Exchange of operating experience

National and international organizations have been established to assist with new program startup. Most work of the Division of Reactor Engineering at the IAEA is dedicated to education and communication between the power programs of member states. In addition, the World Nuclear

Association comprises mainly companies. Current members are responsible for virtually all of world uranium conversion and enrichment production and some 85% of world nuclear generation. Further, the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) has the mission to ‘Maximize the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants worldwide by working together to assess, benchmark, and improve performance through mutual support, exchange of information, and emulation of best practices.’ The WANO organization grew out of the US-based Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) that was established shortly after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979.

In addition to these broad-based organizations, a number of plant-specific owners’ groups operate around the world. As an example, the CANDU owners group (COG) is a ‘not-for-profit organization dedicated to provid­ing programs for cooperation, mutual assistance and exchange of informa­tion for the successful support, development, operation, maintenance and economics of CANDU technology.’ All operators of CANDU plants world­wide are members of COG. Together, these organizations provide major support for any new member, ranging from general education on aspects of this technology, through specific training for operating staff, posting of individuals to operating nuclear units, and cooperative R&D to maintain and improve operating stations. The overall effect is to reduce the operating cost of each plant. Essentially all vendors of nuclear stations have estab­lished similar organizations in order to assist operational organizations to maintain modern understanding of their facilities.