An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) completed a five-day mission to Ghana on 20 April. It said the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) had shown a high commitment to safety following the conversion of the GHARR-1 research reactor core to use low-enriched uranium (LEU) as fuel instead of high-enriched uranium (HEU). GHARR-1 is a low-power research reactor with a maximum thermal power level of 30kW. It is a commercial type of Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) designed, manufactured and constructed by the China Institute of Atomic Energy. GHARR-1, which began operating in 1994, was initially fuelled with 90.2% HEU and is used for trace element analysis for industrial and agricultural purposes, research, education and training.

In 2006, work began to convert Chinese-designed MNSRs from HEU to LEU fuel, and GHARR-1 was the first of five such reactors outside of China eligible for conversion and fuel return to China. Under a project involving China and Ghana, as well as the USA and the IAEA, the HEU core was replaced with an LEU core in 2016/17 and the fuel was returned to China.

The four-member INSARR mission, comprising experts from France, Jamaica and the USA, as well as the IAEA, covered organisational and management aspects as well as technical areas including the core conversion, safety assessment, training and qualification of operating personnel, operation and maintenance programmes, radiation protection, and emergency preparedness.

"The research reactor's operator is showing a high commitment to safety and has implemented safety improvements as part of the reactor core conversion," noted team leader Deshraju Venkat Rao, nuclear safety officer at the IAEA. "There is a need for further improvements, however, particularly in areas related to organisational measures, safety documentation, and operational safety, including radiation protection aspects," he added. The team made recommendations including completing the revision of reactor safety and operating documentation to reflect the results of the commissioning of the reactor following the fuel conversion. It also said GAEC  should enhance the training and qualification programme for operational personnel, and improve the capability for monitoring operational safety parameters under all conditions, as well as strengthening radiation protection.

Mission to Niger

Earlier in April, an IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) team concluded an eight-day mission to Niger to review its infrastructure development. The team observed a strong government commitment to developing the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme. The government has established a Strategic Orientation Committee for the Nuclear Power Programme chaired by the Prime Minister and a National Technical Committee for the Nuclear Power Programme chaired by the President of the Nigerien High Authority for Atomic Energy (HANEA). The two committees form the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO). Niger has already completed or initiated several studies related to nuclear infrastructure development and prepared a comprehensive report summarising the results.

 “We had good discussions during the mission which provided further information to the team for each of the 19 infrastructure issues that are addressed during an INIR mission,” said team leader Anthony Stott of the IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section. The team comprised international experts from France, Morocco, Spain, and the UK as well as IAEA staff. Before the mission, which was supported by the Division for Africa in the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Department, Niger prepared a Self-Evaluation Report covering all infrastructure issues and submitted the report and supporting documents to the IAEA.

The team made recommendations for Niger to develop an integrated view of the overall nuclear power plant project costs; to assess and develop the legal and regulatory framework and ensure that all necessary elements of a national policy and strategy for safety are taken into account; and to strengthen management and documentation of the activities being undertaken for developing the nuclear power programme. The team identified good practices that would benefit other countries considering nuclear power, including the strong connection between the two committees that form the NEPIO, and the engagement with neighbouring countries to inform them of Niger’s plans.
 

Date: Monday, 30 April 2018
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsiaea-missions-in-ghana-and-niger-6133187