NEA Mandates and Structures


COMMITTEE ON THE SAFETY OF NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS (CSNI)

Chair(s): Jean-Christophe NIEL, France
Secretaries:  Luc CHANIAL
(luc.chanial@oecd-nea.org)
Yeonhee HAH
(yeonhee.hah@oecd-nea.org)
Vice-Chair(s): Joanne BALL, Canada
Uwe STOLL, Germany
Member(s):All NEA member countries*
Russia (Suspended*)
*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
Full participant(s): European Commission
Under the NEA Statute
Observer(s)(International Organisation): International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
By agreement
Union of the Electricity Industry (EURELECTRIC)
Date of creation:01 February 1973
End of mandate:31 December 2022

Mandate (Document reference):

  • Final Report on the Strategy and Programme of Work in the Field of Nuclear Safety [NE(82)2]
  • Revised Mandate [NE(89)12]
  • Review of the NEA Committee Structure [NEA/NE(2000)11/REV1]
  • Review of Mandates of the NEA Standing Technical Committees [NEA/NE(2005)2]
  • Summary of Decisions Taken at the 117th Session of the Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy [NEA/SUM/DEC(2008)2]
  • Review of the NEA Standing Technical Committee Mandates [NEA/NE(2010)7]
  • Summary of Decisions Taken at the 121st Session of the Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy [NEA/SUM/DEC(2010)2]
  • Review of the Mandates of NEA Bodies Reporting Directly to the Steering Committee [NEA/NE(2016)5]
  • Summary of Decisions Taken at the 133rd Session of the Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy [NEA/SUM/DEC(2016)2] 

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract from document NEA/NE(2016)5

Mandate

The Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI) shall be responsible for NEA programmes and activities that support maintaining and advancing the scientific and technical knowledge base of the safety of nuclear installations, with the aim of implementing the NEA Strategic Plan for 2017‑2022 in its field of competence.

The Committee shall constitute a forum for the exchange of technical information and for collaboration between organisations, which can contribute, from their respective backgrounds in research, development and engineering, to its activities. It shall have regard to the exchange of information between member countries and safety R&D programmes of various sizes in order to keep all member countries involved in and abreast of developments in technical safety matters.

The Committee shall review the state of knowledge on important topics of nuclear safety science and techniques and of safety assessments, and ensure that operating experience is appropriately accounted for in its activities. It shall initiate and conduct programmes identified by these reviews and assessments in order to confirm safety, overcome discrepancies, develop improvements and reach consensus on technical issues of common interest. It shall promote the co-ordination of work in different member countries that serve to maintain and enhance competence in nuclear safety matters, including the establishment of joint undertakings (e.g. joint research and data projects), and shall assist in the feedback of the results to participating organisations. The Committee shall ensure that valuable end-products of the technical reviews and analyses are provided to members in a timely manner, and made publicly available when appropriate, to support broader nuclear safety.

The Committee shall focus primarily on the safety aspects of existing power reactors, other nuclear installations and new power reactors; it shall also consider the safety implications of scientific and technical developments of future reactor technologies and designs. Further, the scope for the Committee shall include human and organisational research activities and technical developments that affect nuclear safety.

The Committee shall organise its own activities. Furthermore, it shall examine any other matters referred to it by the Steering Committee. It may sponsor specialist meetings and technical working groups to further its objectives. In implementing its programme, the Committee shall establish co-operative mechanisms with the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities in order to work with that Committee on matters of common interest, avoiding unnecessary duplications.

The Committee shall also co-operate with the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health, the Radioactive Waste Management Committee, the Committee for Technical and Economic Studies on Nuclear Energy Development and the Fuel Cycle, the Nuclear Science Committee, and other NEA committees and activities on matters of common interest.