The VVER group of the OECD NEA's Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP) is a professional forum for the nuclear authorities of countries involved in the construction of new Russian VVER type nuclear power plant units. The 9th meeting of the Technical Expert Subgroup on Reactor Pressure Vessel and Primary Circuit took place at the end of January. Participants of the meeting discussed topics arising from the new units of Russian design from the national authorities' point of view.
Following the Fukushima accident in 2011, Hungary also performed the stress tests in relation to Paks Nuclear Power Plant to review its resistance against extreme hazards. The improvement actions decided upon the results were compiled into a National Action Plan that was published on the HAEA website. The HAEA reviewed the progress in the Action Plan in 2013, 2015 and in 2016 either for an EU request or for the international review conference of the Convention on Nuclear Safety. Approaching its completion, the HAEA, also complying with the EU expectations, reviewed the plan again in 2017.
The EU Nuclear Safety Directive (2014/87/EURATOM (NSD)) requires member states operating nuclear facilities to perform a Topical Peer Review at least every six years. The first Topical Peer Review took place in 2017. As the first step of the review, member states have to prepare a National Assessment Report in the specified topic, which they need to publish in English as well. Then member states mutually review each other’s reports, and the public may also make comments and put questions to them. Experts are also invited by the EU to study the reports. Finally, the results of the review will be discussed by the representatives of member states and the invited experts in an international peer review workshop in the spring of 2018. The results will be summarized in a report after the workshop.
The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority issued a new publication about its safeguard activities in the past years and especially about the Hungarian Safeguards Support Programme to the IAEA, which celebrated its 25 years anniversary in 2016.