The professional team, set up by the International Atomic Energy Agency, will review during the one-week mission to what extent the recommendations and suggestions of the previous IRRS Mission of 2015, reviewing the full regulatory framework, have been met and applied.
At the official opening ceremony, Gyula
Fichtinger, Director General of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority,
emphasized that it is of significant importance for Hungary to guarantee
a high level of nuclear safety. Our work is determined by the openness
to new methods and the exchange of experience with other authorities and
international organizations.
The Director General outlined that since
the 2015 Mission there had been a number of important changes in the legislation,
the HAEA's responsibilities had been expanded, a new organizational structure
had entered into force, the organization had grown considerably and the
operation of the Authority had become more transparent.
"The findings and recommendations
of the new report are of utmost importance to us," said the Director
General, adding that maintaining a high level of nuclear safety culture
requires continuous efforts.
Mr Michael R. Johnson, Deputy Executive
Director of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), as
the team leader of the IRRS Follow-up Mission greeted the participants
of the integrated peer review mission, mentioning in his introductory speech
that the experts face a series of interviews, and follow up inquiries in
the course of the coming ten-day period. He expressed his appreciation
for Hungary’s commitment to nuclear safety and the progress that had been
made.
Ms. Andrea Beatrix Kádár, Deputy State Secretary for Energy underlined in her speech that Hungary had greatly benefited from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s’s review missions at times when world energy production is of vital importance and greenhouse gas emissions should decrease. She also emphasized the necessity of nuclear power’s public acceptance and its positive impact for the coming decades, adding that the IAEA's 100th IRRS Mission serves as a good platform for ensurance of these endeavours.