Former NRC Commissioner Starts New Position

Now-former Nuclear Regulatory Commission member William Magwood took over as Director-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in Paris yesterday. Magwood departs the Commission after casting a controversial vote in the NRC’s Waste Confidence rulemaking following the call for his resignation and retroactive recusal from Commission decisions from a group of 34 environmental activists group who were upset with the timing of his new position. Magwood replaces Luis E. Echávarri who had served as Director-General since 1997.

 

Magwood plans to promote the cause of advanced technology and international cooperation in nuclear matters. “After serving at the NRC for four and a half years, I have gained a deeper understanding of the vital importance of strong nuclear safety regulatory infrastructures and safety cultures in member countries, and my expectation is to widely share, discuss and advance all aspects of this experience in the international arena,” Magwood said in a statement. “I have been closely following the great interest shown by many countries in developing technology for the long-term future. Today, as when I was at the DOE, I believe that the development of advanced technology and multilateral co-operation needs to be part of the international agenda, and I look forward to working with the NEA member and partner countries at that level.”