The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) held the 5th meeting of its Working Group on Supply Chain (WGSUP) in Helsinki, Finland, on 12-14 May 2025 with a focus on finding common approaches to the regulation of supply chains.
The event was held at the premises of the Finnish nuclear safety authority, STUK, and brought together 25 participants.
On the opening day, Mr Petteri Tiippana, Director General of STUK, welcomed the participants and provided an overview of STUK’s role and responsibilities in nuclear regulation. Throughout the three-day meeting, the WGSUP addressed key issues related to the nuclear supply chain, including:
- emerging issues and events, including counterfeit, fraudulent and suspect items (CFSI);
- the practices of regulatory vendor inspections;
- follow-up actions of the 2024 WGSUP workshop, including the implementation of 12 recommendations; and
- updates to finding a common position on CFSI.
On 15 May, WGSUP held a joint meeting with members of KELPO, a project by Finnish industry to develop licensing and qualification practices in the nuclear sector. The meeting, held at the headquarters of operator Fortum in Espoo, Finland, focused on a graded approach to using standard industrial items in safety-related applications in nuclear power plants. The discussions were attended by representatives from Finnish operators Fortum and TVO, STUK and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, SSM.
The WGSUP, which is part of the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities, will continue to discuss these issues, including CFSI, multi-national vendor inspection and safety culture in nuclear supply chain areas, with key partners such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Nuclear Association.
