Experiences for Consideration in Fusion Power Plant Design Safety and Safety Assessment
IAEA-TECDOC-2076 ¦ English ¦ 109 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

This TECDOC compiles international experiences and safety practices related to experimental fusion machines. Its objective is to provide an insight into the safety considerations for prototype, demonstration, and future commercial fusion power plants, collectively referred to in this publication as fusion power plants (FPPs).

Based on questionnaire responses submitted by experts from various Member States and international organizations, it highlights the safety approaches employed in a range of currently operating and planned experimental fusion facilities, as well as those being developed for future FPPs. The information within this TECDOC aims to improve the general understanding of the safety considerations for future FPPs and will serve as a foundation to determine whether fusion-specific design safety and safety assessment standards may be necessary. This TECDOC is intended for public and private sector organisations with an interest in FPPs, including those involved in research, design, manufacturing, construction, operation, regulation, or technical support. It also targets individual stakeholders engaged in addressing the safety aspects of fusion energy technologies.

Periodic Safety Review for Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities
Safety Reports Series No. 124 ¦ English ¦ STI/PUB/2062 ¦ 122 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

Elaborating upon the requirements on periodic safety reviews that are established in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-4, Safety of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities, this publication aims to provide practical information on conducting the periodic safety review for a nuclear fuel cycle facility by the operating organization, and on the regulatory review and assessment of the periodic safety review.

The publication covers the planning and preparation for periodic safety review, use of a graded approach, review of safety factors, global assessment of the safety of the facility and development of an implementation plan to address the findings of the periodic safety review.

Regulatory Authorization and Related Inspections for Nuclear Security During the Lifetime of a Nuclear Facility
IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 45-T ¦ English ¦ STI/PUB/2016 ¦ 65 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

The development of a nuclear facility needs careful planning, adequate preparation and substantial investment. This includes the establishment of a legislative and regulatory framework with provisions to assess the adequacy of nuclear security and authorize activities at nuclear facilities at key stages in their lifetimes.

This publication provides guidance to regulatory bodies responsible for the nuclear security of nuclear facilities on the authorization process for the operation of such facilities and for related activities. The guidance addresses nuclear security aspects that may require regulatory authorization during different stages in the lifetime of a nuclear facility, identifies the elements included in applications for authorization by the applicant or operator in each of these stages, and provides guidance to the regulatory body on the review and assessment of these applications and on related inspections as a basis for authorization decisions.

Chemistry Programme for Water Cooled Nuclear Power Plants
IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-13 (Rev. 1) ¦ STI/PUB/2095 ¦ English ¦ 59 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

Implementing a chemistry programme is essential to ensure the safe operation of a nuclear power plant. It contributes to the integrity, reliability and availability of structures, systems and components (SSCs) in accordance with their intended design and functions. This revised Specific Safety Guide provides Member States with updated and more detailed guidance for the safe operation of water-cooled nuclear power plants based on current international best practices.

This publication is intended for Nuclear Power Plant Chemists, Technical Support Organisations working in water chemistry and corrosion areas, and National Nuclear Safety Regulators doing oversight of NPP water chemistry programmes.

Policies and Strategies for the Management of NORM Residues and Wastes
CRCP/IGV/004 ¦ English ¦ 315 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

This publication describes the basic principles and elements that will support the development of a national policy and associated strategies on the management of NORM residues and wastes. The basic principles include aspects related to safety, sustainability and circularity and are in line with the relevant IAEA Safety Standards as well as with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The publication also provides insights on key policy elements, such as assignment of regulatory responsibilities; establishment of a national NORM residue and waste inventory, as a basic tool to inform supporting strategies; assurance of infrastructure; funding needs; mechanisms for public participation, and coordination with other related national policies and strategies.

Crop Improvement with Induced Genetic Variation to Cope with Drought in Rice and Sorghum
CRCP/IGV/004 ¦ English ¦ 315 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

Drought is the most devastating abiotic stress factor worldwide affecting crop production: an issue that is projected to worsen with climate change. Improving drought tolerance in crops and enhancing agricultural water productivity under rain-fed conditions are therefore critical issues for many countries. With this aim, the IAEA has successfully completed a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) in 2021 titled "Improving Drought Resilience in Rice and Sorghum through Mutation Breeding”.

These two crops are essential staples in the diets of millions of impoverished and vulnerable populations and therefore any attempt to improve their yields under drought stress could have a major and positive impact in terms of food security and improved health and income generation. This publication, “Crop Improvement with Induced Genetic Variation to Cope with Drought in Rice and Sorghum”, contains the results of the five-year CRP and has contributions from 58 scientists from 7 different countries. Chapters cover mutagenesis and field-based screening protocols of drought tolerance, secondary traits of drought tolerance, phenotypic and molecular marker-based selection strategies, and genomics perspectives. Its intended readership is researchers, scientists, plant breeders, plant biotechnologists and other highly specialized audiences with an interest in improving drought tolerance in rice and sorghum crops using mutant lines.

Identification and Categorization of Sabotage Targets, and Identification of Vital Areas at Nuclear Facilities
IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 48-T Technical Guidance ¦ English STI/PUB/2092 ¦ 90 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

This publication provides detailed guidance (i) on the identification of potential sabotage targets in a nuclear facility and possible vulnerabilities that could lead to unacceptable or high radiological consequences if an initiating event of malicious origin were to take place and (ii) on the identification of vital areas in nuclear facilities. It also includes guidance to assist States in accounting for the potential risks to a facility associated with stand-off sabotage attacks.

This publication is intended to be used by States, competent authorities involved in protection against the sabotage of nuclear and other radioactive material, relevant technical and scientific support organizations, as well as the operators of associated facilities and activities.

World Distribution of Uranium Deposits, Third Edition
STI/PUB/2081 ¦ English ¦ 1 page ¦ Date published: 2024

In 1995 the International Atomic Energy Agency published a hard copy map of World Distribution of Uranium Deposits, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Canada. The map was based upon an early version of the IAEA’s uranium database UDEPO and displayed 582 deposits using a deposit classification scheme which has since been superseded. In 2018, the IAEA published a second edition of the map based on approximately 2,900 deposits from the 2016 version of the UDEPO database.

The second edition of the World Distribution of Uranium Deposits map (2018, IAEA STI/PUB/1800) was intended to be a snapshot of the IAEA UDEPO database as of 2016, showing the broad global distribution of uranium deposits and genetic types. Since its publication, updates and refinements to UDEPO since 2020 have resulted in a vastly different database than the one that existed in 2016, having almost doubled in size with nearly 5300 deposits. This third edition of the World Distribution of Uranium Deposits presents new information, such as additional deposits, a broader range of deposit sizes, a revised deposit classification system and improved geological visualization information (see the map explanation, key, and legend for detailed information). The online PDF version also includes enhanced functionality with layers and query capability: In appropriate versions of Adobe Acrobat, the electronic file includes bookmarks that can be viewed at the left of the map, and are arranged into three groups: Map Views, Deposit Types and Map Peripherals that allow the user to rapidly view customised views of specific map features. The publication also includes subdivided layers that can be toggled on and off according to deposit types separately within the main map and the map insets in order to produce and print a customised map. Query functionality can be found using the View Object Data Tool, which can be accessed through Tools ? Measure in Adobe Acrobat Reader, or Tools / Share & Review / Measure in Adobe Acrobat Pro. This allows the user, through three mouse clicks on a specific deposit, to show individual deposit attributes, such as the deposit name and type.

Managing Irradiated Graphite Waste
Final Report of a Coordinated Research Project IAEA-TECDOC-2072 ¦ English ¦ Date published: 2024

Graphite has been used as a moderator and reflector of neutrons in more than 100 nuclear power plants and in many research and plutonium-production reactors, in quantities ranging from a few kilograms to more than 3,000 tonnes, depending on the design. Many of the older reactors have now been shut down, with more approaching the end of their operating lives, and radioactive irradiated graphite have now accumulated worldwide.

This publication provides a comprehensive overview of managing irradiated graphite waste provided by the members of The International Project on Irradiated Graphite Processing Approaches (GRAPA) network. This publication is intended for representatives of Member States with a programme involving the management of irradiated graphite, as well as non-governmental or international organizations that represent such programmes regionally or worldwide.

Assessing Technical and Economic Aspects of Nuclear Hydrogen Production for Near Term Deployment
IAEA-TECDOC-2075 ¦ English ¦ 186 pages ¦ Date published: 2024

The majority of the hydrogen used presently is produced from fossil fuels, which results in carbon dioxide emissions. Nuclear energy has the potential to replace fossil fuels for supplying a forecasted large increase in the demand of hydrogen with low or zero carbon emissions. There are currently several demonstration projects worldwide ongoing and planned for the production of hydrogen using operational nuclear power plants, as well as developments considering advanced reactor technologies for hydrogen production.

The Coordinated Research Project "Assessing Technical and Economic Aspects of Nuclear Hydrogen Production for Near-term Deployment" addressed relevant facets for the potential upscaling of nuclear hydrogen production technologies, based on the specific cases of participant Member States. This publication is intended for scientists and specialists, as well as various stakeholders interested in hydrogen production using nuclear energy.