This publication explores how advanced instrumentation and control (I&C) systems and digital technologies can enhance nuclear power plant performance across critical attributes, such as availability, operational flexibility, engineering efficiency and environmental sustainability. It offers an up-to-date overview of proven practices, innovative approaches and lessons learned throughout the plant life cycle, from design and construction to operation and long-term management. Developed to su...

Each package used for the transport of radioactive material must demonstrate compliance with the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-6, particularly for international shipments. This new safety guide provides recommendations to support compliance with the requirement related to the ageing of transport packages, specifically addressing ageing management and maintenance. The guide applies to all package types containing radioa...

This Safety Guide provides recommendations on the establishment of an appropriate regulatory framework for the management of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) residues in an integrated manner and using a graded approach. It also elaborates on roles and responsibilities, options for management of NORM residues, long term safety of NORM residues, and exemption and clearance. The publication is targeted at regulatory bodies, operating organizations, technical support organizatio...

IAEA work in the area of research reactor operation and maintenance is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of Member States to utilize good engineering and management practices to improve research reactor reliability and availability. In particular, the IAEA supports activities addressing ageing management of research reactor instrumentation and control (I&C) systems. The purpose of this publication is to provide engineering guidance on the design, and operational aspects of digital I&C sy...

Management systems are designed to support nuclear organizations in achieving their objectives effectively, efficiently, and sustainably, while addressing all relevant requirements. These include safety, environmental, performance, reliability, and economic objectives, as well as meaningful engagement with interested parties. This publication provides technical guidance and showcases examples of international best practices for evaluating whether a management system is fit for purpose. It ...

This publication provides a general overview of interventional radiology (IR). It presents an evidence-based rationale for establishing, improving and maintaining an IR service consistent with current clinical knowledge benchmarks. A summary is provided of necessary elements for the establishment of an IR clinical service and to ensure its sustainability. The publication includes information on specific challenges faced especially but not uniquely in emerging nations, as well as a defined ...

This Safety Report explains how the concepts of attribution of health effects and inference of risks can be taken into account in the application of IAEA safety standards, so as to implement them more effectively. In particular, this publication demonstrates explicitly what the relevant provisions of the safety standards are for high and moderate levels of exposure where health effects might be able to be attributed to the exposure, and for low and very low levels of exposure where risks c...

This Safety Guide provides recommendations on geotechnical engineering aspects that are important to the safety of nuclear installations, such as site investigation planning, evaluation of geotechnical hazards, considerations for design and analyses, monitoring of geotechnical parameters, and the application of a graded approach to geotechnical evaluations for nuclear installations other than large nuclear power plants, excluding nuclear waste disposal facilities. This publication is inten...

This publication provides guidance on planning, implementing, and evaluating systems and measures in a State in order to detect nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control in the State’s interior by means of instrument alarms and information alerts. The guidance covers the planning of detection operations, equipment deployment and human resource development. This publication is intended for authorities responsible for designing, implementing, and sustaining nuclear sec...

This publication examines the historical and current use of SLOWPOKE (Safe Low Power Critical Experiment) and miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) research reactors. It discusses known issues, considers the potential for future challenges and opportunities, and provides information on their history, development, utilization, operational experience, core conversion and refuelling, ageing management and decommissioning. The Annex includes abstracts of 17 papers, available online, covering...

Safety, reliability, and productivity in the nuclear industry result from a systematic consideration of human performance. A plant or other facility consists of both the engineered system and the human users of that system. It is therefore crucial that engineering activities consider the humans who will be interacting with those systems. Engineering design, specifically instrumentation and control (I&C) design, can influence human performance by driving how plant personnel carry out work a...

This publication is a revision by amendment of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-15 and provides recommendations and guidance on the storage of spent nuclear fuel. It covers all types of storage facility and all types of spent fuel from nuclear power plants and research reactors. It takes into consideration the longer storage periods beyond the original design lifetime of the storage facility that have become necessary owing to delays in the development of disposal facilities and the re...