Suppliers play a critical role in the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. With a declining number of nuclear grade suppliers and a loss of skills in some regions, supply chain oversight raises specific challenges that require regulators to adopt new practices and increase co-operation. In this context, the newly established NEA Working Group on Supply Chain (WGSUP) organised a workshop to build on the Agency’s previous work in the field of the nuclear supply chain and to discuss latest challenges.

Building on the 2018 Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities/Multinational Design Evaluation Programme Workshop on Nuclear Supply Chain Management, the 2024 workshop addressed the latest challenges related to supply chain oversight practices, and examined potential risks that the nuclear industry will need to consider to ensure safe and reliable nuclear operations.

The workshop was organised in partnership with the World Nuclear Association (WNA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to align, where appropriate, the improvement and oversight activities of the industry, the regulators and standards development organisations (SDOs). The event gathered representatives from government and regulatory bodies, industry, and technical support and standards development organisations.

The workshop took place on 5-6 March 2024 and was structured around the following four sessions which included keynote speeches from industry leaders and insights from relevant high-risk industries:

• Session 1: Supply chain management focused on the challenges associated with geopolitical developments and the COVID-19 pandemic, and examined how the industry and regulators have adapted to mitigate the current and future risks. This session also discussed strategic planning needed to ensure that supply chains are future-proofed against potential shocks.
• Session 2: New challenges related to small modular reactors (SMRs) considered how the industry and regulators are addressing the supply chain management opportunities and risks associated with SMRs. Participants discussed the modularisation of construction, capability challenges associated with new entrants and potential adoption of commercial grade items. This session was co-ordinated with the IAEA’s Small Modular Reactors’ Forum and Nuclear Harmonisation and Standardisation Initiative (NHSI).
• Session 3: Quality delivery focused on the impact  of advanced manufacturing and commercial grade procurement arrangements in the management systems of licensees and vendors. The session also examined the continued risks associated with counterfeit and fraudulent activities and potential methods to mitigate risks in a constantly changing environment. The development and adoption of industry-specific quality standards (e.g., ISO 19443) were considered, as well as the role that the standards play in enabling quality delivery and supporting safe and reliable operations.
• Session 4: Organisation culture explored how the development of an appropriate organisational culture can support safe and reliable delivery and therefore operations, and discussed the importance of nuclear safety culture within licensees. The session also focused on quality culture among the supply chain participants who might not be aware of the product’s or assembly’s ultimate safety function in the nuclear facility.

The workshop also featured panels and Q&A sessions to include audience perspectives of key risks, challenges and opportunities.

Members of the Organising Committee:

• Jeremy Hubert, ASN, France (WGSUP Chair)
• Dan Papaz, CNSC, Canada (WGSUP Vice-Chair) 
• Stuart Allen, ONR, UK
• Kerri Kavanagh, NRC, US
• Pekka Pyy, IAEA
• Nathan Paterson, WNA
• Sangmin Lee, NEA, Technical Secretariat
• Keiko Chitose, NEA, Technical Secretariat

Venue

The event was held at the BB Auditorium of the NEA headquarters, 46 quai Alphonse Le Gallo, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France.