The required infrastructure for a nuclear power program includes not only facilities and equipment, but adequate human and financial resources and a well-established legislative and regulatory framework within which the program will be implemented. Nuclear security is one of the 19 nuclear infrastructure issues in the IAEA Milestones Approach. IAEA Nuclear Security Series Publication No. 19, “Establishing the Nuclear Security Infrastructure for a Nuclear Power Program (NSS 19),” recommends the development of a national nuclear security policy in the first phase of a State’s infrastructure development for nuclear power. NSS 19 includes brief guidance on the topics that a State should consider in its national nuclear security policy. However, neither NSS 19 nor other international guidance provide any insight into the role of a national policy in a State’s nuclear power infrastructure and its link to the legislative and regulatory framework in a country embarking on nuclear power. This paper analyzes the role of a national nuclear security policy in addressing key topics, such as nuclear security culture, inter-agency collaboration, human and financial resources, and regime sustainability, and connecting them to the legislative and regulatory framework for an effective and sustainable nuclear security infrastructure. The paper will also include an analysis on the role of nuclear security policies in national frameworks. The authors draw from their experience supporting partner countries in the development of national nuclear security policies and aim to discuss case studies in the final paper.
Year
2022
Abstract