Senior international nuclear safety and radiation protection experts today concluded a 10-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission to review how Viet Nam's regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety has incorporated recommendations and suggestions from an earlier review, conducted in 2009.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) follow-up mission, requested by the Viet Nam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS), also reviewed the development of the regulatory safety infrastructure to support Viet Nam's nuclear power programme.

The eight-member team comprised senior regulatory experts from Canada, France, Pakistan, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, as well as three IAEA staff members.

The IRRS team said in its preliminary assessment that Viet Nam had made progress since 2009, but that some key recommendations still needed to be addressed. Particular strengths identified by the team included:

• The commitment of VARANS staff to develop legislation and regulations in the field of nuclear and radiation safety;
• VARANS' efforts to implement practices that are in line with IAEA Safety Standards and internationally recognized good practices;
• A willingness to receive feedback regarding the efforts to establish and implement a regulation programme; and
• Progress made in developing the regulatory framework to support the introduction of nuclear power.

The team identified the following areas as high-priority steps to further strengthen radiation and nuclear safety in Viet Nam:

• The effective independence of the regulatory decision-making process needs to be urgently addressed;
• Additional resources are needed to regulate existing radiation facilities and activities, as well as the country's research reactor;
• Efforts to increase the capacity of VARANS to regulate the developing nuclear power programme should continue;
• The draft?Master Plan for the Development of Nuclear Power Infrastructure?should be finalized and implemented with a high priority given to nuclear safety; and
• The draft?National Nuclear Emergency Response Plan?should be finalized and implemented as a matter of priority, and the country's emergency response capability should be further developed.

Deputy Prime Minister of Viet Nam, Hoàng Trung H?i, told the mission team that the country would give serious consideration to the findings of the mission report.

John Kinneman, former Director of the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards at the United States' Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who led the mission team, added that he hoped the good progress made in enhancing the regulatory infrastructure would continue.

Pil-Soo Hahn, Director of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, said Viet Nam had demonstrated commitment to the Agency's safety standards by inviting and hosting the regulatory review mission.

Quick Facts

Viet Nam has a large number of medical, research and industrial facilities that utilize radiation, including a research reactor. The country is planning to build a new research reactor and to develop a nuclear power programme.

About IRRS Missions

IRRS missions are designed to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the national radiation and nuclear regulatory infrastructure of States, while recognizing the ultimate responsibility of each State to ensure safety in this area.

This is done through consideration of both regulatory, technical and policy issues, with comparisons against IAEA safety standards and, where appropriate, good practices elsewhere.

The IAEA encourages countries that have hosted initial IRRS missions to invite follow-up missions two to four years after the initial missions.