IAEA Praises Greece’s Progress On Nuclear Regulation

24 Nov (NucNet): Greece has significantly strengthened its regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety since 2012, but the government should amend legislation to ensure facilities do not continue operations until licences have been fully renewed, an International Atomic Energy Agency Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team said on 24 November 2017. The IRRS team said Greece has been responsive to the findings of a 2012 review to improve its national framework for safety and the protection of public health against radiation. The Greek Atomic Energy Commission implemented almost all the recommendations and suggestions from the previous review, the experts said. IRRS team leader Tom Ryan, programme manager at Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency, said an important package of legislative provisions has been enacted, bringing the Greek radiation safety regulations into line with international standards. The IAEA said Greece makes extensive use of radiation sources in medical and industrial applications, as well as in science and research. The country has one nuclear facility, a research reactor in extended shutdown mode at the National Centre for Scientific Research on the outskirts of Athens. Using IAEA safety standards and international best practices, IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of national nuclear regulatory infrastructure.