A number of IAEA Member States generate relatively small quantities of radioactive waste and/or disused sealed sources in research or in the application of nuclear techniques in medicine and industry. This publication presents a modular approach to the design of waste processing and storage facilities to address the needs of such Member States with a cost effective and flexible solution that allows easy adjustment to changing needs in terms of capacity and variety of waste streams. The key feature of the publication is the provision of practical guidance to enable the users to determine their waste processing and storage requirements, specify those requirements to allow the procurement of the appropriate processing and storage modules and install and eventually operate those modules.

This publication addresses specific considerations for proliferation resistance and safeguards for small and medium sized reactors (SMRs). It describes the framework analysis through comparing and harmonizing the Generation IV International Forum and the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles methodologies, defines the proliferation resistance assessment and safeguards by design approach and presents the current implementation of proliferation resistance measures in innovative SMRs. The appendices include information on the example of a procedure to support a facility’s analysis of the safeguarding situation in support of safeguards by design, and a template listing required proliferation resistance related design information. An overview of SMR design and development activities and state perspectives is given in the annexes.

This publication has been developed with the aim of translating the complex technical terminology and approaches embodied in the planning and implementation of environmental remediation programmes into a more accessible language. The objective is to help environmental remediation implementers and regulators engage and sustain dialogue with different stakeholders while developing a decision making process regarding the implementation of environmental remediation programmes. The publication deals with the technical and non-technical dimensions of environmental remediation and makes available experiences on how to proceed with communication and stakeholder engagement in environmental remediation programmes.

This publication provides a holistic approach to environmental protection in new nuclear power programmes. It describes the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, the subsequent utilization of the EIA, and the necessary infrastructure for such processes. The presumption is that a Member State embarking on such a programme already has an environmental regulatory framework in place, which may not be developed for nuclear power but instead for industrial projects; therefore the emphasis is on the environmental aspects that are unique to a nuclear power plant project. The publication is addressed to senior managers, project managers or coordinators and technical specialists of government authorities and agencies, including the regulatory body, operating organizations and supporting industries and other organizations involved in environmental issues.

In recent years, mobile systems have increasingly been deployed for the processing of different types of radioactive waste. Such systems offer flexibility in selection and application of the optimum technology for a specific waste stream by bringing the process to the point where the waste is generated, with the additional benefit that there can be equipment sharing among multiple generating sites. This publication provides the basic information on utilization of mobile systems for waste processing and introduces a methodology for the assessment required to determine the viability of mobile systems for specific applications. In addition, it informs the reader on the accurate assessment of mobile systems that employ one or more technologies. The target audience is professionals involved in the planning, selection, design, deployment and regulation of radioactive waste processing facilities.

Environmental remediation, in the context of legacy sites, is being carried out in IAEA Member States at different paces. There is already significant experience and expertise present from around the world as nuclear and associated facilities are closed and move through the decommissioning and environmental remediation phases. Methodological approaches and remediation technologies have been developed to deal with different remediation situations and subsequently adapted to site specific conditions. They have also been further fine-tuned as they have been rolled out either on relatively small or large scale projects. This publication is intended to capture part of this experience and make it available to IAEA Member States, so that they can benefit from the existing knowledge when planning and implementing their remediation programmes.

This publication is a comprehensive study that reviews the current situation in a great number of applications of research reactors. It revises the contents of IAEA TECDOC-1234, The Applications of Research Reactors, giving detailed updates on each field of research reactor uses worldwide. Operations with reactors of all sizes and capabilities can benefit from the sharing of current practices and research enabled via this updated publication, which describes the requirements for among others, neutron activation analysis, education and training, neutron scattering and neutron imaging, silicon doping and radioisotope production, and material/fuel irradiation and testing. Operators of underutilized research reactors can learn how to diversify their technical capabilities, services and products. The publication also addresses current issues facing the vast majority of research reactors by including sections describing user and customer relations as well as strategic planning considerations.

The contribution of human performance to the occurrence of significant events and consequently to overall performance improvement in the nuclear field has been well documented. Nuclear industry experience shows that within nuclear power plants, 80% of significant events can be attributed to human error. Monitoring and continually improving human performance has now become one of the key challenges in the management of human resources for a nuclear facility. This publication provides practical guidance in this area and will assist Member States to review and improve the systems and process for improving human performance as a major contribution to sustaining and improving the performance of nuclear facilities.

The main aim of this publication is to disseminate experience in and guidance on cost estimates for research reactor decommissioning projects. It presents the principles and background for a costing methodology based on the International Structure for Decommissioning Costing of Nuclear Installations. The methodology presented implements actual experience in decommissioning costing and is in line with IAEA efforts promoting harmonization in this field. The IAEA has contributed to the development of software called CERREX (Cost Estimate for Research Reactors in Excel), a simpler version suitable for preliminary costing stages, which is included on the attached CD-ROM, together with a user manual. Several practical examples of software implementation and clarification of some details of available methodologies and models are also provided.

This publication assists existing and potential stakeholders in the definition of competitive approaches regarding design and deployment of small and medium sized reactors (SMRs). It provides a framework for assessment of the investment attractiveness of nuclear power plant projects that adopt small reactors to be deployed in multimodules and incorporate modularization construction technology. Main chapters detail past experience and future plans in several IAEA Member States and present a suite of models to assist designers and guide potential users on the economic performance and investment attractiveness of SMRs. A framework for the consolidated application of such models is also suggested. The annexes, contributed by Member States, provide in depth descriptions of different assessment models and give examples of their application.

Growing energy needs and concern for the environment drive the demand for large scale and low impact energy sources. Therefore, national and international research on fast reactor technology is increasing. As a part of the IAEA efforts for knowledge preservation and data retrieval, this publication compiles and documents significant aspects of fast reactor engineering development and experience. Its focus is on research and development activities, experience with experimental facilities and properties, and criteria for comparison and choice of liquid metal coolants. The introductory part includes the history, the state of the art and an overview of fast reactor cooling, heat transport and heat conversion systems development. This is followed by basic information on liquid metal coolants and design features. The publication concludes with a summary which identifies the progress achieved and issues to be resolved in sodium and heavy metal coolant technology.

As an integral part of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), several collaborative projects were established by its members. The collaborative project Global Architecture of Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems Based on Thermal and Fast Reactors Including a Closed Fuel Cycle (GAINS) was one of them. This publication presents the study, its results and the conclusions drawn. A major achievement of the project is the development of a unique heterogeneous world model considering specific nuclear energy strategies of various States. This model simulates important realities of the global nuclear energy system thus enabling the assessment of resource, financial, and proliferation risks and identification of areas for beneficial multilateral cooperation. It shows that innovative nuclear technologies serve as a driving force for enhancing the sustainability features of nuclear energy supply, while a multilateral approach amplifies the positive effects of the technological innovations.