Chairman of the US regulatory authority on a visit to Poland
12.06.2024
Christopher T. Hanson in Poland. The Chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission came at the invitation of the National Atomic Energy Agency. During the meeting with President of the PAA, Andrzej Glowacki, Chairman Hanson stressed the great importance of the nearly 15-year-long cooperation with the Polish nuclear regulatory authority. As part of the visit, the heads of the Polish and American regulators also met with the authorities of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The talks focused on plans to construct the country's first nuclear power plant.
“PAA is our long-standing partner, with whom we share the knowledge and experience of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)”, said Christopher T. Hanson, during a meeting with President of the PAA Andrzej Glowacki on June 10 at THE PAA’s headquarters. “We have a very rich experience in licensing nuclear facilities and in overseeing nuclear power plants. This includes power plants built with AP100 technology, the technology that the Polish government wants to use in the first nuclear power plant planned in Poland”, added Chairman Hanson.
Cooperation between the National Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been going on for nearly 15 years. The first agreement on the exchange of information and experience in the area of nuclear safety between the PAA and the NRC was concluded in 2010. “In November 2022, i.e. after the government had selected the AP1000 technology, we placed even more emphasis on the cooperation with our American counterpart. We have adopted a bilateral cooperation programme, which we have constantly been implementing”, explained Andrzej Glowacki, President of the PAA.
Cooperation of Polish and American nuclear regulatory authorities in practice
Over 15 years, the PAA and the NRC have carried out dozens of various activities in the area of building competence in overseeing nuclear power plants. More than 20 Polish specialists have already completed on-the-job trainings in the US, during which Polish inspectors and analysts became familiar with the practice of inspecting nuclear power plants in the US. The trainings are an opportunity to observe the progress of construction of new nuclear units at the Vogtle nuclear power plant - using Westinghouse AP1000 technology. At least three more trainings in the United States are planned for the PAA’s employees this year.
Parallel to Chairman Hanson's visit, NRC experts are conducting a workshop in Warsaw on safety culture in nuclear regulatory authority’s work. A three-week training course with dozens of the PAA’s and Office of Technical Inspection’s employees on the safety of AP1000 technology will soon begin. More joint workshops and training courses of the Polish and U.S. nuclear regulatory authorities are planned.
Talks at the national and local level
On Wednesday, June 12, President of the PAA and NRC Chairman met with Pomeranian Voivode Beata Rutkiewicz and Pomeranian Voivodeship Deputy Marshal Leszek Bonna.
During the meeting, President of the PAA emphasized the role of nuclear regulatory authority in the Polish Nuclear Power Programme. “The National Atomic Energy Agency will oversee the safety of investments on behalf of the society. We are committed to good cooperation with local authorities. As an independent nuclear regulator, we are also open to contacts with local society", said Andrzej Głowacki.
