مؤتمر الوكالة المعني بالتصرُّف في الوقود المستهلَك يختتم أعماله بتسليم جوائز إلى مهنيين شبّان

The conference, held from 24 to 28 June, attracted over 250 participants and observers from 45 IAEA Member States and seven organizations. The hand-over of the awards was one of the highlights of the event.

“Holding this conference regularly enables the spent fuel community to keep the momentum and underline the message that the safe, secure and sustainable management of spent fuel is a must – not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is the key to the future of nuclear energy,” said IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, Juan Carlos Lentijo. “Regular conferences on spent fuel management help the Agency develop and adjust its activities related to this topic.”

During the closing session, Susan Pickering, Director Emeritus of Sandia National Laboratories, underlined the importance of sharing data, operational experience, and collaboration in research, and how its development and implementation can lead to attainable solutions.

Hilda Mpakany, a technical officer from the Kenyan Nuclear Power and Energy Agency, emphasized the importance of the conference for newcomers in nuclear power. “As a participant from an embarking country, this conference enabled me to visualize the management of spent fuel in a broader perspective – which is very useful for my country as it sets up the necessary infrastructure for the safe management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel,” she said.