BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 25. A four-day seminar covering the duties and responsibilities of the Nuclear Energy Program's Implementing Organization (NEPIO) is being held as part of the cooperation between Azerbaijan's Ministry of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Trend reports.
On the first day of the event, experts from the IAEA briefed on a phased approach for the implementation of the new nuclear energy program, technologies for small modular reactors, and their infrastructure issues.
The implementation of Türkiye's first nuclear power plant project using the "Build-Own-Operate" scheme as well as Hungary's experience in assessing the feasibility of implementing a new nuclear energy program were also discussed.
In the following days, discussions will continue on topics such as preparing technical and economic justifications for nuclear energy, the unique characteristics of the sector, safety requirements, protective measures, the regulatory framework for nuclear power plant programs, Türkiye's experience in developing regulatory legal acts, the licensing process, the distribution of roles and responsibilities in the implementation of new nuclear power plants, nuclear infrastructure assessment, integrated nuclear infrastructure, experiences gained in the field, and human resource management in the nuclear sector.
Representatives from the Ministry of Energy, along with the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azerenerji OJSC, and other relevant organizations are participating in the seminar.
To note, on November 13, 2024, within the framework of COP29, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan and the IAEA on cooperation in energy planning in the context of the Paris Agreement.
The overall responsibility of a NEPIO is to lead and manage the effort for consideration and subsequent development of a national nuclear power program. During Phase 1, the NEPIO is responsible for compiling the information necessary for the government to make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed with the development of a nuclear power program. If the government decides to proceed, the NEPIO may be assigned the responsibility during Phase 2 for coordinating the development of the necessary infrastructure among the various responsible parties—for example, government ministries, regulators, and the designated owner/operator—to bring the country to a point of readiness to issue a bid for the first nuclear power plant project.
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