NRSC specialists Satine Vardanyan and Karen Haroyan attended the 37th Annual Regulatory Information Conference in Washington, D.C. In addition to participating in the conference, the Armenian delegation held high-level meetings with the newly appointed Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), David A. Wright, as well as Commissioners Christopher T. Hanson and Matthew J. Marzano. Key discussion topics included the operational life extension of the Armenian NPP’s 2nd Unit, future decommissioning plans, spent nuclear fuel management, and the construction of new nuclear reactors in Armenia. The delegation also addressed the need to enhance the training and capabilities of NRSC staff. Armenian specialists provided insights into the current state of nuclear safety in Armenia, outlining challenges and potential solutions. NRC Chairman David A. Wright and the commissioners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Armenia’s nuclear safety efforts, particularly in regulatory and defence areas. Discussions focused on strategies to overcome current challenges, strengthen personnel training, and modernise the regulatory framework. NRC officials also invited Armenian specialists to participate in the review and analysis of design documents for small modular reactors. Satine Vardanyan and Karen Haroyan met with American colleagues from Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Advanced Systems Technology and Management, Inc. (AdSTM) to explore opportunities for further cooperation, specialised training programs, and professional development initiatives for NRSC staff. NRSC values such engagements, recognising their crucial role in strengthening international collaboration and enhancing Armenia’s nuclear energy regulatory capabilities.
The International Conference on Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security Through Technical and Scientific Support Organizations (TSOs): Challenges and Opportunities in a Rapidly Changing World was hosted at the Headquarters in Vienna from 2-6 December 2024. It brought together experts from all over the world to exchange the best practices and enhance the technical and scientific capacities of TSOs to enhance and promote their potential contribution to the nuclear and radiation safety and security of facilities and activities. The special session was devoted to the IAEA-developed TSO Self-Capability Assessment Methodology aimed to assess and further develop the TSO scientific and technical capabilities, and evaluate how these are developed, sustained and applied in regulatory functions. The tool is of high interest for the TSOs worldwide and many Member States expressed their desire to implement it in their TSOs. In 2024 TSO self-assessment with the TOSCA toll was concluded in 2 countries – Armenia and Ghana. NRSC representative Marina Simonyan participated in the special session. She shared with the participants the company’s experience of conducting self-assessment with the IAEA-developed tool. The results of the self-assessment were discussed with the IAEA expert team during the National Workshop held in Armenia on 19-21 November 2024 and summarized in the recommendations, which will serve as a basis to develop an “Action plan” for their implementation.
