IAEA Says Italy Faces Challenges On Nuclear Resources And Policy Development

5 Dec (NucNet): An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of safety experts said Italy is committed to effective nuclear regulatory oversight, but faces challenges related to resources and needs to further develop policies for nuclear safety, decommissioning and managing radioactive waste. The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team concluded a 12-day mission on 2 December 2016 to assess Italy’s regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety. The mission was hosted by the Italian government and the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), which is responsible for nuclear and radiation safety regulation in the country. The IRRS team said Italy has a regulatory framework for safety in place and identified several good practices. A new regulatory body, the Inspectorate for Radiation Safety and Radiation Protection, will be in place in the near future. The IRRS team said the government should provide the regulatory body with “sufficient competent staff” to carry out its responsibilities and duties and the regulatory body should develop an “integrated management system”. Italy’s four nuclear power reactors are being decommissioned. Italy also has five research reactors and uses radioactive sources in medical, industrial and research applications. The government has a plan to construct a facility for disposal of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste and long-term storage of high-level waste.