Representatives from the 72 nations that use civilian nuclear power convened in Vienna Monday in a meeting held once every three years to discuss safety.
This year’s 10-day gathering of signators to the Convention on Nuclear Safety takes on particular significance as Japan struggles to regain control of blacked-out reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukia Amano was quoted as saying in his opening remarks that "we cannot take a 'business as usual' approach … Rigorous adherence to the most robust international safety standards and full transparency, in good times and bad, are vital for restoring and maintaining public confidence in nuclear power."
The convention, formed in 1996, provides a forum for regulators to identify best practices and share information on the best ways to prevent accidents at nuclear plants. A side meeting has been scheduled at this year’s confab to discuss the Fukushima Daiichi accident specifically. The IAEA also has scheduled a separate ministerial conference in June that will consider policy and technical issues related to plant emergency preparedness and oversight.
Among those in attendance, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko and the heads of European regulatory groups reassured reporters that plants in their countries are adhering to current safety standards.