The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) is planning to operate a fifth regional centre in Shanghai, China, to potentially serve one of the areas of biggest growth for the nuclear energy industry.

Outgoing WANO chairman Tom Mitchell, who is being succeeded by José Gago, said the project has seen the existing WANO Shanghai office move from a branch office to a support centre, which is the next step to becoming a regional centre.

WANO, a not-for-profit international safety organisation whose members operate around 450 nuclear units in over 30 countries and areas, has four existing regional centres in Atlanta, Moscow, Paris and Tokyo and a central office in London providing governance, oversight, and support to these centres.