1. BACKGROUND

This is a follow-up of the Technical Meetings/Workshops in Vienna on “Milestones for Nuclear Power Infrastructure Development” and “Issues for the Introduction of Nuclear Power” held at the IAEA’s Headquarters in November 2007 and December 2006. This Technical Meeting/Workshop is an opportunity for Member States to exchange views on current infrastructure development topics, in particular:

a) a new IAEA Technical Report on Evaluation of the National Nuclear Infrastructure Development Status, planned to be published in September 2008, and
b) a new IAEA Technical Report on the Responsibilities and Competencies of Nuclear Power Implementing Organizations, planned to be published in December 2008.

The evaluation publication is intended to complement the publication Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power (NG-G-3.1, 2007), which lays out guidance on the comprehensive infrastructure needed to introduce nuclear power addressing 19 issues over three phases. The Milestones publication describes the conditions to be achieved in support of a nuclear power programme at each phase. The Evaluation publication gives further information that will help a Member State determine when it has reached a Milestone for each technical issue.

Safety is a major component of the majority of the 19 issues identified in a comprehensive infrastructure for nuclear power. Because it is an essential part of any comprehensive program, the workshop will also highlight the importance of integrating safety while implementing a comprehensive infrastructure programme.

The organization in a member state that coordinates the activities in the early phases is a key element of a nuclear power programme’s planning. This organization has been described in Agency publications as the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO). The workshop will also provide information and examples on the responsibilities and competencies of the NEPIO and how it contributes to achieving Milestone 1, when a Government makes a knowledgeable commitment to nuclear power.

It is expected that over 100 participants from about 40 Member States will attend.

2. OBJECTIVES

1) To review issues related to evaluating a national readiness for nuclear power implementation, as presented in the forthcoming publication entitled Evaluation of the National Nuclear Infrastructure Development Status.
2) To further understand the relationship between comprehensive infrastructure development, safety elements of infrastructure development, and the importance of implementing organizations in the early stages of a programme
3) To enable participating countries and the IAEA to develop a comprehensive understanding of the concerns and needs of Member States introducing nuclear power;
4) To gain insight into the early stages of infrastructure development and especially the role, responsibilities and competencies of the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization;
5) To provide an opportunity for some Member States to present the results of their self evaluations to stimulate discussion of lessons learned and improvements to the evaluation process.

3. SCOPE AND MAJOR ISSUES

• National infrastructure wide range of hard (grid, facilities, etc) and soft issues (legal, regulatory, training, etc) needed for the first nuclear power plant (NPP) project.
• Evaluation approach for determining readiness to introduce nuclear power programmes.
• Responsibilities and competencies of implementing organizations.

4. PARTICIPATION

• Representatives from Member States interested in developing the first NPP or expanding nuclear power programmes.
• Representatives from Member States who are supplier countries or other countries with an interest in the future application of nuclear energy.

Level of participation:
Senior representatives of responsible energy supply Ministries
Senior Executives of power companies
Senior Directors of Atomic Energy Commissions or equivalent
Heads of Regulatory Bodies (Nuclear, Environmental or Commercial)
Senior Executives of international and national financial institutions

All persons wishing to participate in the Technical Meeting/Workshop must complete a Participation Form (see attached Form A) and send it as soon as possible to the competent authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for subsequent transmission to the IAEA. A participant will be accepted only if the Participation Form is transmitted through the government of a Member State to the IAEA by 1 September 2008.

Participants whose official designations have been received by the IAEA will receive confirmation that they have been accepted by 13 October 2008. Further information on the Technical Meeting/Workshop, including a preliminary programme, will be sent to participants approximately one month before the meeting.

5. EXPENDITURES

No registration fee is charged to participants.

Limited funds may be available to help cover the costs of participants from Member States eligible to receive technical assistance under the IAEA technical cooperation programme. Such assistance may be offered depending upon the availability of funds, upon specific request, to one or two participants per country, provided that, in the IAEA’s view, these participants will make an important contribution to the Technical Meeting/Workshop and represent different national organizations. The applications for financial support should be made at the time of designation of the participants.

Additional participants would be possible and welcomed also from other countries; however the IAEA will not pay the cost of attendance, i.e. travel and living expenses, of those participants.

Governments wishing to apply for a grant on behalf of a participant should address specific requests to the IAEA Secretariat. Governments should ensure that applications for grants:

(a) are submitted by 1 September 2008
(b) are accompanied by a duly completed and signed Grant Application Form (Form C) available from the Technical Meeting/Workshop web page.

Applications that do not comply with conditions (a) and (b) cannot be considered.

The grants awarded will be in the form of lump sums that usually cover only part of the cost of attendance.

6. TECHNICAL MEETING/WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS

The proceedings of the Technical Meeting/Workshop will be produced as a CD by the IAEA as soon as possible after the meeting.

7. WORKING LANGUAGES

The working language of the Technical Meeting/Workshop will be English.

8. ACCOMMODATION

Detailed information on accommodation and other information of interest will be sent to all designated participants before the meeting and will also be available on the web page:
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.asp?ConfID=35095

9. VISAS

Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application(s) to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as early as possible but at least one month before the meeting.

10. SECRETARIAT

The address of the Secretariat is:

International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
P.O. Box 100
Wagramer Strasse 5
1400 Vienna, Austria
Telephone No.: +43 1 2600 plus extension or 0 for operator
Telefax No.: +43 1 26007
Electronic mail: official.mail@iaea.org


Scientific Secretary:
Ms Anne Starz, Division of Nuclear Power
Tel: +43 1 2600 26742
E-mail: A.Starz@iaea.org

Administrative Support: Ms June Mueller-Yu, Division of Nuclear Power
Tel: +43 1 2600 22792
E-mail: Y.K.Mueller-Yu@iaea.org

11. TECHNICAL MEETING/WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Please visit the IAEA site for information regarding this at:

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.asp?ConfID=35095