An NRC delegation visited Zambia December 4-5, 2023, to assess the recently completed first cycle of the radiation protection postgraduate program at the University of Zambia (UNZA), School of Health Sciences, carried out in partnership with the NRC and Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) of Zambia. The group of students that successfully completed the training program expressed their satisfaction and acknowledged that it was a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. These students are now qualified to work as Radiation Protection Officers under Zambia’s regulatory requirements for use of...
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From November 13-17, 2023, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (USNRC) Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) conducted a virtual workshop on “Regulatory Licensing for Low-Level Waste Facilities” for Thailand’s Office of Atoms for Peace and Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology.The workshop consisted of five 2-hour sessions. The RSRP instructors, Mr. Bob Gramm, Mr. Mike Layton, and Mr. Mark Thaggard provided an overview of the USNRC’s regulatory approach for the oversight of extended storage operations, including subjects such as Quality Assurance; Source Term...
From March 4 -8, 2024, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) delivered an on-site low-level waste licensing workshop in Thailand for managers and staff of the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) and the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT). The five-day workshop included a walking tour of Thailand’s low-level waste storage facilities in Bangkok and Nakhon-Nayok Province. The workshop included all aspects for reviewing licensing applications for low-level waste processing, handling, and disposal activities...
From February 19-22, 2024, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) participated in the 15th Meeting of The Arab Network of Nuclear Regulators (ANNuR) in Vienna, Austria. The NRC delivered a presentation on the international cooperation program which works with regulatory counterparts to enhance regulatory oversight in three main areas: (1) the regulatory framework and programs for power and research reactors, (2) all aspects of a country’s use and regulation of radioactive sources, and (3) assistance with uranium recovery activities as it relates to mining and...
The second offering of a postgraduate program in radiation protection is getting underway at the University of Zambia (UNZA) after UNZA and the Radiation Protection Authority of Zambia signed contractual documents on February 1, 2024, for financial and technical support from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The second cohort is expected to include Zambian students as well as students from neighboring countries in the region. The first group comprised entirely of Zambian nationals completed the program in December 2023.
Participants from 17 African countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) joined the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) at the Second USNRC Africa Regional Capacity Building Meeting to discuss their progress in building regulatory oversight programs and their current challenges and priorities. Held in Lusaka, Zambia, from January 29-31, 2024, the USNRC received feedback from partners, engaged new countries, and began planning collaborative activities for the next 18-24 months.The meeting was hosted by the Zambia Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) and included 47...
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) delivered training on licensing and inspection of an 18 MeV cyclotron and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiopharmaceutical production practices to Ghana’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) in Accra, Ghana. This weeklong training from December 4-8, 2023 included both formal in-class presentations, and an on-site visit to/inspection of an NRA-authorized cyclotron and PET radiopharmaceutical production facility under construction in Accra. Thirteen regulatory staff from the NRA attended...
On October 19, 2023, the US NRC Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership Program (RSRP) met with the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA) to discuss accomplishments and challenges since the last bilateral meeting in October 2022. The goal was to identify current needs and areas for further collaboration under the RSRP. Meeting attendees included: ANRA Acting Chairman Kh. Khachikyan, Deputy Chairman V. Grigoryan, and senior ANRA staff members; Director of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center (NRSC) A. Amirjanyan, and senior NRSC staff; Emily Larson, US NRC OIP Desk...
On August 5-6, 2023, AdSTM attended the CBRN SSA 20th Anniversary Event in Khajund, Tajikistan. The event reflected on the Agency’s accomplishments and discussed on-going activities of re-cultivation of the Uranium legacy sites. On August 7, AdSTM visited the Regional Training Center and the newly constructed Forensic Laboratory operated by the CBRN. The visit was followed by the bi-lateral discussion of on-going RSRP activities (regulatory development and radiation source inventory update) and the discussion of the new activities to further regulatory development, support for the outreach to...
On July 27-28, 2023, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) held a meeting with the Paraguay Radiation Protection National Regulatory Authority (ARRN). The meeting was held in Asuncion, Paraguay and was conducted by Catherine Iwanowski of the NRC’s Office of International Programs, and Mario Rodriguez and Mark Shaffer from NRC’s contractor, Advanced Systems Technology and Management, Inc. (AdSTM). The meeting consisted of bilateral discussions with ARRN managers and staff as well as an ARRN Board Member from the Ministry of Defense....