Jordan: High safety standards in the field of nuclear energy are a must

Members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) on Tuesday adopted a Report on the amending Directive on nuclear safety of nuclear installations.

"Nuclear energy can only play an important role in a sustainable energy mix if high safety standards are respected. Good operating and safety parameters of European nuclear power plants indicate a high level of safety culture in the European society. This has been proven by the EU's reaction to the Fukushima accident in 2011 in the form of stress tests and consequent adjustments that were made in current nuclear safety legislation," stressed Romana Jordan, Rapporteur for the document in the ITRE Committee.

The Report on nuclear safety of nuclear installations contains many important provisions, enhanced transparency of information public receives in case of an accident, clearer definitions of nuclear safety and more detailed rules concerning safety implementations, among them. Amendments adopted by a number of MEPs established additional European requirements for a high level of nuclear safety. Those requirements are based on the results of the stress tests carried out in all European nuclear power plants and those in the wider region after the Fukushima accident.

The key novelty of the Commission's proposal, however, lies in the creation of two new formats of peer reviews. These reviews come as an addition to already existing periodic reviews that the licence holders are carrying out in relation to the safety of nuclear installations. The first requires a regular review of national legislation on nuclear safety and the second requires a focus on a specific topic to be addressed every six years.

The report is expected to be adopted at the beginning of April in Brussels, at the second-last plenary session of the current legislature of the European Parliament.