An international review of the Czech Republic's regulatory framework for nuclear power has been significantly enhanced in recent years, although some work remains regarding implementation of the country's new Atomic Act, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday.
An IAEA team of experts reviewed the country's regulatory framework during an eight-day follow up mission that was hosted by the government and the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SUJB), the national regulatory office for nuclear power in the Republic.
“The IRRS team found that most recommendations made by an IRRS mission in 2013 had been implemented. The Atomic Act, in force since the start of 2017, and the development of supporting regulatory decrees based on IAEA safety standards represent significant achievements in this regard,” the UN-based agency said.
Petteri Tiippana, leader of the IAEA mission and director general of the Finnish nuclear regulator STUK, called the Atomic Act “a good foundation for a robust safety framework.” The agency noted that the action plan to address issues raised in the prior regulatory review was comprehensive. “We noted improvements in human resources management, including long-term strategic planning, competence mapping and staff training,” Tiippana said.
The country operates six nuclear power reactors. Four of these, at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, are VVER-440-213 designs, while two at the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant are VVER-1000 designs. About a third of the county's electricity generation comes from nuclear power, the IAEA noted.
The team recommended the country continue towards full implementation of its regulatory framework and added a new goal for the country's regulatory agency. “In addition, the IRRS team provided one new suggestion for improvement, indicating that SUJB should consider developing regulations to support the implementation of provisions in the Atomic Act on existing exposure situations and remedial activities.”
On the positive side, the review found increased cooperation among various agencies – the Ministry of Health, SUJB and others – that was implemented the Working Group on Medical Exposure. The nation's regulator has also made progress in inspections and enforcement procedures and applauded the use of web conferencing to engage the public in SUJB activities.