a nuclear power programme for electricity generation including construction of several units of nuclear power plants (NPP) in order to keep up with the rising energy demands, (ii) to take necessary steps for drafting a comprehensive nuclear and radiation law, and (iii) to assure the independence of the nuclear regulatory body.
So far in Egypt the regulatory and control functions in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection have been performed by the National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NCNSRC), which is part of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA). The regulatory area has consisted of usual radiation protection in medicine, industry and science, two research reactors, low and intermediate waste facility and a fuel element fabrication plant.
Starting of a nuclear programme aimed at providing Egypt with a number of NPPs for the production of electric energy and desalination, the need of an independent regulatory body out of EAEA able to perform the licensing activities connected with the construction and operation of nuclear plants becomes stringent. Further, setting up legislative framework and establishment of technical support organization(s) (TSO) to enhance the Nuclear Regulatory Authority’s (NRA) capability are needed.
One important component of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) is the promotion and development of effective regulatory frameworks with a support to the Nuclear Regulatory Authorities and their TSOs in all countries outside the European Union.
Objectives
The main objective of the project was the development and strengthening of the managerial and technical capabilities of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and its Technical Support Organisation. Strategy plans and programmes as well as cooperation projects were to be defined together with the partner in the context of the NRA creation / development strategies.
The project had the following specific objectives:
- Establishment / development of an Action Plan for cooperation in the field of capacity building for the enhancement of EAEA;
- Support in the establishment of independent Nuclear Regulatory Authority based on existing infrastructure;
- Assistance in the field of regulatory framework;
- Identification of basic safety requirements / criteria for nuclear plants based on IAEA standards and European experience;
- Strengthening and enhancing professional knowledge of NRA and its TSO;
- Strengthening and enhancing RB capability in Nuclear Safeguards.
Results
The project consisted of following four technical tasks:
- Task 1: Establishment / development of an Action Plan for cooperation in the field of capacity building for the enhancement of EAEA
- Task 2: Support in the establishment of independent NRA based on existing infrastructure
- Task 3: Assistance in the field of regulatory framework
- Task 4: Strengthening and enhancing professional knowledge of NRA and its TSO
- Task 5: Strengthening and enhancing NRA capability in Nuclear Safeguards
The results of the technical tasks are briefly summarised below.
TASK 1: ESTABLISHMENT / DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACTION PLAN FOR COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF EAEA
In this task, the NCNSRC Strategic Plan 2012-2014, Action Plan 2012-2014 and Cooperation Plan with EC 2012-2014 were prepared and issued. Further, support was provided for the preparation of the next EG/RA/02 Project, e.g. by drafting the technical part of its Terms of Reference.
TASK 2: SUPPORT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY AUTHORITY (NRA) BASED ON EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
In this task, EU experts provided valuable specific advice to the Egyptian NRA on how to establish an independent NRA. EU NRA’s presented concise and essential information about their organisational charts, legal basis of their regulatory functions, detailed objectives of their duties, functional charts, manpower development, enforcement procedures and responsibilities, documentation and flow of documents. Presentations and discussions took place also on five specific topics:
- RB organization and position in government,
- RB decision (approval, license) process,
- RB relations with “clients”,
- Information Management System, and
- Quality management System.
A topical report “Establishment and Organization of Nuclear Regulatory Authority; Main functions and other aspects” was prepared. The report provides NCNSRC with comprehensive information on situation of three EU NRAs which differ in several aspects of organizations and approaches. It can be used as short guidebook when a new NRA in Egypt is realized.
TASK 3: ASSISTANCE IN THE FIELD OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
EU experts made recommendations on 11 regulatory documents:
- Egyptian regulations for safety requirements of nuclear power plants: design;
- Management system requirements for nuclear facilities EREG-1 (quality manual);
- Egyptian regulations for safety requirements of nuclear power plants: operation;
- Regulatory requirements for emergency planning, preparedness and response in case of nuclear and radiological emergencies in Egypt;
- Accident management programmes requirements for nuclear power plants;
- Regulatory requirements for radiation protection of nuclear power plants In Egypt;
- Predisposal management of radioactive waste – general safety requirements;
- “General policy for” regulatory inspection practices in the Egyptian nuclear installations;
- NCNSRC requirements for NPP;
- Guidance notes on licensing of gamma and electron irradiators for industrial and research use; and
- Draft of regulation for licensing process of nuclear installations in Egypt.
On the basis of the comments coming from the European experts the Egyptian experts will produce revised documents.
The basic safety requirements before the tendering process of the NPP were presented by the Finnish, German and French regulatory bodies and discussed. Focus was given on licensing issues of the tendering process for a new NPP. This included also documents to be provided for bidding at the beginning of the licensing process and safety submittal documents to be provided at the beginning of the licensing process.
TASK 4: STRENGTHENING AND ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF NRA AND ITS TSO
In this task, assistance was provided 1) on the preparation of the review of the site assessment report for NPP to issue a site approval permit, and 2) on the preparation of the review and evaluation of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) for all stages.
Workshops allowed the Egyptian experts to draw conclusions on the Site Evaluation Report (SER) or site report with requirements and request for additional information. As it was concluded at the end of the workshops that the information given in the Site Report prepared by the applicant was not sufficient to deliver a site permit, request for additional information was written to be sent to the applicant.
The content of a Preliminary Safety Assessment Report (PSAR) and the general methodology to review it were presented to assist the beneficiary in acquiring the general method of evaluation of NPP SAR. This provided guidance to the Egyptian experts in their review and advice for the following steps of the review of the SAR, in particular for discussions with the applicant. It was pointed out that the training of inspectors is a key element for nuclear safety as they will have to be operational at the beginning of a NPP project for audits especially on mechanical equipment’s manufacturing and on the site of the construction.
Task 5: STRENGTHENING AND ENHANCING NRA CAPABILITY IN NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS
The NCNSRC participants acquired knowledge about the international and regional safeguards in general and particularly deep knowledge about national safeguards systems and the associated nuclear material accountancy and control functions of three EU Member States, two representing non-nuclear weapon States and one being a nuclear weapon State. Two training workshops focused on state of the art measurements for safeguards and nuclear forensics purposes.
The understanding of the national safeguards system and its various functions enables the Egypt experts to discuss the role, functions and needs of the Egyptian national system as well as to develop the required capacities of the regulatory authority. The discussions during this project about the implementation practices were helpful for assessing and understanding the organizational aspects and resource implications associated with the implementation of the national safeguards obligations.