International assessment identified the strengths and areas for development in Finland's nuclear safety work

The international Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) aims to improve the safety of nuclear energy worldwide. It endeavours to reinforce the safety measures taken by the contracting countries and strengthen international cooperation.

At the review meeting held by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), experts from the countries bound by the Convention assessed the activities of other countries on the basis of national reports. The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) was responsible for compiling Finland’s national report.

The international assessment team identified three areas on which Finland should focus its attention:

• Managing the impacts of reformed nuclear energy legislation
• Safeguarding national expertise and managing the risks related to changes in the nuclear industry
• Responding to the conclusions in a report on STUK’s safety culture

The assessment also identified several strengths of Finland’s nuclear safety work:

• STUK’s active work to evaluate changes in the operating environment and update the regulations
• An overall safety assessment for individual plants, developed by STUK
• The long-term development of a safety culture in Finland
• STUK’s systematic management tool for requirements from the authorities

The review meeting was attended by 87 countries. The key challenges for ensuring nuclear safety were identified as an outcome of the national assessments. These are challenges that many countries share.

They consist of managing human and competence resources in the nuclear industry, nuclear safety in extreme weather conditions and changing environmental conditions, how the use of artificial intelligence will impact nuclear safety, emergency planning under extraordinary conditions, such as wars, and supply chain management. The countries will report on these at the next review meeting, which will be held in three years.