2.6.1 Turn-key nuclear packages

Nuclear power plants are being planned in a number of countries without previous experience of nuclear power. The plants will be bought as turn-key packages from foreign vendors. The packages will include training for staff in the receiving country in all the nuclear disciplines needed to operate a nuclear power plant. Experience has shown the need to have appropriate legal and regulatory structures in place in countries, to have an active and capable regulatory body and competent technical support organizations. While these lessons are well known it is nevertheless difficult to create in a country, in a relatively short time, the safety infrastructure, experience and safety culture needed to ensure the safe operation of nuclear power plants. This could become an area of general concern.

The experts from these new countries would obviously benefit and learn from being able to communicate freely and to exchange information and experience with those from the well-established nuclear countries. Mechanisms exist through the international organizations for this purpose and specifically through the international conventions on nuclear safety and radioactive waste management (IAEA, 2011a).