On November 19-21, 2024, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center together with the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee hosted the expert team of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) within the framework of the national workshop held in Armenia․ The purpose of the workshop was to get acquainted with the process of applying the TOSCA tool for self-assessment and its results․ The Center presented the results of its self-assessment and SWOT analysis to IAEA experts. The results of further discussions and analyses were summarized in the report of recommendations and findings published by the IAEA expert group, which will later serve as the basis for the development of the Action Plan. The experience of the Center for the application of the TOSCA tool will be presented at the IAEA during the international conference, which will take place on December 2-6, in Vienna/ Austria.
Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA) hosted the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority representatives. The guests together with experts of the ANRA and Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center will visit the ANPP, «Radioactive Waste Storage Facility» CJSC, and some healthcare organizations providing radiation therapy. As a result of the visit, a Memorandum of cooperation and mutual understanding between the regulatory bodies of Armenia and Sweden will be prepared. «Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center» CJSC will cooperate with the Swedish Regulatory Authority in the areas of radioactive waste management, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy, as well as training and retraining of specialists.
Leading specialist on radiation safety from NRSC Arpi Khachatryan participated in the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, where a discussion was held on the potential effects of introducing new operational quantities and units of external radiation measurements, presented in the 95th Report of the Implications of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU). Issues discussed included the benefits of introducing new metrics, implementation challenges, and the time needed to adopt them. In her speech, Arpi Khachatryan referred to the challenges in the field of radiation safety that small countries like Armenia face. NRSC continues its active participation in international discussions and is committed to being an active player in supporting the development of radiation protection standards.
Representative of NRSC participated in the international workshop regarding the exchange of experiences on the topics of Radioactive Waste Management and the handling of orphan radioactive sources for the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The workshop was part of the project “Support of the BMUV within the Framework of International Cooperation in the Field of Radioactive Waste Management in Eastern Europe” with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, Nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz, BMUV). During the workshop, the NRSC representative presented a report on the Armenian experience in the detection and handling of radioactive sources.
Երևանը պաշտոնապես դիմել է Վաշինգտոնին միջուկային հարցերում համագործակցելու համար, ԱՄՆ-ն ուսումնասիրում է Հայաստանի դիմումը։ Եթե Նահանգները հաստատի հայտը, Հայաստանը կարող է ստանալ ամերիկյան քաղաքացիական միջուկային տեխնոլոգիաներ՝ նոր ատոմակայան կառուցելու համար։ Դիմումը հաստատելու կամ մերժելու հնարավոր ժամկետների մասին ոչինչ չի հաղորդվել։ «Տեղեկատվությունը Հայաստանին փոխանցելու համար հարկավոր է որոշակի պարտավորություններ վերցնել՝ հայկական կողմը պետք է պարտավորություններ վերցնի, և հենց այդ, այսպես կոչված, 123 համաձայնագրի նպատակներից մեկն էլ դա է, որ մենք միանալով այդ համաձայնագրին՝ պարտավորվում ենք ինֆորմացիան, տեղեկատվությունը երրորդ կողմին չփոխանցել», – «Ազատության» հետ զրույցում ասաց Միջուկային և ռադիացիոն անվտանգության գիտատեխնիկական կենտրոնի ղեկավար Արմեն Ամիրջանյանը: Ավելի մանրամասն կարդալ այստեղ։
The representative of the NRSC radiation safety team participated in the prestigious 65th annual meeting of the «Institute of Nuclear Materials Management», this time held in Portland, USA, from 22-26 July. During the meeting, the experience of the NRSC regarding MORC (Materials Out of Regulatory Control) and DSRS (Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources) management was presented. The representative of the center was awarded a one-year right to «Institute of Nuclear Materials Management» membership and the right of the prestigious JNMM «Journal of Nuclear Materials Management» Correspondent Member and Editor.
The meeting among the «Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center» and IAEA representatives was held from June 25-26, in Yerevan. The visit aimed to introduce the new innovative tool (TOSCA), designed to self-assess the capabilities of scientific and technical organizations supporting national regulatory bodies. The IAEA will provide appropriate support for implementing the self-assessment exercise upon request from the Member States.
By the decision N 326 of March 7, 2024, the Government of the Republic of Armenia approved the document “Parameters that are subject for review during assessment and expertise of environmental impact of objects important for atomic energy purposes” developed and authored by the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center. The document provides basis for environmental radiological impact assessment of objects important for atomic energy purposes during normal and potential emergency situations taking into account internationally approved approaches.
