NUCLEAR

TECHNOLOGY
Nuclear Power,
Fuel Cycle
and Nuclear Science

36
We must tackle climate change, but we
must also ensure access for all to clean,
secure, affordable and modern forms
of energy. For sustainable development
and prosperity, we need an abundance
of clean and reliable energy. Nuclear
power is clearly part of the solution.

Mikhail Chudakov
Deputy Director General
and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy

37
 Nuclear Power, Fuel Cycle
and Nuclear Science

active Collaborating Centres

within the Department of
19
Nuclear Energy

peer review
missions 23

active coordinated
research projects 22
(CRPs)

online training and

education courses 1850
hosted on CLP4NET

Participants
in IAEA schools
298

207 Nuclear Energy

Management School

68 Nuclear Knowledge
Management School

23 Regional Research
Reactor School

38
 IAEA-designated International Centres
7 based on Research Reactors
in 7 countries

11 research reactors under

construction in 10 countries

24 databases

modelling tools
25 and simulators

buffer

inner
fuel pyrocarbon
kernel (IPyC)
silicon
carbide outer
(SiC) pyrocarbon
(OPyC)

TRISO Tri-structural isotropic, or ‘TRISO’

particle fuel, an inherently safe technology
In 2023, the Agency opened a call for
proposals to start a CRP entitled ‘Fuel
fuel particle that offers excellent retention of fission Modelling Exercises for Coated Particle
products, has been identified as one Fuel for Advanced Reactors Including
of the fuel options for SMRs. Small and Modular Reactors’.
 NUCLEAR POWER

OBJECTIVE
To support Member States with
existing nuclear power plants (NPPs)
to enhance operating performance
and safe, secure, efficient and reliable
long term operation, with a harmonized
approach to human, technological
and organizational aspects.
SNETP, together with the European
To support Member States embarking Commission services and other
on new nuclear power programmes stakeholders, is today actively involved
in planning and building their
in the new European Industrial Alliance
national nuclear infrastructures
through coordinated assessment on SMRs that aims at supporting
and assistance activities. the development, demonstration
and deployment of SMRs and AMRs
To support Member States in
in Europe by early 2030. The close
modelling, analysing and assessing
links we have built over the years
future nuclear energy systems for
sustainable development of nuclear with the IAEA teams, are an asset
energy and to provide them with to support the revival of the nuclear
collaborative frameworks and support sector, as it is strongly needed to
for technology development and reach our common goal to provide
deployment of advanced nuclear safe, efficient and competitive
reactors, non-electric applications,
low carbon energy sources.
and integrated energy systems.
Bernard Salha
President of the Sustainable Nuclear Energy
Technology Platform (SNETP)

40
2 17 000 2 2
INIR missions new PRIS new platforms new networks
Phase 1, database users CNPP ISOP
Estonia 540 000 hits HOPS SANIS
Phase 1 follow-up,
Kazakhstan

KEY OUTPUTS

Launching Nuclear Power Programmes

With global energy demand on the rise, nuclear power — implementing a new nuclear power programme. The Agency
a low-carbon energy source for sustainable development continued to provide support to them in building awareness
— continues to play an important role in the energy mix of the commitments required for the decision making process
of many countries. Global nuclear capacity is expected to and in developing the required infrastructure in line with the
grow, resulting in an increased demand for Agency services Milestones Approach. Nine Integrated Work Plan meetings
to support nuclear infrastructure development. In 2023, were held to identify priority areas for Agency support for
there were 27 Member States considering, planning or embarking countries.

Operating Nuclear Power Plants and Expanding Nuclear Power Programmes

Interest in the long term operation of NPPs is growing, with Steering Committee Meeting of the International Network on
a view to helping expand the role of nuclear power in the Life Management of Nuclear Power Plants.
clean energy transition. A technical meeting in Gyeongju-si,
The country nuclear power profile (CNPP) application
Republic of Korea, allowed participants to share good
process and website were overhauled in 2023, allowing for
practices and lessons learned from long term NPP
more comprehensive integration with the Power Reactor
operation, review a draft publication provisionally entitled
Information System (PRIS) database.
Good Practices and Lessons Learned from the Long Term
Operation of Nuclear Power Plants and conduct the first

Human Resource Development and Management

and Stakeholder Engagement Support
The Agency supports Member States that are operating, offers Member States an online repository of tools and
expanding or developing new nuclear power programmes resources to support human resource development, training
in acquiring and maintaining competent staff for all nuclear and qualification, knowledge management, stakeholder
organizations — including government agencies and engagement, industrial involvement and innovation
owner/operators — and in engaging with stakeholders. The management.
Nuclear Energy Capacity Building Hub, launched in 2023,

41
Nuclear Reactor Technology Development
Nuclear power technology is evolving, with a focus on significantly to meeting global energy needs. Many of the
the development of advanced energy systems and the lessons learned from the past 50 years of WCR operation
broadening of their applications. A technical meeting on continue to be applied to the design and operation of existing
compatibility between coolants and materials for fusion and advanced WCRs.
facilities and advanced fission reactors allowed participants
to discuss related state-of-the-art technology. The The Agency publication Terms for Describing Advanced
experience accumulated through the maturing of fission Nuclear Power Plants provides Member States with up-to-
power technology could be employed to accelerate the date terms for describing advanced NPPs, draws distinctions
industrialization and commercialization of fusion power. between design phases and clarifies terms commonly used
Of special interest is experience in material R&D for when describing advanced NPPs. Meanwhile, the revised
Generation IV reactors, whose temperature and radiation Nuclear Reactor Technology Assessment for Near Term
damage characteristics are similar to those of anticipated Deployment explains how reactor technology assessment
fusion power facilities. In this regard, the Agency organized enables decision making for nuclear power planning and
extensive consultations on a study relating to synergies implementation.
between fusion technology developments and advanced
nuclear fission technologies. Small and medium sized or modular reactors,
including high temperature reactors
As part of the Agency’s Open-source Nuclear Codes for
Global interest in small and medium sized or modular reactors
Reactor Analysis initiative, a joint training workshop by the
has been increasing due to their ability to meet the need for
Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics
flexible power generation for a wider range of users and
(ICTP) and the Agency on open-source nuclear codes for
applications and replace ageing fossil fuel-fired power plants.
reactor analysis was conducted in Trieste, Italy, providing
training on reactor neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and In 2023, the Agency launched a new coordinated research
system analysis at various scales. project to identify and enhance understanding of families of
enabling technologies with the potential to either reduce small
Technology development for advanced water modular reactor (SMR) construction costs and schedules or
cooled reactors better suit users’ needs, thus facilitating and favouring the
early deployment of such reactors.
Water cooled reactors (WCRs) account for more than 95%
of the world’s operating commercial NPPs and contribute

The Director General visiting Huaneng’s Shidao Bay high temperature gas cooled, pebble bed module (HTR-PM)
demonstration project, China, May 2023.

42
During the 67th regular session of the General Conference, Non-electric Applications of Nuclear Power
a side event on reactor technology assessment informed The proven use of nuclear energy for non-electric applications,
participants about how to perform SMR assessments using including district heating, desalination and direct provision of
the Agency’s Reactor Technology Assessment methodology heat for various industrial processes, is one of the drivers
and Advanced Reactor Information System database, which of interest in nuclear energy to help decarbonize energy
are integral parts of SMR Platform activities. applications.
A technical meeting on the harmonization and use of Within the framework of the SMR Platform, the Agency
industrial codes and standards for SMRs advanced conducted an expert mission to Jordan to review a pre-
harmonization efforts for near deployment reactors, in such feasibility study on SMR deployment for desalination. A
areas as engineering standards, non-nuclear codes and number of factors were considered, including safety and
serially produced components. security, siting, licensing and stakeholder engagement.
Following the mission, the Agency delivered its final report
Lastly, the publication Suitability Evaluation of Commercial
and suggestions to the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission.
Grade Products for Use in Nuclear Power Plant Safety
Systems provides information on approaches to such An interregional training course on specific design
evaluation. considerations of nuclear cogeneration projects using SMRs
and microreactors, held in Moscow, trained participants
Fast reactors on the fundamentals of cogeneration using such reactors.
The Agency redesignated the École Polytechnique Fédérale Meanwhile, a technical meeting allowed participants to
de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland as a Collaborating exchange information on the most recent developments in
Centre on modelling and simulation capabilities in the field high temperature hydrogen production projects worldwide
of advanced reactors. One of the outputs of this cooperation and to discuss the potential for coupling these technologies
was a workshop on open-source nuclear codes for reactor with various types of nuclear plant.
analysis, jointly organized with EPFL and ICTP, which offered
a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge computational
techniques for nuclear reactor analysis.

Enhancing Global Nuclear Energy Sustainability through Innovations

National strategic and long term nuclear energy planning Evaluation of Nuclear Energy System Options presents case
requires tools that increase awareness of the options studies of different approaches on this topic.
available for sustainable nuclear energy development.
At a technical meeting on the INPRO collaborative project
The Agency’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear
‘Legal and Institutional Issues of Prospective Deployment
Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) supports its members in
of Fusion Facilities’, experts identified the need to develop a
sustainable energy planning.
regulatory framework for fusion power plants that will support
At the 32nd Meeting of the INPRO Steering Committee, long term sustainability.
INPRO members discussed new collaborative projects (fossil-
During the Joint ICTP–IAEA INPRO School on Strategic
to-nuclear and Framework for Modelling of Energy Systems
Planning for Sustainable Nuclear Energy Development, held in
model development), finalized the INPRO Subprogramme
Italy, participants learned basic concepts, methodology and
Plan 2024–2025, discussed updates to the INPRO Strategic
tools for modelling, analysis and sustainability assessment of
Plan 2024–2029, and discussed the potential launch of a new
nuclear energy systems.
INPRO advisory service on strategic planning for sustainable
nuclear energy development. The publication Comparative

43
 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVE
To support Member States in
establishing effective, safe, secure and
sustainable frameworks and solutions
for the fuel cycle, radioactive waste
management, decommissioning and life
cycle management of related facilities, The Agency has provided important fora
including research reactors, for nuclear of technical information exchange on the
programmes and nuclear applications. front- and the back-ends of the nuclear
fuel cycle in 2023 and is encouraged to
To support Member States in
strengthening their capabilities and pursue its efforts to support Member
human resources in the domains of fuel States’ interest in nuclear power,
cycle, radioactive waste management, especially after the declaration made
decommissioning and environmental at COP28 by several countries to triple
remediation, and research reactors. their nuclear energy capacities by 2050.
To be a platform to facilitate and
Mr Zheng Mingguang
strengthen international cooperation,
Chief Engineer for Nuclear Energy
coordination and information at China’s State Power Investment
sharing among Member States. Corporation, Chair of the Agency’s Standing
Advisory Group on Nuclear Energy

44
5 2 209 519 56 000
peer review Collaborating nuclear research tonnes
missions Centre reactors reactors of uranium
conducted agreements permanently decommissioned (preliminary
1 DSRS-TeC signed retired from or undergoing data) produced
1 INIR-RR KINGS service, of decommissioning globally
3 OMARR Sogin which 22 fully in 37 countries
decommissioned

KEY OUTPUTS

Uranium Resources and Processing

Uranium is the primary fuel for nuclear reactors and must planning and management for uranium and thorium projects,
be managed properly, in a safe and sustainable manner. held in 2023 in Espoo, Finland, acquired practical knowledge
Participants in a training workshop on mineral exploration on techniques used for exploration.

Assurance of Supply
The IAEA Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank in Kazakhstan, 30B cylinders carried out in June 2023. An LEU reserve in
which provides an assurance of supply mechanism of last Angarsk, established following an agreement of February
resort, continued safe operations at the Ulba Metallurgical 2011 between the Government of the Russian Federation
Plant, with the first campaign of recertification of LEU-filled and the Agency, remained operational.

Nuclear Fuel Development

Nuclear fuel must be adequately designed and manufactured the most up-to-date information on fuel developments to
to enable the reliable and safe operation of NPPs. In 2023, meet the needs of new reactors, including small modular
participants in a technical meeting on advances in nuclear reactors (SMRs).
fuel fabrication technologies for power reactors exchanged

Management of Spent Fuel from Nuclear Power Reactors

Managing the spent fuel arising from NPPs until its disposal reactor technologies, jointly organized in 2023 with the
is an important step in the nuclear fuel cycle, constituting OECD/NEA, identified gaps, opportunities and needs relating
the so-called ‘back end’. Participants in an international to the deployment of molten salt reactors.
workshop on the chemistry of fuel cycles for molten salt

45
Radioactive Waste Management
A number of disposal options have been developed for final The publication Management of Depleted Uranium Used
management of radioactive waste, including deep borehole as Shielding in Disused Radiation Devices presents relevant
disposal. To explore further options and solutions for information on technical issues and factors, as well as specific
radioactive waste management, new coordinated research Member State experience leading to the identification of
projects (CRPs) were launched in 2023 on enhancing global potential options for the management of depleted uranium
knowledge about deep borehole disposal for intermediate shields.
and high level nuclear waste and on geopolymers as an
At the inaugural meeting of the Disused Sealed Radioactive
immobilization matrix for radioactive waste.
Sources Network, held three years after its inception,
Participants in a technical meeting on the high temperature participants exchanged information on the national status
processing of radioactive waste reiterated the importance of disused sealed radioactive source (DSRS) management
of establishing waste acceptance criteria and defining the and discussed further needs and support in this area, and
endpoint or disposal option, before a treatment process is expressed strong interest in silo storage and disposal of
selected. In addition, the publication Policies and Strategies for DSRS.
Radioactive Waste Management was translated into French.
Member States received training and assistance in managing
Management of disused sealed radioactive DSRS, including technological and engineering support as
sources part of the pilot borehole disposal project in Malaysia. Thirty-
six Category 1 and 2 disused sources were removed from
Radioactive sources are used worldwide in medicine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, Nicaragua
industry and research. Once they fall out of use, the safety and Slovenia.
and security risks increase if the sources are improperly
managed.

Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation

Decommissioning The Biennial Forum of the International Decommissioning

Decommissioning is a normal part of a nuclear facility’s life Network reviewed the Agency’s decommissioning activities
cycle and needs to be considered in its design. It includes over the previous two years, paying specific attention to
activities such as planning and the physical and radiological capacity building, human resources development and
characterization of the facility, including the associated land. knowledge management.

In 2023, the Agency conducted a series of technical A new Collaborating Centre on decommissioning was
meetings that allowed participants to share knowledge on established with KEPKO International Nuclear Graduate
the decommissioning of various nuclear facilities. A meeting School (KINGS) in the Republic of Korea. In addition, a
held in Cadarache, France, in collaboration with the French new CRP on R&D to advance decommissioning of legacy
Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission and reactors was launched.
ITER, facilitated the collection, sharing and analysis of good
practices and experiences in decommissioning and related Environmental remediation
waste management considerations for fusion facilities. The report Determination of Environmental Remediation End
States provides guidance to assist Member States in decision
To ensure good decommissioning knowledge management,
making for environmental remediation of radioactively
the Agency jointly developed A Taxonomy for the
contaminated sites.
Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities with the European
Commission and the OECD/NEA. In 2023, the Agency expanded the work scope of Sogin, an
existing Collaborating Centre in Italy, to include programmatic
activities in environmental remediation.

46
Research Reactors
The Agency assists Member States with the planning, A technical meeting on proliferation resistance for research
operation, utilization and fuel cycle of research reactors, reactors allowed participants to share information and
which are used for research, testing, radioisotope production, experience in incorporating intrinsic features in the design of
education and training. It also provides assistance in the new research reactors to minimize the potential of their use
areas of capacity building and infrastructure development. for nuclear proliferation.

Furthermore, a training workshop held in Lemont, United

New research reactor projects, infrastructure
States of America, provided participants with practical
development and capacity building
information and guidance on establishing coupling schemes
Two Regional Research Reactor Schools, conducted in between neutronics and thermal-hydraulics codes to improve
Argentina and Morocco, and the 18th EERRI Research the design, operation, utilization and safety of research
Reactor Training Course, held in Austria, the Czech Republic reactors.
and Slovenia, trained young professionals in a broad range
of topics related to the safe operation and effective use of
Research reactor operation and maintenance
research reactors.
Operation and Maintenance Assessment for Research
In addition, the Agency designated the National Centre for Reactors (OMARR) missions in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Nuclear Energy, Sciences and Technology in Morocco as an and Thailand, and Agency missions in support of in-service
International Centre based on Research Reactor, providing inspections of research reactors in the Democratic Republic
nuclear education and training opportunities to students and of the Congo, Indonesia and the Islamic Republic of Iran,
young professionals from African countries. helped these Member States to improve the operational
availability and reliability of their research reactors.
Research reactor fuel cycle
Technical meetings on digital instrumentation and control
In 2023, the Agency published Post-irradiation Examination systems and integrated management systems for research
Techniques for Research Reactor Fuels, which gives Member reactors, and a webinar on decommissioning considerations
States an introduction to such techniques in support of in the design and operation of research reactors, allowed
LEU fuel development for high-power research reactors. participants to share experience in managing different
life cycle stages of facilities and support Members States’
continuous safe operation of their research reactors.

Agency mission in support of an in-service inspection

of RSG-GAS research reactor in Indonesia, June 2023.
(Photograph courtesy of Indonesia’s National Research
and Innovation Agency (BRIN))

The Director General visiting the Underground Research

Laboratory of the French National Radioactive Waste Management
Agency (Andra) to discuss the future construction of Cigéo, France’s
planned deep geological repository for high-level and intermediate
nuclear radiological waste, November 2023. (Photograph courtesy
of Andra)

47
 CAPACITY BUILDING AND
NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE
FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVE
To support Member States in
strengthening their capacities for
formulating robust energy strategies,
plans and programmes, and to improve
their understanding of nuclear energy’s
contribution to facilitating the clean The IAEA remains an important partner
energy transition, combating climate for the Korea Atomic Energy Research
change and achieving the Sustainable
Institute in the field of knowledge
Development Goals (SDGs).
management, including human
To support Member States in resources development. It enables
strengthening their capacities for us to acquire a broad overview of
establishing, managing and using knowledge preservation activities in
their nuclear knowledge base and
the nuclear sector at the global level.
to foster international networking.

To acquire, preserve and provide Youngmi Nam

Member States with access to Principal Researcher at the Korea
Atomic Energy Research Institute
information in the area of nuclear
science and technology and to
facilitate sustainable information
sharing among Member States.

48
 6 6 4
Knowledge Nuclear Energy International
Management Management Nuclear
Assist Visits to Schools Management
Academy visits
Armenia, Egypt,
Georgia, India
3
Switzerland and Nuclear Knowledge
Tunisia Management
Schools

KEY OUTPUTS

Energy Modelling, Data and Capacity Building

Energy planning remains at the heart of efforts to resolve the 2023 were focused specifically on small modular reactors or
current energy and climate crises and ensure that countries’ on supporting initiatives such as Atoms4NetZero, which aim
planned transition pathways meet the SDGs in the near-to- to help Member States assess nuclear power as a means
medium term, and the objectives of the Paris Agreement to decarbonize electricity, heat and hydrogen production.
in the longer term. An increasing number of countries are The Agency continued to assist Member States in energy
assessing the option of using nuclear power, and integrating planning to address sustainable development and climate
that option in energy planning allows these countries to change mitigation, and increasingly net zero transitions. At
decide on whether to embark on a nuclear programme. 51 capacity-building events, specialists from Africa, Asia,
The Agency can provide technology-neutral advice on a Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean learned how to
country’s energy planning, which might consist of different evaluate their energy needs, including by using the Agency’s
technology options, including nuclear energy, renewables, energy assessment tools.
etc. Some of the energy planning training events organized in

Students working on a group project during the Joint ICTP-IAEA Nuclear Knowledge Management School in Trieste, Italy,
October 2023.

49
Energy, Economic and Environmental (3E) Analysis
Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement will require a multilateral development banks to include nuclear power in
substantial increase in the level of investment in clean energy their climate finance policies.
technologies. Increased recognition of nuclear energy’s climate
At COP28, the Agency released three booklets: Nuclear
credentials could open up sustainable financing options that
Energy and Climate Change: Questions and Answers
are already accessible to other low-carbon technologies. In
on Progress, Challenges and Opportunities, part of the
2023, the Agency organized several workshops on nuclear
Agency’s contribution to the first Global Stocktake; Nuclear
financing and on the macroeconomic impacts of investments
Energy in Mitigation Pathways to Net Zero, which analyses
in the nuclear sector, as well as high-level panel sessions and
the role of nuclear and gaps in the Intergovernmental Panel
events at the Second International Conference on Climate
on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report; and Nuclear
Change and the Role of Nuclear Power: Atoms4NetZero and
Energy in Climate Resilient Power Systems, which examines
at COP28, on financing nuclear investments and engaging
the potential of nuclear power to support decarbonized,
with financial institutions. In particular, participants discussed
climate-resilient energy systems. These booklets provided
the development of taxonomies that include nuclear power
background to several events organized by the Agency or its
as part of sustainable activities, the use of climate models
partners during COP28.
to inform financial institutions on the potential contribution of
nuclear power to mitigate climate change, and the need for

The Director General with the President

of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan (left),
and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy,
Almassadam Satkaliyev (right), at the
Agency event ‘Net Zero Needs Nuclear
Power’, COP28, December 2023.

The Net Zero Nuclear event ‘Tripling

Nuclear Energy by 2050’, COP28,
December 2023.

50
Nuclear Knowledge Management
Building, collecting, transferring, sharing, preserving, Two technical working groups, on nuclear knowledge
maintaining and utilizing knowledge is essential to developing management and human resource development, were
and retaining the necessary technical expertise and merged to provide a more efficient, cost-effective service,
competences required for nuclear power programmes and with the first meeting of the new Technical Working Group on
other nuclear technology. In this regard, the Agency helps Managing Human Resources and Knowledge in the Field of
Member States maintain and preserve nuclear knowledge. Nuclear Energy held in 2023.

Four International Nuclear Management Academy missions Furthermore, a technical meeting on the International Nuclear
were implemented in 2023, at Sofia University in Bulgaria, Management Academy provided a forum for university
KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS) in the representatives to present the status of their existing or
Republic of Korea, the University of Idaho in the United States planned nuclear technology management programmes and
of America and Ontario Tech University in Canada, and three share good practices and experiences.
new members joined the Academy — KINGS, the University
The publication A Nuclear Knowledge Management Course
of Idaho and the University of West Bohemia, Czech Republic.
for University Master’s Level Programmes provides guidance
to Member States, in particular universities, on establishing
a master’s level course in nuclear knowledge management.

Nuclear Information
The IAEA Library, renamed the IAEA
Lise Meitner Library in March 2023,
continued to meet the information
needs of Member States by working
with members of the International
Nuclear Library Network.

Agency staff and Monica Frisch, grand-niece of Lise Meitner, at the renaming of
the IAEA Library, March 2023.

2.6 million
unique INIS searches

1.7 15.5 million

full text downloads
million
users accessed
the INIS repository
globally 4 million
pages viewed

130 000
new records curated, including
13 000 full-text documents

51
 NUCLEAR SCIENCE

OBJECTIVE
To support Member States in
strengthening their capabilities in the
development and application of nuclear
science as a tool for their technological
and socioeconomic development.

To support Member States in

enhancing sustainable operation ANSTO is proud of its long-standing
and effective utilization of particle collaboration with the IAEA (…) there
accelerators and neutron sources, as
are many more opportunities ahead in
well as effective utilization of research
which we can continue to advance the
reactors, increasing opportunities for
access to these facilities and their United Nations Sustainable Development
diverse applications, and in developing Goals through the application of
relevant qualified professionals. nuclear science and technology.

Dr Suzanne Hollins
Head of Research at the Australian
Nuclear Science and Technology
Organisation (ANSTO) and Director of the
ANSTO Graduate Institute

52
16 3 3 163 9
coordinated IRRUR Practical people terabytes
research missions to Arrangements received of material
projects AEOI, Iran signed with hands-on downloaded
in progress INL, USA CNDC, China training in from the Nuclear
and MIT, USA HFIPS, China nuclear science Data Services
and ITU and applications database

KEY OUTPUTS

Atomic and Nuclear Data

The Agency provides fundamental nuclear data for power Plutonium-239 for advanced nuclear reaction simulations.
and non-power applications, as well as atomic data for The 21st International Conference on Atomic Processes in
fusion energy research. In 2023, it released a number of Plasmas, held in May 2023 with 127 participants, focused on
new graphical user interfaces, notably TALYSworld and atomic processes involved in the study of plasmas in fusion
Data Explorer, for easy access to nuclear reaction data. energy and other applications over a wide range of densities
Additionally, the International Nuclear Data Evaluation and temperatures.
Network contributed to improved nuclear data for

Research and Applications with Accelerators and Neutron Sources

The Agency supports Member States with regard to Periodic training courses and workshops provided hands-on
research, infrastructure projects and education programmes training on scientific experiments and practical applications
on accelerators and neutron sources. In 2023, the Centre at research reactor, ion beam and synchrotron light facilities.
for Ion Beam Applications at the National University of Research groups from around 20 Member States carried
Singapore was designated as a Collaborating Centre aiming out experiments at Elettra Synchrotron Trieste, Italy, and the
to enhance the use of accelerator science and technologies Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia.
in multidisciplinary applications.
The Agency publication Specific Considerations and
The Agency continued its endeavours in the area of Guidance for the Establishment of Ionizing Radiation Facilities
‘Atoms for Heritage’ by organizing technical meetings and is intended for use by managers, staff, decision makers at
workshops, allowing numerous participants to enhance their the national level and other stakeholders at institutions
knowledge about advances in nuclear analytical techniques that are seeking or supporting the establishment of new
for the characterization of heritage samples and objects. ionizing radiation facilities. The publication Advances in
Following a joint technical briefing, the Agency and the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy comprehensively reports on
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research the current state of the related science and the supporting
Institute proposed a cooperation platform on using nuclear technology. It covers accelerator-based neutron sources,
techniques to combat illicit trafficking in cultural goods. beam design, physical dosimetry, facility design and
operation, pharmaceuticals, radiobiology, dose calculation,
treatment planning and clinical trials.

53
Nuclear Instrumentation
The safe and effective use of nuclear techniques A joint ICTP–IAEA School on advanced nuclear
requires reliable measurement, diagnostics and control instrumentation, held in Trieste, Italy, allowed trainees to
instrumentation. Advanced nuclear instrumentation is used familiarize themselves with professional software design
for many sophisticated applications, such as precision tools and hardware platforms through tutorials and hands-on
imaging systems for medical diagnostics, remote sensors for activities with an emphasis on practical applications of
environmental safety or the probing and manufacturing of the modern nuclear instrumentation.
most modern materials or objects.
The analytical capabilities of some 50 laboratories in 34
More than 300 person-weeks of hands-on training took Member States were improved through proficiency tests.
place at the Agency’s Nuclear Science and Instrumentation
In addition, as part of new partnership initiatives with the
Laboratory and at partner organizations, covering gamma
private sector, demonstration of diverse radiological mapping
spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, neutron science,
systems for radiation survey in field took place at the Nuclear
radiotracer applications, radiological mapping and nuclear
Science and Instrumentation Laboratory in Seibersdorf.
security. The majority of trainees benefited from the newly
refurbished Multipurpose Building at the IAEA Seibersdorf
Laboratories.

An Agency Integrated Research Reactor

Utilization Review (IRRUR) mission
assessed the utilization aspects of
three research reactors in the Islamic
Republic of Iran. A further two IRRUR
missions took place at research reactors
of the Idaho National Laboratory and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in the United States of America.
(Photograph courtesy of the Atomic
Energy Organization of Iran)

Portable macro X-ray fluorescence

scanner dedicated to 2D non-destructive
analysis of the elemental composition
of different pigments in art pieces and
artifacts of cultural and historical value.
The device was designed and built as
a result of a joint IAEA-ICTP project.
(Photograph courtesy of ICTP)

54
Fusion Research
The Agency continued its support to Member States to raise awareness of fusion energy and plasma research
by accelerating fusion energy research and technology in Southeast Asian countries and promoted interaction
development to make fusion energy generation a reality. between young talent and leading researchers from around
the world. In addition, the 12th ITER International School,
In 2023, a new coordinated research project (CRP) was also organized in cooperation with and supported by the
launched on the standardization of small specimen test Agency, allowed participants to get acquainted with physics
techniques for fusion applications to facilitate actions towards of energetic particles in fusion plasmas.
the unification of terminology and the tools used in different
parts of the fusion community. In 2023, the Agency designated the Plasma Science and
Fusion Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Agency organized a workshop on artificial intelligence for (PSFC) as its first Collaborating Centre in the field of fusion.
accelerating fusion and plasma science. The event provided This partnership will help the Agency deliver its fusion
a platform for researchers, developers, practitioners, research and technology activities for an initial period of
entrepreneurs and policymakers to discuss AI applications to four years (2023–2027). It will enable the Agency to access
accelerate fusion and plasma science, including through joint PSFC expertise in artificial intelligence applied to fusion and
initiatives and CRPs. In addition, the Joint ICTP–IAEA School plasma science by bringing together these innovations in an
on AI for Nuclear, Plasma and Fusion Science, organized in integrated manner, while training a new generation of fusion
Trieste, Italy, provided young researchers with critical skills scientists at the same time.
related to AI/machine learning and computational physics in
nuclear, plasma and fusion science. In addition, the Agency and the Hefei Institutes of Physical
Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, an integrated
The Fifth IAEA Technical Meeting on Fusion Data Processing, research entity in China that includes a fusion research
Validation and Analysis, organized in Gent, Belgium, provided institute, signed Practical Arrangements in physics,
a forum for fusion researchers to discuss a set of topics technology, training and education in fusion research.
relevant to fusion data processing, validation and analysis
with a view to identifying extrapolation needs for next-step Lastly, the Agency released a high-level textbook for
fusion devices such as ITER. graduate students entitled Fundamentals of Magnetic Fusion
Technology, which covers a wide range of topics and is
The 8th ASEAN School on Plasma and Nuclear Fusion, useful for teaching at master’s degree level.
organized by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology
in cooperation with and supported by the Agency, helped

The Director General

with the Director of
MIT's Plasma Science
and Fusion Center
(PSFC), Dennis Whyte,
and PSFC Research
Scientist, Cristina Rea,
at the signing of the
PSFC Collaborating
Centre agreement,
September 2023.

55
 42 publications in 2023
www.iaea.org/publications

17 Nuclear Fuel Cycle 176 440 online views

and Waste Technology of NE publications in 2023

21Nuclear Power MOST POPULAR PUBLICATION

4 Planning, Information Country Nuclear
and Knowledge Management Power Profiles

10 471
online views

Nuclear Power, Fuel Cycle and Nuclear Science

Second International Conference International Symposium on 29th IAEA Fusion

on Climate Change and Uranium Raw Material for Energy Conference
the role of Nuclear Power the Nuclear Fuel Cycle October 2023, London
2023: Atoms4NetZero May 2023, Vienna Participants: 1006 in person and
October 2023, Vienna Participants: 176 in person and 1609 online, from 81 Member States
Participants: 496 in person and 229 online, from 63 Member States This event provided a forum for
530 online, from 88 Member States This event allowed participants to the discussion of key physics and
analyse supply–demand scenarios technology issues and innovative
This event provided a forum for
and to present and discuss the latest concepts relating to the use
Member States, representatives of
developments and innovations in of fusion as a future source of
relevant low carbon energy sectors,
uranium geology, exploration, mining, energy. Participants presented the
international organizations and
processing and site decommissioning outcomes of R&D efforts in national
other stakeholders to exchange
to ensure a sustainable supply of and international fusion projects,
information on the role of nuclear
uranium for use as nuclear fuel. covering topics such as experiments
power in the energy transitions
and theory, fusion technology and
towards net zero emissions,
materials, and socioeconomic
consistent with the objectives of
aspects, highlighting advances made.
limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees
Celsius by the end of the century.

56
 Guidance on evaluating Describes the potential Contains estimates of Addresses the
progress towards use of nuclear and energy, electricity and contribution of
establishing or re- renewable generation nuclear power trends nuclear energy
establishing a national in coordinated up to the year 2050, in global climate
uranium production configurations to including global and change mitigation
programme and support various regional nuclear power pathways put forth by
planning the steps applications beyond projections presented the Intergovernmental
necessary to develop electricity production. as low and high cases. Panel on Climate
national infrastructure Change and the
requirements for International Energy
uranium production. Agency.

IAEA PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES IN 2023

International Symposium on the International Conference on Nuclear

Deployment of Floating Nuclear Power Decommissioning: Addressing the
Plants – Benefits and Challenges Past and Ensuring the Future
November 2023, Vienna May 2023, Vienna
Participants: 141 in person and Participants: 403 in person and
20 online, from 45 Member States 188 online, from 69 Member States
This event explored and discussed the This event covered achievements, challenges
potential deployment of FNPPs to enhance the and lessons learned in the decommissioning
contribution of nuclear energy to achieving net of nuclear facilities, highlighting current priority
zero carbon emissions. It highlighted the need needs and sharing information on strategies and
for closer cooperation between the Agency approaches that enhance the safe, secure and
and the International Maritime Organization cost-effective implementation of programmes.
and maritime classification societies, and
the need to consider safety, security and
safeguards in the early design stages.

57