Year
2016
Abstract
IAEA safeguards is struggling with a financial challenge: regular budget is stagnating while new member states plan to include nuclear energy in their energy mix. These states are called “the newcomer states”. To solve this problem IAEA has initiated an ambitious program to raise awareness about non-proliferation regime and producing and publishing guidance oriented to the professionals in the newcomer states. Finnish Support Programme to the IAEA safeguards (FINSP) supports this mission in two ways. Firstly, FINSP is planning and hosting, together with the IAEA, so called 3S courses to the newcomer states. These courses provide practical level information on the most important aspects needed when a state is taking its steps towards application of nuclear energy. Special emphasis is on operator-regulator interface and implementation of safety, security safeguards, emergency preparedness and public relations. Both the Finnish regulator and the operators have participated in arranging the courses in cooperation. The goal has been to provide a comprehensive view on what is required to run a successful nuclear energy program. So far, two courses have been arranged in Finland, the first in 2012 and the second on 2014. Secondly, FINSP has actively contributed to the development of Safeguards implementation Guides. In 2016 FINSP will participate the outreach activities, which will be organized by the IAEA to make these newly published guides better known in member states.