Technical Meeting on the Specifics of Countries Expanding their Nuclear Power Programme

The global interest in nuclear power as a reliable and low-carbon energy source is growing steadily, driven by the urgent need to address climate change and achieve sustainable development goals. As countries work to diversify their energy portfolios and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear energy has emerged as a vital component in meeting these objectives. With the ability to provide large amounts of baseload electricity, nuclear power offers a stable and resilient energy option, particularly as more nations seek to balance economic growth with climate change. Furthermore, advances in new and advanced technologies such as Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Micro Reactors (MR) offers new potentials for utilization of nuclear power for various purposes. This has led to an increase in the number of countries considering nuclear power for the first time as well as expanding their nuclear power programmes as a way to secure energy independence and enhance energy security.

To support this growth and address the unique challenges faced by countries considering expansion of their nuclear power programme, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organizing a Technical Meeting on the Experience and Specifics of Countries Expanding their Nuclear Power Programme. This event will bring together representatives from Member States who are in different phases of implementing their expansion programme to share experiences and discuss common challenges. The meeting aims to gather critical feedback from these countries on their decision-making processes, allowing them to share insights and lessons learned that may benefit other nations considering nuclear power.

In addition to facilitating knowledge-sharing, this meeting will also serve as a platform for Member States to provide direct feedback to the IAEA on the effectiveness of its guidance and support for countries expanding their nuclear programmes. By fostering open dialogue, the IAEA seeks to continuously enhance its resources and assistance for expanding countries, enabling more countries to pursue safe, secure, and sustainable nuclear energy.

Objectives

The objectives of this meeting include:

• Collect and Analyse Feedback on Decision-Making Processes: Gather insights from expanding countries on the challenges, considerations, and strategies involved in their decision-making processes for expanding a nuclear power programme.
• Get feedback on the application of Milestones Approach to the expanding countries: Identify common obstacles and successful approaches to inform good practices and enhance the understanding of factors critical to expanding a nuclear power programme.
• Facilitate Knowledge-Sharing Among Countries Expanding Nuclear Power Programme: Provide a platform for countries to share their experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations with other Member States considering expanding their nuclear programme.
• Foster peer-to-peer learning and build a network of support among countries at similar stages, promoting collaboration and mutual assistance in nuclear power development.
• Provide a Forum for Member States to Offer Feedback on IAEA Support: Encourage Member States to share their experiences and provide constructive feedback on the guidance, tools, and resources provided by the IAEA for countries expanding their nuclear power programmes.

Identify opportunities for the IAEA to enhance its support, including technical assistance, training, and knowledge-sharing platforms, to better address the needs of expanding countries.

Participation and Registration

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State or invited organization, participants are requested to submit their application via the InTouch+ platform?to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) or organization for onward transmission to the IAEA by 30 April 2025.