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Background on Key OrganizationsRelated to U.S. Nuclear Programs
- Vanderbilt University Press
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| 247 Background on Key Organizations Related to U.S. Nuclear Programs Adapted by Michael R. Greenberg, based on text prepared by Buzz Savage, U.S. Department of Energy Seven key organizations are related to the U.S. nuclear industry: (1) the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and (2) the Nuclear Energy Institute; on a global scale, (3) the International Atomic Energy Agency and (4) the World Association of Nuclear Operators; and supporting the functions of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), (5) the Licensing Support Network, (6) the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, and (7) the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste and Materials. Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) www.inpo.info Atlanta, GA The INPO was formed after the Three Mile Island (TMI-2) event in 1979, based on the recognition that the industry must do a better job of policing itself to ensure that an event of the magnitude of TMI should never happen again. The INPO was charged with establishing standards of excellence against which the plants are measured. An inspection of each member plant is typically performed every 18–24 months. The institute’s programs include: • SEE-IN (an information sharing network) • EPIX (an equipment failure database) • National Academy for Nuclear Training • Events Analysis INPO maintains a secure private Web site accessible only by the member utilities. INPO serves as the U.S. center for the World Association of Nuclear Operators organization described later. Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) www.nei.org Washington, DC The NEI serves as an intermediary between the utilities and the NRC on generic nuclear issues. The NEI also serves as a spokesman for the nuclear utilities, conducts public opinion polls, and in general is a conduit for nuclear industry perspectives. • Human Performance • Accreditation • Evaluations 248 | The Reporter’s Handbook: Additional Resources International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) www.iaea.org Vienna, Austria The IAEA is the United Nations organization that monitors compliance by the member states with nuclear safeguards agreements. The IAEA also promotes nuclear safety on a global scale. IAEA teams conduct OSART (Operational Safety Review Team) inspections at nuclear plants to evaluate nuclear operational safety. The IAEC supports technical needs of member countries. World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) www.wano.org.uk WANO was formed after the Chernobyl event to provide a role similar to INPO on a global basis. WANO has regional centers in Atlanta, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Moscow. WANO maintains a secure private Web site accessible only by the member utilities. Licensing Support Network (LSN) www.lsnnet.gov The LSN is a Web-based information system intended to facilitate the discovery process. It supports the NRC’s licensing process for a repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. All potential parties to the NRC’s licensing proceeding, including the DOE and the NRC, place relevant documentary material in the LSN. It can be an important source for journalists because the LSN contains electronically retrievable documentary material relevant to the DOE’s license application. The LSN provides the public and potential parties to the NRC’s licensing proceeding access to information relevant to the licensing of a repository at Yucca Mountain prior to submittal of the license application. The NRC’s regulations for the LSN are found in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, part 2, subpart J. U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB) www.nwtrb.gov The NWTRB is an independent agency of the federal government. Its purpose is to provide independent scientific and technical oversight of the DOE’s program for managing and disposing of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste and Materials (ACNW&M) On June 1, 2008, the ACNW&M became the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. Documents from the former ACNW&M are available on the ACNW&M documents Web page of the NRC Electronic Reading Room Collection (www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/advisory/acnw.html). For historical information on the ACNW&M, see the ACNW&M History page. ...