International Experts´ Meeting on Decommissioning and Remediation after a Nuclear Accident
Vienna, Austria
28 January - 1 February 2013
Conference ID:
44453
(CN-211)
ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PAPERS
A. Background
Against the backdrop of the accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convened the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna, Austria, in June 2011. The Conference adopted a Ministerial Declaration which, inter alia, requested the Director General to prepare a draft Action Plan covering all the relevant aspects relating to nuclear safety, emergency preparedness and response, and radiation protection of people and the environment, as well as the relevant international legal framework.
On 22 September 2011, the IAEA General Conference unanimously endorsed the draft IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety approved by the Board of Governors. The Action Plan sets out a comprehensive programme of work, in 12 major areas, to strengthen nuclear safety worldwide. Under one of these areas, headed “Enhance transparency and effectiveness of communication and improve dissemination of information”, the IAEA Secretariat was requested to organize an International Experts’ Meeting (IEM) on decommissioning, cleanup and remediation of nuclear facilities and contaminated lands after a nuclear accident. This IEM is being organized in response to that request and will be jointly organized by the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security and Department of Nuclear Energy.
B. Objectives
The IEM will focus on the complex technical, societal, environmental and economic issues that need to be considered for decommissioning and remediation activities after a nuclear accident, specifically after the emergency exposure situation of an accident has been declared ended. The objective of the IEM is to assist Member States to prepare for and to be able to manage the consequences resulting from a nuclear accident.
The meeting will highlight the specific short term and long term issues that may need to be addressed during decommissioning of facilities and remediation of the off-site environment affected by a nuclear accident. It will be of interest to a wide range of experts, such as decision makers, regulators, operators, contractors, and technical support organizations that have responsibilities relating to these issues.
C. Topics
Accidents at nuclear facilities have occurred infrequently and have posed substantial decommissioning and remediation challenges to the owner/operator and the country where the accident occurred. Some of these accidents have had a major impact on the surrounding population and the environment, and in some cases have had transboundary implications. All these issues have challenged the technological and financial resources of the affected countries in particular, and the international community in general.
The meeting will address the fundamental questions about the preparation for and ability to manage the decommissioning and remediation challenges when the focus of attention in the aftermath of a nuclear accident shifts from emergency response to recovery activities; this would include technical, legal/regulatory, organizational and logistical issues. More specifically, the IEM will address the following topics:
- National and international frameworks for decommissioning and environmental remediation following accidents;
- Lessons learned from the dismantling of facilities and remediation of lands and water resources affected by past accidents, including constraints to further progress;
- Analysis of the remediation challenges that result from a major accident at a nuclear facility resulting in significant off-site contamination, including practical means to consider in remediating areas with variable land uses;
- Analysis of the decommissioning challenges that result from a major accident - strategy, planning and implementation of decommissioning and need for research and development;
- Management of materials and waste resulting from a nuclear accident - strategies to address large quantities of waste, waste with special characteristics and management of damaged fuel, fuel debris and corium ;
- The status of characterization, decommissioning and remediation efforts at the Fukushima Daiichi facility and adjacent lands;
- Optimization of remediation and decommissioning in a post-accident context; and
- International and national coordination/cooperation.
D. Format
The IEM will be held at the IAEA’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, from 28 January to 1 February 2013. An opening address will be delivered by a senior IAEA representative. The meeting will consist of an opening plenary session, topic-specific technical sessions, some of which are to be run in parallel, and a closing plenary session. Summaries of all the presentations and discussions, including lessons learned and recommendations for future activities, will be prepared by the Session Chairs and the IEM Chairperson. These will be presented at the closing plenary session of the IEM.
The meeting will include keynote presentations by invited international experts, selected oral presentations, panel discussions and poster presentations dealing with the topics identified in Section C above. The detailed programme will be made available on the IEM web page (Section K) in advance of the meeting.
E. Contributed Papers and Posters
Concise papers on issues falling within the topics outlined in Section C may be submitted as contributions to the IEM. All contributed papers must present original work and should not have been published elsewhere. There will be sessions at the IEM for those who have contributed a paper to give an oral presentation of their work.
(a) Submission of Extended Synopsis
Experts from Member States who wish to present a paper at the IEM must submit an extended synopsis (in English) of maximum 800 words (i.e. two A4 format pages of single spaced typing, or the equivalent, including any tables or diagrams and a few pertinent references) to be sent electronically to the general email address of the IEM Secretariat: iem4@iaea.org. These documents must be received by the IAEA by 12 October 2012. The synopsis should give enough information on the contents of the proposed paper to enable the Selection Committee to evaluate it. Introductory and general matters should not be included. The synopsis — if accepted — will be reproduced in the Book of Extended Synopses; the original must, therefore, be submitted as a camera-ready copy.
Authors are urged to make use of the Synopsis Template in Word format that will be available on the IEM web page.
(b) Acceptance of Papers
An extended synopsis will be considered only if the Participation Form (Form A) and Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B) have been received by the deadline and through the appropriate official channels.
Authors will be informed by 12 November 2012 whether their papers have been accepted by the Selection Committee on the basis of the extended synopsis submitted. Guidelines for the preparation of contributed papers will be provided at that time. The complete contributed papers must be submitted by 7 December 2012.|
Given the need to provide ample time for discussion, the number of contributed papers that can be accepted is limited. If the number of relevant and high quality papers submitted for selection exceeds the acceptable number, some of them may be selected for poster presentation. The IEM Secretariat reserves the right to exclude papers that do not comply with the IAEA’s quality standards and/or do not apply to one of the topics listed in Section C.
The proceedings of the IEM will be made available online to Member States through the IAEA Action Plan for Nuclear Safety dashboard:
http://www-ns.iaea.org/actionplan/default.asp
The proceedings will include the Chairs’ summaries, the presentations, the outcome of panel discussions and recommendations.
F. Participation
The IEM is targeted at international experts — in particular from regulatory authorities, public health authorities, facility operators and international organizations — concerned with planning and implementing decommissioning and remediation activities after an accident or unplanned event where there may be radiological consequences on-site and off-site.
All experts to be designated by Member States to participate in the meeting are requested to register online in advance through the IEM web page. In addition they are required to send a completed Participation Form (Form A) and, if applicable, the Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B) and the Grant Application Form (Form C) to the competent national authority (e.g. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) or to one of the organizations invited to participate, for subsequent transmission to the IAEA (email: official.mail@iaea.org).
A participant will be accepted only if the Participation Form is transmitted through the competent national authority of a Member State of the IAEA or by an organization invited to participate.
Participants whose official designations have been received by the IAEA will receive further information on the IEM approximately two months before the beginning of the meeting. This information will also be posted on the IEM web page.
G. Expenditures
No registration fee is charged to participants.
The IAEA is generally not in a position to bear the travel and other costs of designated participants in the meeting. The IAEA has, however, limited funds at its disposal to help meet the cost of attendance of selected specialists from Member States eligible to receive technical assistance under the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme. Such assistance may be offered, upon specific request, to one participant per country provided that in the IAEA’s view the participant will make an important contribution to the meeting. If governments wish to apply for a grant on behalf of one of their experts, they should address specific requests to the IAEA to this effect. Governments should ensure that applications for grants are submitted by 12 October 2012 and that they are accompanied by a duly completed and signed Grant Application Form (Form C).
Approved grants will be issued in the form of a lump sum payment that usually covers only part of the cost of attendance.
H. Working Language
The working language of the IEM will be English. All communications, extended synopses and full papers must be sent to the IAEA in English.
I. Visas
Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria at least four weeks before they travel to Austria. Since Austria is a Schengen State, persons requiring a visa will have to apply for a Schengen visa. In States where Austria has no diplomatic mission, visas can be obtained from the consular authority of a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the country in question.
J. IEM Secretariat
General address of the IEM Secretariat:
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 100
1400 VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Tel.: +43 1 2600
Fax: +43 1 2600 2007
Email: iem4@iaea.org
Scientific Secretaries of the IEM:
Mr John Rowat
Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22552
Fax: + 43 1 2600 722552
Email: iem4@iaea.org
Mr Gerhard Proehl
Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22854
Fax: + 43 1 2600 722854
Email: iem4@iaea.org
Mr Vladimir Michal
Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
Tel: +43 1 2600 26105
Fax: + 43 1 2600 726105
Email: iem4@iaea.org
Administration and organization:
Ms Julie Zellinger
Conference Services Section
Division of Conference and Document Services
IAEA-CN-211
Tel.: +43 1 2600 21321
Fax: +43 1 26007
Email: J.Zellinger@iaea.org
Subsequent correspondence on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretaries and correspondence on administrative matters to the IAEA Conference Services Section.
K. IEM Web Page
Please visit the IEM web page regularly for new information regarding the meeting:
http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/44453/International-Experts-Meeting-on-Decommissioning-and-Remediation-after-a-Nuclear-Accident
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