Historical Background

 

In July 2007 the Agreement between the Kingdom of Norway and Romania on the Norwegian Program of Cooperation for Economical Growth and Durable Development, agreement that set the basis of the Norwegian Cooperation Program for the promotion and social economical development in Romania through bilateral cooperation projects. This agreement proposes to ensure a maximal transparency and responsibility in the implementation of the cooperation program.

 

The Cooperation Program is administered by Innovation Norway – on behalf of Norway, through promoting the partnership between eligible solicitors, evaluation of the submitted applications, perfecting of the grant agreements, as well as through annual monitoring.

 

The Cooperation Program between Norway and Romania was officially launched in Romania, in Bucharest, in the interval 13-15 November 2007.

 

Priority sectors of this cooperation program include:

  • Reduction of greenhouse gaseous emissions;
  • Energetic efficiency and renewable energy;
  • Health, etc.

 

In the priority sector of energetic efficiency and renewable energy there are priority areas, such as:

  • Cooperation on nuclear safety issues;
  • Research and development in the area of energy;
  • Promotion of energetic efficiency, etc.

 

On the basis of the cooperation program between Romania and Norway, the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) has discussed with representatives of both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from the technical point of view, and the Norwegian Radioprotection Authority (NRPA) on the possibility of initiating and benefiting by a national excellence project in the area of nuclear safety.

This project is aimed at enhancing CNCAN technical capabilities in its areas of competence: nuclear safety, quality assurance, preparedness and response in case of a radiological emergency, assistance in the development of an integrated management system, enhancement of the capability of the regulatory body in what concerns the concept of safety culture, as well as knowledge management, training methods, motivation and staff retention. An important component of this project is represented by the modernization of the CNCAN radiological emergency centre.

The Safe Nuclear Energy Project – Regional Excellence Programme for Romania was granted to the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control through the Grant Letter 2008/115227, signed by the Embassy of Norway in Bucharest on 16.04.2009 and is developed as part of the Norwegian Cooperation Program with Romania, being financed by the Norwegian Government through Innovation Norway. The project is developed in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency of Vienna (IAEA), with the Norwegian Radioprotection Authority (NRPA) and with the National Company “Nuclearelectrica” (SNN).

poza-history.jpg

Mr. Ole Harbitz, Director General of NRPA, and Ms. Vajda Borbala, CNCAN President
signing the Grant Letter, Vienna, 02 October 2008

Implementation of the project began in September 2009 and is due to be finalized in April 2011.

CNCAN, as applicant, and its partners – SNN and NRPA Norway respectively, have elaborated a program made of five integrated projects, with CNCAN as a beneficiary, and of five integrated projects for SNN, with the purpose of developing and improving the concept of nuclear safety in Romania, to improve competitiveness of the energetic sector as well as to facilitate the implementation of the provisions of international instruments and agreements, such as the Convention on Nuclear Safety, to which both Norway and Romania are part of. IAEA also represents a partner within the program, with the purpose of implementing the best practices in what concerns nuclear safety in Romania. 

The main CNCAN objective is the surveillance of safe operation of the NPP, concomitant with the update of specialized regulations, perfecting the personnel and improvement of measures taken in case of radiological emergency. In the same direction, the main objective of the project is to support CNCAN and SNN, with the purpose of achieving a level of excellence in the areas mentioned before, so as they would become a model for the other States.

The total value of the Project is 4 120 000 EUR, out of which 85% represent the Grant and 15% represent the CNCAN and SNN co-financing, as beneficiaries.

 

List of Projects


CNCAN projects: 

CNCAN1.    Nuclear Safety Assessment and Risk-Informed Regulation;
CNCAN2.    Enhancement of CNCAN’s capability to assess the Safety Culture of its licensees;
CNCAN3.    Capacity Building and Knowledge Management (KM), Training and Staff Retention;
CNCAN4.    Emergency Preparedness and Response;

CNCAN5.    Assistance with the development of CNCAN’s Integrated Management System (IMS).


SNN projects:

SNN1.    Development and deployment of SNN’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM);
SNN2.    Integrated Management Systems Excellence Development and Assurance;
SNN3.    Emergency Preparedness and Response;
SNN4.    Support for Updating the Site Evaluation for Cernavoda NPP;
SNN5.    Enhancement of SNN capability to assess the Organizational Safety Culture.