This publication is the third in a series from the IAEA that provides guidance on the early consideration of safeguards requirements in the design and construction of nuclear facilities. It is principally intended for designers and operators of nuclear fuel fabrication facilities; however, vendors, state authorities and investors may also benefit from the information provided. This guidance is introductory rather than comprehensive; more detailed information on IAEA safeguards implementation can be found in the Guidance for States Implementing Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols (IAEA Services Series No. 21, May 2016) and other publications in that series. This publication expands upon the general considerations addressed in International Safeguards in Nuclear Facility Design and Construction (IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NP-T-2.8, April 2013).

This publication presents a comprehensive overview of various aspects relating to the application of cogeneration with nuclear energy, which may offer advantages such as increased efficiency, better cost effectiveness, and reduced environmental impact. The publication provides details on experiences, best practices and expectations for the foreseeable future of cogeneration with nuclear power technology and serves as a guide that supports newcomer countries. It includes information on systems and applications in various sectors, feasibility aspects, technical and economic details, and case studies.

This publication is a revision of IAEA-TECDOC-1212 which primarily focused on enhancing the utilization of existing research reactors. This updated version also provides guidance on how to develop and implement a strategic plan for a new research reactor project and will be of particular interest for organizations which are preparing a feasibility study to establish such a new facility. This publication will enable managers to determine more accurately the actual and potential capabilities of an existing reactor, or the intended purpose and type of a new facility. At the same time, management will be able to match these capabilities to stakeholders/users’ needs and establish the strategy of meeting such needs. In addition, several annexes are presented, including some examples as clarification to the main text and ready-to-use templates as assistance to the team drafting a strategic plan.

This publication provides a holistic approach to evaluate progress in the development of the nuclear power infrastructure based on the guidance contained in the IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NG-G-3.1, Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power. It can be used by a Member State itself, wishing to evaluate its progress (self-evaluation), or as a basis for an integrated nuclear infrastructure review (INIR) mission. This revised version combines in one publication an explanation of the methodology and the evaluation tables, takes into account all new material and lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident, and presents the results of the INIR missions implemented between 2009 and 2014.

This publication, an update of Technical Reports Series No. 281, provides guidance in making the many considerations and decisions involved in preparing national industrial organizations for participation in a nuclear power programme, including those that will participate in the construction and commissioning of the first nuclear power plant units. Roles and responsibilities of government, industry, utility and other stakeholders are detailed.

In situ leach or leaching (ISL) or in situ recovery (ISR) mining has become one of the standard uranium production methods. Its application to amenable uranium deposits (in certain sedimentary formations) has been growing in view of its competitive production costs and low surface impacts. This publication provides an historical overview and shows how ISL experience around the world can be used to direct the development of technical activities, taking into account environmental considerations, and emphasizing the economics of the process, including responsible mine closure. The publication provides information on how to design, operate and regulate current and future projects safely and efficiently, with a view to maximizing performance and minimizing negative environmental impact.

Procurement must be effectively managed to ensure availability of design functions throughout a nuclear facility’s service life. Ineffective control of procurement process can jeopardize facility safety, reduce reliability, or can result in increased costs to operating organizations. This publication provides an overview of nuclear procurement processes, issues of special concern, and provides guidance for good practices to set up and manage a high-quality procurement organization. Lessons learned for organizations considering new build nuclear projects are also included.

This publication provides guidance on assessing of sustainability of a nuclear energy system (NES) in the area of environmental impact of stressors. The INPRO methodology is a comprehensive tool for the assessment of sustainability of an NES. Basic principles, user requirements and criteria have been defined in different areas of the INPRO methodology. These include economics, infrastructure, waste management, proliferation resistance, environmental impact of stressors, environmental impact from depletion of resources, and safety of nuclear reactors and fuel cycle facilities. The ultimate goal of the application of the INPRO methodology is to check whether the assessed NES fulfils all the criteria, and hence the user requirements and basic principles, and therefore presents a system for a Member State that is sustainable in the long term.

This publication provides guidance to countries seeking to establish a national position on the introduction or re-establishment of a nuclear power programme. It provides direction to political decision makers, energy experts, and other stakeholders about the process for establishing a national position as countries prepare national nuclear energy policies. It also helps embarking countries to build a consistent and durable national position for nuclear power on the basis of sound energy planning and greater public involvement in order to maintain the country’s long term commitment, regardless of possible political changes in a country.

There is a need to categorize and structure knowledge related to nuclear accidents. Development of the structure is challenging unless conducted with consideration of the experience of people who were involved in the accidents. In order to support those activities, the IAEA has taken a leading role to assist in the development of a knowledge organization system and associated taxonomy for nuclear accident knowledge domain, which could be implemented and applied by Member States’ nuclear organizations. This publication is intended to support Member State activity in managing knowledge from serious nuclear accidents, providing a description of knowledge organization system features, information about the developed system taxonomy, and details on the methodology to organize knowledge in this area.

The IAEA’s nuclear knowledge management activities provide guidance in knowledge management and assist in transferring and preserving knowledge, exchanging information, establishing and supporting cooperative networks and in training the next generation of nuclear experts. This publication shares best practices and experiences based on the knowledge management assist visit programme undertaken by IAEA expert teams during the period 2005-2013. These visits have involved different types of organizations, including nuclear power plants, nuclear R&D organizations and nuclear based educational establishments such as universities. Based on the records of these visits, a secondary aim of this publication is to provide feedback and recommendations for future development of the assessment tool(s) and participating organizations for improving future assistance.

Despite significant progress having been achieved in recent years, much remains to be done in terms of addressing the legacies from the early development of nuclear energy, including the dismantling of redundant research and fuel cycle facilities, research reactors and power plants, and the remediation of sites affected by past uranium mining and processing operations. Some countries are moving forward with dealing with these legacies, and accordingly have built up appropriate technical resources and expertise, but many national programmes still face very significant challenges. This publication discusses the barriers that prevent the implementation of decommissioning and environmental remediation (D&ER) projects and provides potential solutions to overcome the identified barriers and thereby facilitates a better implementation of D&ER programmes.