The progress being made within the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group in spent fuel and waste management has been recognised in a significant international forum.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management, held in Vienna, Austria, acknowledged 15 areas where the UK is demonstrating ‘good performance’ in the field.

A number of the areas to receive positive acknowledgement from the IAEA are being delivered across the NDA group, including:

• Defueling of Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors ahead of transfer to NDA ownership
• Removal of high volumes of legacy waste inventory from the Pile Fuel Storage Pond (PFSP) and the first zeolite skip removed from the First-Generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) at Sellafield
• Box Encapsulation Plant Product Store and Direct Import Facility (BEPPS-DIF) enters active commissioning at Sellafield
• Acquiring a marine 3D seismic survey to image geology for potential Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) construction, delivered by Nuclear Waste Services (NWS)
• The use of robots at Dounreay to support decommissioning of the former nuclear power station, delivered by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS)
• The UK’s approach to sustainability across the nuclear industry

Supporting the UK delegation at the eighth triennial convention, which brought together a host of signatory nations, were Clive Nixon, the NDA’s Group Chief Nuclear Strategy Officer; Mark Foy, Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector at the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR); and Jo Nettleton, Chief Regulator at the Environment Agency.

In addition to reflecting on achievements over the past three years, the convention also identified a number of themes against which progress will be measured at the next meeting in 2028, including emergency preparedness, use of emerging technologies and public engagement.

Clive Nixon said:

We were pleased to come together with international counterparts at the Joint Convention, and to have our progress recognised in this forum is testament to the skill and innovation across our group.

Collaborating and engaging with international partners enables us to accelerate our mission by sharing knowledge about common opportunities and challenges.

Through these forums, we share best practice and innovative approaches to decommissioning and for the management of radioactive waste so that together we can make the world a safer place.

The full summary report is available here.