IAEA Training Course for Owner/Operator Organizations of New Nuclear Power Projects Concludes in Russia

On July 30, the Interregional Training Course on the Establishment of Owner/Operator Organizations for New Nuclear Power Projects, jointly organized by Rosatom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), concluded at the Rosatom Technical Academy. Eighteen experts from 15 countries in Asia and Africa completed the five-day training.

The participants were primarily from national nuclear energy institutions, regulatory bodies, and relevant competent authorities responsible for nuclear infrastructure development in their respective countries. The course focused on the establishment and capacity building of owner/operator organizations for new nuclear power projects, covering topics such as license applications, change management, feasibility study preparation, personnel competency development, organizational structure design, and contract management.

Eric Mathet, Head of the Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section at the IAEA, stated that the participation of international trainees, IAEA experts, and host country experts created an environment conducive to exchange and provided an opportunity to discuss how engineering, procurement, and construction contractors and owner/operator organizations can work together to advance nuclear power projects, particularly applicable to countries at the early stages of developing nuclear energy.

Vasily Lavrenov, Vice Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that this training was an important practical step in the advancement of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant project. The visit to the Rosatom Technical Academy headquarters in Obninsk and exposure to simulators and training systems gave participants further insight into modern nuclear power personnel training technologies. He stated that Kazakhstan is currently at a critical stage of nuclear energy development, with the owner/operator organization for the nuclear power plant project already established. The next steps require continuously enhancing institutional capacity, building professional teams, improving personnel training systems, and introducing international good practices.

According to relevant IAEA documents, establishing a competent owner/operator organization is one of the key stages in the development of a national nuclear power program. This organization will assume responsibilities related to the safe operation of the nuclear power plant throughout its entire lifecycle. Training courses for experts from emerging nuclear energy countries are also regarded as an important channel for disseminating nuclear power project management experience and practical approaches.

The Rosatom Technical Academy is a personnel training institution for the nuclear industry and serves as an IAEA collaborating center in areas such as knowledge management and human resource development.