0 Standard / 03. IAEA / IAEA NG-G-3.1 (Rev. 2) PUB2073_web

IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES PUBLICATIONS

STRUCTURE OF THE IAEA NUCLEAR ENERGY SERIES

Under the terms of Articles III.A.3 and VIII.C of its Statute, the IAEA is authorized to “foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on the peaceful uses of atomic energy”. The publications in the IAEA Nuclear Energy Series present good practices and advances in technology, as well as practical examples and experience in the areas of nuclear reactors, the nuclear fuel cycle, radioactive waste management and decommissioning, and on general issues relevant to nuclear energy. The IAEA Nuclear Energy Series is structured into four levels:

(1)The Nuclear Energy Basic Principles publication describes the rationale and vision for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

(2)Nuclear Energy Series Objectives publications describe what needs to be considered and the specific goals to be achieved in the subject areas at different stages of implementation.

(3)Nuclear Energy Series Guides and Methodologies provide high level guidance or methods on how to achieve the objectives related to the various topics and areas involving the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

(4)Nuclear Energy Series Technical Reports provide additional, more detailed information on activities relating to topics explored in the

IAEA Nuclear Energy Series.

Each publication undergoes internal peer review and is made available to Member States for comment prior to publication.

The IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications are coded as follows: NG – nuclear energy general; NR – nuclear reactors (formerly NP– nuclear power); NF – nuclear fuel cycle; NW – radioactive waste management and decommissioning. In addition, the publications are available in English on the IAEA web site:

www.iaea.org/publications

For further information, please contact the IAEA at Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100, 1400 Vienna, Austria.

All users of the IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications are invited to inform the IAEA of their experience for the purpose of ensuring that they continue to meet user needs. Information may be provided via the IAEA web site, by post, or by email to Official.Mail@iaea.org.

MILESTONES IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR

NUCLEAR POWER

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All IAEA scientific and technical publications are protected by the terms of the Universal Copyright Convention as adopted in 1952 (Geneva) and as revised in 1971 (Paris). The copyright has since been extended by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) to include electronic and virtual intellectual property. Permission may be required to use whole or parts of texts contained in IAEA publications in printed or electronic form. Please see www.iaea.org/publications/rights-and-permissions for more details. Enquiries may be addressed to:

Publishing Section

International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna International Centre

PO Box 100

1400 Vienna, Austria

tel.: +43 1 2600 22529 or 22530 email: sales.publications@iaea.org www.iaea.org/publications

© IAEA, 2024

Printed by the IAEA in Austria June 2024

STI/PUB/2073 https://doi.org/10.61092/iaea.zjau-e8cs

IAEA Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Names: International Atomic Energy Agency.

Title: Milestones in the development of a national infrastructure for nuclear power / International Atomic Energy Agency.

Description: Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2024. | Series: IAEA nuclear energy series, ISSN 1995–7807 ; no. NG-G-3.1 (Rev. 2) | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: IAEAL 23-01631 | ISBN ISBN 978-92-0-150223-0 (paperback : alk. paper) | ISBN 978-92-0-150423-4 (pdf) | ISBN 978-92-0-150323-7 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Radiation — Safety measures. | Nuclear power plants — Safety measures. | Nuclear power plants — Management.

Classification: UDC 621.039 | STI/PUB/2073

FOREWORD

The IAEA’s statutory role is to “seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world”. Among other functions, the IAEA is authorized to “foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on peaceful uses of atomic energy”. One way this is achieved is through a range of technical publications including the IAEA Nuclear Energy Series.

The IAEA Nuclear Energy Series comprises publications designed to further the use of nuclear technologies in support of sustainable development, to advance nuclear science and technology, catalyse innovation and build capacity to support the existing and expanded use of nuclear power and nuclear science applications. The publications include information covering all policy, technological and management aspects of the definition and implementation of activities involving the peaceful use of nuclear technology. While the guidance provided in IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications does not constitute Member States’ consensus, it has undergone internal peer review and been made available to Member States for comment prior to publication.

The IAEA safety standards establish fundamental principles, requirements and recommendations to ensure nuclear safety and serve as a global reference for protecting people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

When IAEA Nuclear Energy Series publications address safety, it is ensured that the IAEA safety standards are referred to as the current boundary conditions for the application of nuclear technology.

Energy is essential for development. Nearly every aspect of development — from reducing poverty and raising living standards to improving health care and industrial and agricultural productivity — requires access to modern energy sources. Current forecasts suggest that global electricity use will increase substantially by 2050, with most of the growth in developing countries. Many IAEA Member States that do not have access to nuclear power have expressed an interest in introducing it in order to meet their energy needs without increasing reliance on fossil fuels.

The wide range of infrastructure issues that need to be considered when introducing nuclear power were described in the 2007 publication IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NG-G 3.1, Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power, which laid out a three phase sequential process for developing a nuclear power programme. It provided a detailed description of all infrastructure issues to be addressed and the expected level of achievement for each issue by the end of each phase. The publication was well received and widely used, and its framework and terminology have been broadly adopted.

In 2015, the IAEA published a revised version (Rev. 1) to reflect several developments since the original publication. The revision incorporated practical lessons from missions based on the Milestones approach that were carried out in countries introducing or expanding nuclear power as part of the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) service. It also considered lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident and from the implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, and expanded the publication’s original focus on a competitive bidding process to include approaches involving, for example, strategic partners and sole suppliers, and direct negotiations through intergovernmental agreements.

Since the publication of the first revision, another 19 INIR missions have been conducted, including the first two Phase 3 INIR missions, and two embarking countries that developed their national programmes using the Milestones approach have started operating their first units. Other embarking countries are currently in the stage of negotiating contracts with technology providers or are in an advanced stage of construction and infrastructure development. Several new IAEA publications on specific infrastructure issues have also been published in the interim. These changes are covered in the present revision (Rev. 2).

This revision also considers the recent developments on small and medium sized or modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are nuclear installations and, in that regard, the 19 infrastructure issues of the Milestones approach generally apply. However, this publication addresses, as appropriate, aspects of the infrastructure that can be implemented or considered differently in the context of SMR deployment. The publication includes an annex outlining the specific infrastructure considerations for SMRs, with a focus on a subset of SMRs that are in an advanced stage of development, such as integrated pressurized water reactors and high temperature gas cooled reactors.

This publication can be used by embarking countries and by countries seeking to expand an existing nuclear power programme to help to assess their preparedness. Suppliers, nuclear energy agencies and utilities may also find assessments based upon this publication useful. Such assessments could build confidence that the relevant entities in these countries are able to regulate, construct and operate nuclear power plants safely and securely.

The guidance included here is provided within the context of the IAEA’s other guidance and materials relevant to nuclear power development. These include IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG 16 (Rev. 1), Establishing the Safety Infrastructure for a Nuclear Power Programme; IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 19, Establishing the Nuclear Security Infrastructure for a Nuclear Power Programme; and IAEA Services Series No. 21, Guidance for States Implementing Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols.

The IAEA officers responsible for this revision were J. Bastos, M. Ceyhan and M. Kovachev of the Division of Nuclear Power.

EDITORIAL NOTE

Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information contained in this publication, neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use.

This publication does not address questions of responsibility, legal or otherwise, for acts or omissions on the part of any person.

Guidance and recommendations provided here in relation to identified good practices represent expert opinion but are not made on the basis of a consensus of all Member States.

The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries.

The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA.

The IAEA has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third party Internet web sites referred to in this book and does not guarantee that any content on such web sites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.