Technical Meeting on Knowledge Management Issues in Decommissioning, Remediation and Related Waste Management
Karlsruhe, Germany
2–6 November 2015
Conference ID:
50443
(TM)
Announcement
A. Background
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to work with Member States to draw conclusions and lessons learned from past experience in nuclear energy, to develop a better understanding of current and emerging challenges, and to work collectively to ensure that the economic and humanitarian benefits of nuclear energy can be achieved in a safe and sustainable manner.
Following the adoption of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety (see IAEA document GOV/2011/59- GC(55)/14), the IAEA was requested to assist Member States in strengthening and maintaining the effective management and use of nuclear design basis knowledge and information over the entire life cycle for licensed nuclear facilities, including conceptual design, detailed design, licence review, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, upgrades, life extension, refurbishment and decommissioning.
With the growing number of nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities reaching or approaching the decommissioning phase, it is timely to gather and share knowledge, lessons learned and good practices in facility decommissioning, waste management and site remediation. Issues such as preservation of facility design knowledge, preservation of historical records, knowledge transfer to future workforce generations, and assuring the competence of personnel involved in decommissioning and site remediation activities can be especially challenging in cases of a deferred dismantling strategy, whereby active decommissioning only starts after a lengthy period of safe enclosure of the plant (sometimes lasting decades).
There are a number of specialized organizations and companies that typically provide the services related to various aspects or phases of decommissioning and/or environmental remediation (D&ER) projects as the operating organizations normally possess only limited knowledge of relevant technologies and processes. Because of this, there is a need to address the issue of assisting the operating organizations in the development and implementation of knowledge management (KM) policies and programmes for the plant personnel and contractor personnel involved in various phases of D&ER activities. Assurance of the competence of plant personnel and contractors, including their knowledge retention and transfer, needs to be addressed. Another issue to be addressed is the safe management of radioactive waste that is generated during implementation of both decommissioning and environmental remediation activities.
In some D&ER projects, attention has largely focused on the technical aspects, with relatively little attention being given to knowledge transfer related issues. One of the keys to success is the competence building of personnel, including their training, to maintain and develop the knowledge and skills required for specific D&ER tasks, including the environmental impact on the sites. On the other hand, the appropriate use of operating personnel’s knowledge of the facility and its systems is invaluable for the successful implementation of D&ER activities. Both appropriate human resource management and KM are important.
The development through knowledge transfer of the next generation of workers to meet future D&ER needs will be a major challenge for many Member States.
B. Objectives
The objectives of this meeting are to:
• Discuss issues and challenges faced by Member States in relation to KM for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the remediation of contaminated sites, and approaches and methodologies to address these;
• Give special consideration to issues and challenges emerging in legacy sites, where responsibilities may not be clearly defined;
• Separately address issues related to facilities or sites after accidents, as these present distinctive challenges (in such cases, plant operational knowledge is less important, and significant effort may be required to construct a new knowledge base);
• Explore the need to create an enhanced community of practice on KM for D&ER;
• Consider the need to provide and manage education to attract and prepare experts for D&ER needs; and
• Discuss and review a preliminary report on challenges in, and approaches to, nuclear knowledge management for D&ER.
C. Target Audience
The meeting will bring together technical experts concerned with the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and environmental remediation of these sites, who are interested or involved in KM issues. Approximately 60 participants from the invited countries and international organizations are expected to attend. These may be from nuclear design or vendor organizations, national nuclear regulators, nuclear utility owners and operators, nuclear owner’s groups, nuclear research and development organizations, education, training or technical support organizations, as well as specialized consultancy agencies.
The meeting will include presentations and discussions, panel reviews and working sessions. All designated participants will be expected to give relevant presentations and be actively involved in discussions, panel reviews, case study development and other activities to be organized during or as follow-up to the meeting.
D. Outputs of the Meeting
The outputs of the meeting will comprise:
• Case studies reporting experience, approaches, good practices and lessons learned in KM related to the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the remediation of contaminated sites in Member States; Participants are invited to share their experience through papers and presentations in the format of case studies;, following, as far as possible, the attached template (Revised).
• An updated draft report addressing issues and challenges faced by Member States, highlighting good practices, approaches and lessons learned, substantiated through the collection and appraisal of the case studies (as per the first item);
• An outline of proposed initiatives, including the establishment of a wiki-like repository and a short term action plan for its development; and
• Recommendations and guidance to relevant stakeholders on further actions and developments.
E. Working Language
The working language of the meeting will be English with no interpretation provided. All communications and papers must be submitted in this language.
F. Administrative and Financial Arrangements
Designating Governments will be informed in due course of the names of the selected candidates and will be given full details on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters.
The cost of the meeting will be borne by the IAEA; no registration fee is charged to the participants. The IAEA is generally not in a position to bear the travel and other costs of participants in the meeting. The IAEA has, however, limited funds at its disposal to help meet the cost of attendance of certain participants from less developed countries. Such assistance may be offered upon specific request to normally one participant per country. The application for financial support should be made at the time of designating the participant.
The organizers of the meeting do not accept liability for the payment of any cost or compensation that may arise from damage to or loss of personal property, or from illness, injury, disability or death of a participant while he/she is travelling to and from or attending the meeting. It is understood that each Government, in designating participants, undertakes responsibility for such coverage. Governments are advised to take out insurance against these risks.
G. Application Procedure
Designations may be submitted using the attached Participation Form (Form A). Completed forms (Forms A, B and C) should be endorsed by the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Atomic Agency or office of the United Nations Development Programme) and returned through the established official channels. They must be received at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria, not later than 18 September 2015. Designations received after this date or applications which have not been routed through one of the aforementioned channels cannot be considered.
Advance designations by fax (+43 1 2600 7), or email (Official.Mail@iaea.org) are welcome. The fax/email should contain the following basic information about the candidate: name, age, academic qualifications, present position (including exact nature of duties carried out), proficiency in English and complete contact details (including postal address, telephone/fax numbers, and email address).
H. Visas
Designated participants who require a visa to enter Germany should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Germany as soon as possible.
I. Local Arrangements
The meeting will be held at the Center for Advanced Technological and Environmental Training (FTU) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Campus North, Hermann von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, and will start on Monday, 2 November 2015, and end on Friday, 6 November 2015. The meeting agenda, together with information on local arrangements, will be sent to designated participants once the completed Participation Forms have been received.
Two parallel technical visits to the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) are included in the programme (KATRIN Experiment, Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities and Waste Management on the Karlsruhe Site).
For questions regarding logistics arrangements (hotel, transportation, visa, etc.), please contact sibylle.mann@kit.edu at KIT (Revised).
J. Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre
PO Box 100
1400 VIENNA AUSTRIA IAEA Scientific Secretaries
Ms Maria Elena URSO
Nuclear Knowledge Management Section Department of Nuclear Energy
Tel.: +43 1 2600 26579
Email: M.Urso@iaea.org
Mr Vladimir MICHAL
Waste Technology Section
Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
Department of Nuclear Energy Tel.: +43 1 2600 26105
Email: V.Michal@iaea.org
IAEA Administrative Secretary
Ms Rita OGUNFOJURI
Nuclear Knowledge Management Section Department of Nuclear Energy
Tel.: +43 1 2600 24672
Email: R.Ogunfojuri@iaea.org
Center for Advanced Technological and Environmental Training (FTU) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Campus North
Hermann von Helmholtz-Platz 1
76344 EGGENSTEIN-LEOPOLDSHAFEN GERMANY
http://www.kit.edu/kit/english/index.php
Local Coordinator:
Ms Sybille MANN
Center for Advanced Technological and Environmental Training (FTU)
Tel.: +49 (0)721 608 2 3272
Fax: +49 (0)721 608 2 4857
Email: sibylle.mann@kit.edu
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