ECA, IAEA, & DOE HOST FIRST WEBINAR LAUNCHING NEW SERIES ON GLOBAL PROGRESS TOWARDS MANAGING HLW & SNF

Earlier today, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) launched a new webinar series showcasing Global Progress Towards Sustainable Endpoint Solutions for High-level Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel featuring senior representatives of national High-Level Waste (HLW) and Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) management programs around the world.

Today's webinar, Restarting the Siting Process for HLW and SNF Storage and Disposal, was open to the public and provided attendees with the opportunity to engage with the senior programme representatives in a Q&A session. Speakers shared experiences from national programmes in Asia (Korea and Japan), Europe (Germany and UK) and North America (USA).

Speakers:
• Marla Morales – Director, Office of Consent-Based Siting at US DOE/NE, USA
• Andree Lommerzheim – BGE Technology, Germany
• Hiroyuki Umeki – Integration Advisor to NUMO, Japan
• Haeryong Jung – Director HLW Management at KORAD, Korea (Republic of)
• Robin Cowley – Senior Scientific Advisor at NWS, UK

Moderators:
• Seth Kirshenberg – Executive Director at ECA, USA
• Stefan Mayer – Team Lead Radioactive Waste Disposal, IAEA

Speakers conveyed insights on how large nuclear programmes have restarted their siting process and are working towards providing the safe and accepted facilities needed to manage their HLW and SNF inventories. The goal in each national programme is to establish a geological disposal facility and to ensure that adequate storage capacity is available until disposal operations can begin. 

As the webinar series continues, it will bring together representatives of leading and (re)emerging programmes around the world, subject matter experts, policymakers at all levels of government, regulators and implementers to leverage expertise, facilitate mutual learning, and develop a path forward based on lessons learned in national programs. 

Future Webinar topics include:

  • Why Providing High Level Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage and Disposal is Important to New Nuclear Power Development

  • Progress in advanced programmes: Canada, Finland, France, Sweden and Switzerland

  • How to start the conversation on the right foot and how to learn and decide together

  • An Introduction to the U.S. Consent-Based Siting Initiative and how does consent based siting and new nuclear tie together

  • The science and engineering of each national programme: a robust basis for safe and effective implementation

  • Effective governance and oversight of the national programme

  • Long term liabilities: costing and funding for a national geological disposal programme and the relative cost for storage until disposal

All webinars will be open to the public, providing opportunities for audience engagement and Q&A. 

To monitor the webinar series, register for future webinars when they are made available, and view past webinars once they are uploaded, visit the IAEA's website.

A webinar series hosted jointly by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Department of Nuclear Energy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA

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