2019
Press release
From 16 to 20 September 2019, the 63rd regular session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is taking place in Vienna. The President of CNCAN is part of Romania's official delegation, alongside representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the Ministry of Health (MS), the Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency (ANDR), the Technologies for Nuclear Energy State Owned Company (RATEN) and the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA).
The General Conference is the most important event for the international nuclear community, attended by officials of the IAEA Member States and by representatives of regulatory bodies, industry, research, academia, governmental institutions and other international organizations. This event is an opportunity for participants to share their achievements, concerns and challenges in the field, as well as to take part in the approval of the documents that will govern the forthcoming activity of the IAEA and of the Member States.
The agenda of the President of CNCAN includes events relevant to the activity of the regulatory body and bilateral meetings with counterparts and delegations from the following states: Bulgaria, Canada, the Netherlands, Serbia, the USA and Hungary, as well as with officials of the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation.
On 18 September 2019, the President of CNCAN, together with Mr Horia Grama, President of ANDR, and Mr Dazhu Yang, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation, signed the document entitled Country Programme Framework (CPF).
The Country Programme Framework is the flagship document of the cooperation between Romania and the IAEA for the period 2020-2025, on the basis of which technical assistance is granted to Romania. Romania's national projects will be developed on its basis in the
four priority areas identified: nuclear and radiological safety, energy and industry, food and agriculture.
Signing of the "Country Programme Framework"
Signing of the "Country Programme Framework"
Bilateral meetings
Bilateral meetings
Press release
On 27 August 2019, the Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), Mr William D. Magwood IV, visited the CNCAN headquarters. The NEA is an intergovernmental agency operating within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with the aim of assisting its member countries in maintaining and further developing the scientific, technological and legal bases required for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Romania has been a member of the NEA since 2017, with the Nuclear and Radioactive Waste Agency (ANDR) acting as National Contact Point for international technical cooperation with the NEA. NEA membership gives the Romanian nuclear sector access to best practices, studies and research, as well as to valuable expertise in this field.
The meeting was attended by Mr William D. Magwood IV, Director-General of the NEA, Ms Aleshia Duncan, expert on nuclear matters within the US Department of Energy, as well as Mr Horia Grama, President of ANDR, together with Ms Ivonne Saghiu, Vice-President of ANDR.
CNCAN was represented at this meeting by Mr Rodin Traicu, President of CNCAN, Mr Cantemir Ciurea-Ercau, Director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Division, and representatives of the International Relations and Communication Division.
Following CNCAN's presentation of the latest developments in the nuclear regulatory field, discussions were held with a view to identifying ways of involving the relevant Romanian institutions in future NEA projects and activities. In addition, the short- and medium-term objectives that the NEA can support were mentioned.
Press release
From 26 to 30 August this year, the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), in partnership with the United States Department of Energy – National Nuclear Security Administration, is organizing, at the JW Marriott hotel in Bucharest, the pilot course entitled „Methodology for securing the transport of nuclear materials”.
Cooperation with the United States Department of Energy is established by the Agreement between the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control of Romania and the Department of Energy of the United States of America on cooperation to enhance the physical security of radioactive sources and special nuclear materials in Romania, signed in Bucharest in December 2009.
The course aims to improve participants' knowledge of the security aspects of the transport of nuclear materials and of the way in which each organization with responsibilities in the field contributes to the implementation of an effective transport capability.
The interactive format of the course, consisting of exercises, case studies and scenario-based discussions on the security aspects of the transport of nuclear materials, will give those attending the opportunity to exchange information and good practices that take account of international recommendations and guides.
The course is intended for experts and persons responsible for ensuring the safety and security measures for the transport of nuclear materials, as well as for representatives of the national authorities and law enforcement authorities with responsibilities in ensuring the security of the transport of nuclear materials and in the prevention of and response to security incidents at nuclear installations.
Representatives of the following nuclear installations, authorities and institutions are attending: CNCAN, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, the Institute for Nuclear Research Pitești, the National Uranium Company, the Nuclear Fuel Plant Pitești, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Transport, the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority and the Romanian Naval Authority.
Press release
On 13.06.2019, CNCAN organized in Bucharest the opening conference of the project "Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security in Romania – Improving Disaster Resilience and Preparedness for Response to Nuclear and Radiological Events", financed through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
The project launched on this occasion is a continuation of the previous one, “Regional Excellence Project on Regulatory Capacity Building in Nuclear and Radiological Safety, Emergency Preparedness and Response in Romania”, financed through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.
The partners are the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI).
The importance of the event was underlined by the participation of Mr Adrian Mlădinoiu, Secretary of State within the General Secretariat of the Government, who emphasized the importance that the Government of Romania attaches to CNCAN, as an authority subordinated to it.
In this respect, Mr Mlădinoiu mentioned the support that the Government of Romania provides to CNCAN by allocating sufficient human and financial resources for the activity of Romania's regulatory body to be carried out to the highest possible standards.
In turn, Mr Ingar Amundsen, Head of the Section for International Nuclear Safety and Security within the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, commended the way in which the stages of the previous project, which ended in 2017, had been carried out, and expressed his conviction that the current stage would also be a success.
The IAEA representatives, Mr David Michael Senior, Head of the Regulatory Activities Section, and Mr Muhammad Khailq, Head of the Nuclear Security of Materials and Facilities Section, pointed out the importance that the IAEA attaches to collaboration and cooperation with Romania's regulatory body, as a guarantee that the project will be carried out under the best possible conditions.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, as Programme Operator, represented by Colonel Gheorghe-Sebastian Cucoș, Acting First Deputy of the Inspector General and Chief of Staff of the Romanian Gendarmerie, highlighted the good cooperation between the Programme Operator (MAI) and the Project Promoter, namely CNCAN.
The event was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of European Funds, Societatea Națională Nuclearelectrica, the General Inspectorate of the Border Police, the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Gendarmerie, the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, as well as by representatives of the press.
Opening the event, Mr Rodin Traicu, President of CNCAN, in his capacity as Project Promoter, highlighted the good working relations that CNCAN has with the national authorities and with the licence holders in the nuclear sector, as the main beneficiaries of the project.
The results of the project will benefit the central and local authorities, the licence holders in the nuclear field and the general public.
Thus, the most important licence holder, which operates the highest-power reactors in Romania, Societatea Națională Nuclearelectrica through the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, represented at the event by Mr Cosmin Ghiță, Director General, underlined the importance of this project for the operation of nuclear installations, in the light of the implementation of the new guides and norms developed by CNCAN.
The aim of this project is to improve national capabilities for preventing terrorist acts and accidents in the nuclear and radiological field. The National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), Romania's nuclear regulatory authority, will be the main beneficiary, together with other entities with relevant responsibilities in this field.
The conference presented the main objectives to be achieved under the project, such as: aligning the national framework and regulatory practices with the latest international standards and with European Union legislation in the field of nuclear safety and protection against ionizing radiation; implementing recommendations received from the international missions conducted in Romania on nuclear safety, on detection of and response to events involving nuclear and radioactive materials out of regulatory control, on cyber security for nuclear installations and on emergency preparedness and response; implementing several activities from the national action plan associated with the National Strategy for Nuclear Safety and Security; implementing the new responsibilities that CNCAN has in the management of nuclear emergency situations, as well as improving emergency preparedness and response by applying the lessons learned.
On this occasion, Mr Rodin Traicu, the legal representative under the project, and Mr Cantemir Ciurea-Ercău, Director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Division of CNCAN and manager of the project launched at this event, answered questions from representatives of the specialist media, namely Medika TV, Energy – Center and Focus-Energetic, in interviews on the subject matter of the project and details about it.
On 6 June this year, the President of CNCAN, Mr Rodin Traicu, took part in the conference entitled “Why, where and how do investments in the Romanian energy sector get blocked?”, organized by Energy-Center.ro in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy.
During the debates, the President of CNCAN, Rodin Traicu, took the floor and spoke about the Romanian energy system, about the lifetime extension of Unit 1, and about the possibility of building Units 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, noting that the plant records the highest nuclear safety and security parameters.
“It is no coincidence that, for Nuclearelectrica, the lifetime extension of Unit 1 is the priority of the moment. Lifetime extension works have already been carried out worldwide for 6 nuclear units. From this point of view, we are already on well-trodden ground. The technology is already well established and it has been proven that safety and security are at the highest levels. With an investment of approximately EUR 1.5 billion (estimated), we can have a practically new plant with a lifetime of a further 30 years”. (Rodin Traicu, President of CNCAN).
Visit by the US Department of Energy
From 29 to 31 May this year, the US Department of Energy (DOE) paid a working visit to Romania, with a view to continuing the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement on enhancing the security of nuclear installations in Romania.
The Department of Energy is proposing a new collaboration under the International Nuclear Security Programme (International Safety Program).
The International Nuclear Security Programme has been running for more than 20 years in collaboration with various international partners, and the activities carried out contribute to strengthening nuclear security and to designing new technical security capabilities for nuclear installations, within projects implemented with the support of the DOE's specialized national laboratories.
The programme provides assistance and equipment for improving and sustaining an effective security system, as well as training in the field of nuclear security.
On 30 May this year, the President of CNCAN, Mr Rodin Traicu, received the delegation of DOE representatives at a working meeting attended by representatives of the nuclear installations (SNN, Cernavodă NPP, IFIN-HH, ICN Pitești, FCN Pitești, CNU Feldioara), representatives of the Romanian Gendarmerie and CNCAN representatives, where aspects of the cooperation under the above-mentioned programme were discussed.
Press release
From 9 to 11 April 2019, the Workshop on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage for European States took place in Bucharest, an event organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and hosted by the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN).
The event was attended by approximately 80 people: representatives of the IAEA Member States benefiting from the technical assistance programme, representatives of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy and of the IAEA, members of the International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX) and members of nuclear insurance companies. The main purpose of the workshop was to disseminate and present the principles governing the regime of civil liability for nuclear damage and the connection between the main provisions of the conventions in this field.
The opening session was also attended by the representative of the Government of Romania, who, in the address delivered on this occasion, underlined the involvement of the national institutions in implementing the main provisions of the civil liability regime. The support provided to the nuclear regulatory authority was reiterated, in the process of establishing the regime of civil liability for nuclear damage and, consequently, of ensuring a high level of nuclear and radiological safety, the sole purpose of which is to protect the population and the environment.
One of the objectives of the workshop was to provide information on the international civil liability regime, in particular on the instruments adopted under the auspices of the IAEA, including the Protocol to Amend the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.
Through the presentations delivered on this occasion, the lecturers sought to offer their own views on the specific elements of nuclear liability and to contribute to the universalization of the legal framework in force, both among states with nuclear programmes and among those developing such programmes. The presentations were followed by discussions and case studies, during which the participants received specialized legal opinions from the IAEA and INLEX representatives on both the application of the principles governing the civil liability regime and the establishment of national reference frameworks, while also receiving advice on how to better manage the difficulties encountered in implementing the international legal provisions.
