Interview with Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA

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Introduction
Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA, paid a short visit to IRSN on Tuesday November 28, 2023, accompanied by his advisor, Mr Kiyoshi ONO, Executive Advisor to the President, and the Director of JAEA-Paris office, Mr Tsutomu IRIE. The meeting provided an opportunity for technical exchanges on JAEA-IRSN cooperation. Mr. Koguchi tells us more about this cooperation.

Mr Masanori Koguchi, President of JAEA, and Mr Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General of IRSN.

Mr Masanori KOGUCHI, President of JAEA, paid a short visit to IRSN on Tuesday November 28, 2023, accompanied by his advisor, Mr Kiyoshi ONO, Executive Advisor to the President, and the Director of JAEA-Paris office, Mr Tsutomu IRIE. The meeting provided an opportunity for technical exchanges on JAEA-IRSN cooperation.

Mr. Koguchi tells us more about this cooperation.

Q1. What is JAEA?

JAEA is a national nuclear research and development institute of Japan with a history of almost 70 years. We have conducted wide range of R&D from basic research to the development of advanced reactors and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

Nuclear energy, along with renewable energy, is recognized as promising energy source to achieve a decarbonized society. JAEA have just started new initiatives in accordance with this major direction. In particular, we would like to work in innovative areas in the future, such as the pursuit of synergies with renewable energy and the sustainability of nuclear power itself.

Q2. How long have you been cooperating with IRSN?

IRSN and JAEA have been cooperating for 20 years with playing a role of providing technical support to the regulatory authorities respectively, and we have worked together to exchange the information and personnel in the field of safety for light water reactors, fast reactors, and the nuclear fuel cycle. In the situation nuclear power will be expected to be utilized in wider areas, I hope the relationship of both parties will be improving.

Q3. What is the major topic at the moment for cooperation between the two organizations?

We must pay attention to reduce the risks which are very unique to nuclear energy itself by taking such measures as reinforcement of accident tolerance and resistance, radiation protection, and nuclear safety and security.

I believe that the possibility of more intensive cooperation between IRSN and JAEA should be crucial. And now, we currently focus on information exchange or personnel exchange, however, in the future, we look forward to further collaboration in other forms like joint research on the reinforcement of accident tolerance and nuclear security (including safety).

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Thomas Heitz from IRSN (LMAPS) received the Prize Jacques Betbeder-Matibet from the French Association for Earthquake Engineering

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The French national congress organized by the French Association for Earthquake Engineering (#AFPS) took place from the 7th of November 2023 to the 10th of November 2023 in Guadeloupe (French Antilles). The topic of the congress was: “the seismic risk within a multi-risk context: understand, manage, prevent”.

The French national congress organized by the French Association for Earthquake Engineering (#AFPS) took place from the 7th of November 2023 to the 10th of November 2023 in Guadeloupe (French Antilles). The topic of the congress was: “the seismic risk within a multi-risk context: understand, manage, prevent”.

At this occasion, Dr Thomas Heitz from the Structural Performance Analysis and Modelling Lab (LMAPS) of the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) received the Jacques Betbeder-Matibet prize from the #AFPS. This prize rewards not only innovative works but also the significant contribution in the activities of the #AFPS. Thomas Heitz has been awarded not only for its work intitled: “development of a verification and validation methodology of nonlinear models: application to the seismic assessment of existing structures” but also for his contribution to gather experience feedback following the Kahramanmaraş earthquake which occurred on the 6th of February 2023 in Türkiye.

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Annual meeting to review the cooperation between the Norwegian and Ukrainian safety authorities

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For the first time this year, IRSN was invited by the Norwegian Safety Authority (DSA) to present the activities carried out by the Institute within the framework of the contracts related to the implementation of the European Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) in Ukraine, as well as those relating to the assessment of the safety of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and the monitoring of the evolution of radioactivity in the environment.

IRSN participates in the annual meeting to review the cooperation between the Norwegian Safety Authority (DSA) and the Ukrainian authorities (SNRIU and SSTC-NRS).

For the first time this year, IRSN was invited by the DSA to present the activities carried out by the Institute within the framework of the contracts related to the implementation of the European Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) in Ukraine, as well as those relating to the assessment of the safety of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and the monitoring of the evolution of radioactivity in the environment, especially since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

The aim of this three-day seminar, which was held in Drammen, Norway (27-29 November 2023) and brought together 24 Norwegian, Ukrainian, Finnish and French participants, was to get benefit from bilateral activities between Norwegian and Ukrainian safety organizations in identifying activities to which IRSN could contribute in the future.

Further information

See the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) website

See the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) website

See the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC-NRS) website

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IRSN at the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2023

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At the invitation of the Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA), IRSN’s Director of European and International Affairs, M. Cyril Pinel, took part in the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands on October 23, 2023.

At the invitation of the Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA), IRSN’s Director of European and International Affairs, M. Cyril Pinel, took part in the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands on October 23, 2023.

SIEW is an annual platform for energy professionals, decision-makers and commentators to share best practices and solutions in the global energy space.

To face climate change, many countries plan to largely deploy Small Modular Reactors. M. Pinel highlighted that by providing reliable and independent scientific expertise to the regulators and authorities, IRSN and other Technical Safety Organisations contribute to the global efforts towards a net zero carbon emission and a safe nuclear energy.

Alongside of the SIEW, M. Pinel participated in the third meeting of the France-Singapore Joint Committee for Science and Innovation (COSIMIX) held on October 23, 2023 in Singapore, at the Campus of Excellence in Research and Technological Innovation (CREATE), in the presence of Mrs Sylvie Retailleau, French Minister of Higher Education and Research, and Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policy and Chairman of the National Research Foundation (NRF). This was an opportunity to highlight the long standing scientific cooperation between the Singapore Nuclear Research Safety Initiative of the National University of Singapore and IRSN.

Interview with Cyril Pinel, Director of European and International Affairs at IRSN

© SIEW

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Jean-Christophe Niel's agenda at the 67th IAEA General Conference

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The Director General of IRSN will be in Vienna from September 25 to 28, 2023 for the IAEA's annual General Conference. He will be meeting IRSN staff currently working at the IAEA. Several bilateral meetings with the directors of other TSOs are planned in conjunction with this event, in order to take stock of current or future cooperation.

The Director General of IRSN will be in Vienna from September 25 to 28, 2023 for the IAEA's annual General Conference. He will be meeting IRSN staff currently working at the IAEA. Several bilateral meetings with the directors of other TSOs are planned in conjunction with this event, in order to take stock of current or future cooperation.

The Director General of IRSN will also meet with members of the IAEA Board of Directors, and will speak at the Forum organised by INSAG, the advisory group responsible for advising the Director General of the IAEA on nuclear safety issues.

Finally, as Chairman of ETSON, Jean-Christophe Niel will take part in meetings of the ETSON Board with representatives of the IAEA and the European network of safety authorities WENRA.

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67th IAEA General Conference | IAEA

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