Cross-Cutting Working Groups 

Radiological Protection

Chair: Marcel Lips (Kernkraftwerk Goesgen-Daeniken AG) 
Deputy Chairs: James Owen (BHP Billiton) and Josip Zic (McMaster University)  
Staff Director: Jim Hondros/Koji Kakehashi

The Group advocates scientifically-based policies and practices supported by industry experience to provide sufficient protection to the worker, public and the environment. It channels the global industry’s voice on radiological protection (RP) questions, as it interfaces with institutions, such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Radiation Safety Standards Committee (RASSC). 

The Group has developed an action plan for current and future activities throughout 2019 and beyond. These activities include involvement in IAEA RP-related committees and guidance document processes, ICRP report reviews, and participation in other conferences. The Group will undertake a revision of the Association’s position statements on ‘Risks of Low-dose Ionizing Radiation’ and ‘The Need for Robust Justification for Radiological Protection Recommendations’. 

Law

Chair: Chris White (Urenco)
Deputy Chair: Elina Teplinsky (Pillsbury)  
Staff Director: Philippe Costes 

This Group was established with a mandate to raise awareness of the legal issues and developments affecting the global nuclear industry amongst the membership of the Association, as well as to provide a forum to the members’ legal representatives to discuss issues and development. The Group also liaises with other Working Groups and assists when necessary on ways to respond to specific legal challenges. It has developed mutually beneficial relationships with the legal offices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) as well as with other relevant stakeholders.
The Group has focused in recent meetings on examining the consequences of ‘Brexit’ for the nuclear industry, developments in global nuclear liability and insurance, as well as issues in nuclear new build.
 
The Group will continue to be a forum for the exchange of information on contemporary legal topics, including the impact of nuclear cooperation agreements on the nuclear industry. It will forge greater connections with other Groups and cooperate on subjects of mutual interest such as multi-national repositories.
 

Economics

Chair: Milton Caplan (MZ Consulting)  
Deputy Chair: Irina Skvortsova (Rosatom)  
Staff Director: Philippe Costes
 

This Group’s focus is on developing a better understanding of the economics and the capital costs of nuclear plants, notably new plants in both developed or developing countries. It also examines the competitiveness of nuclear energy in the overall generating mix.
 
With the objective of providing key inputs to the Harmony programme the Group will examine:  

• Nuclear in an electric system – contribution and cost-effectiveness compared to  other low-carbon electricity generation; 
• Comparison of low-carbon electricity generation in terms of socio-economic benefits and life-cycle analyses;  
• Future changes that will have an impact on electricity systems and markets, such as costs of storage, load-following, demand-side management, clean gas and financing and structuring of NPP projects

Security 

Chair: Roger Howsley (World Institute for Nuclear Security)
Deputy Chair: Taisiya Afanasyeva (Rosatom) and Robert Rodger (UK National Nuclear Laboratory)
Staff Director: Greg Kaser

The mission of this Group is to share expertise and good practice between World Nuclear Association members in the field of nuclear security and establish the view of the industry on nuclear security. The Working Group supports the World Nuclear Association’s mission to foster public confidence in the nuclear industry in the areas of security and the securing of materials under industry control.
 
The Group supports the role of the IAEA in marshalling international cooperation in nuclear security and in publishing consensus recommendations which reflect current best practice. The Group is represented on the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee, which is responsible for developing IAEA recommendations on security. A paper on the work of the Security Working Group was presented to the International Conference on Nuclear Security in February 2020.
 
In 2019/20 the Group plans to review good practice and exchange experience and ideas on a number of topics and issue industry position statements or recommendations. Among the topics to be examined are: mitigating insider threats; cybersecurity; the safety-security interface and culture; and security oversight as part of good corporate governance.