The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently launched a pilot school focused on regulating the emerging technology for small modular reactors (SMRs).
In a Nov. 28 publication, IAEA said experts from 17 countries came together in Warsaw, Poland for the pilot session hosted by Poland’s National Atomic Energy Agency. During the event, attendees discussed SMR regulatory and safety issues.
With SMRs being planned around the world, a strong regulatory framework is pivotal, IAEA said. In July, Paris-based agency Nuclear Energy Agency said there are more than 120 SMR projects announced and at least 74 under development.
Though SMRs have a smaller electrical output than large reactors, the units are designed to be more flexible and scalable than their larger counterparts.
So far only two SMRs are known to be in commercial operation: one in China and one in Russia. IAEA said it is critical to get regulations in place to address the technology’s unique characteristics. IAEA said the Pilot School for Regulating SMRs highlights global regulatory cooperation on this front.
“Equipping stakeholders with the right knowledge and tools is essential to ensure the safe and efficient deployment of SMRs worldwide,” Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Installation Safety Anna Bradford said.
IAEA said the school will be held yearly under the SMR Technical Cooperation interregional program and its next training session is scheduled for April or May 2026.
Since 2019, IAEA and the SMR Regulators Forum have organized regional workshops for regulatory bodies and stakeholders in countries seeking a nuclear program to build their capacity for SMR development, according to the IAEA document.