July 28, 2023

On July 26, 2023, Mr. William D. Magwood, Director General of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD-NEA) visited the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center and exchanged views on further strengthening nuclear safety cooperation.  

Mr. Yan Tianwen, Director General of the NSC introduced that, as a technical support organization directly affiliated to the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA), the NSC provides comprehensive technical support for China’s nuclear and radiation safety regulation. With the support and guidance of the NNSA, the NSC has actively participated in various OECD-NEA activities and cooperative mechanisms, including the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP), the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA), and the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI). It has also engaged in joint safety research projects led by the OECD-NEA, such as the Fuel Cladding Integrity Project (SCIP) and the Materials Integrity Life Extension Project (SMILE). Beyond technical exchanges, the NSC has strengthened personnel collaboration through initiatives like selecting free experts to the OECD-NEA and signing a capacity-building cooperation agreement. These diverse cooperative approaches have solidified and deepened bilateral ties.  

Magwood commended the NSC’s significant efforts and achievements in advancing nuclear safety regulation and highlighted the proposed Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Working Group under the MDEP framework, which will provide a technical exchange platform for regulators. He expressed hope for China’s active participation and experience-sharing to jointly explore effective regulatory approaches and address challenges posed by emerging technologies.  

During the visit, Magwood and his delegation toured facilities at the National Research and Development Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety Regulatory Technology, including the Nuclear and Radiation Emergency Command Center, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Exhibition Hall, the Radiation Environmental Monitoring Exhibition Hall, the Independent Verification and Validation Laboratory for Nuclear Safety Software, the Big Data Center, and the full-scope simulator, etc.