The conference delegates were welcomed by Rosatom General Director Sergey Kirienko and Rosenergoatom First Deputy Director General Vladimir Asmolov who is leaving the WANO presidency this year. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano welcomed the audience, giving an introductory speech. The discussions touched upon the subjects as the implications of the Fukushima accident for nuclear operators. Panel sessions covered topics such as “Learning the lessons from Fukushima”, “Building on a strong foundation” and “Nuclear safety – WANO’s core business.”

As said the newly elected President, Dunсan Hawthorne, everyone connected with nuclear power industry must work in the atmosphere of self-criticism: “We are never complacent, never totally satisfied with what is there today. We believe that tomorrow there’ll be a chance to make it better”. “Fukushima showed us that there’s a need to change, react better, – added Jacques Regaldo, the WANO’s Chairman. – we constantly have to improve our work, exchange experience for better results. Today there have been some interesting presentations, showing the great determination to enforce the world nuclear safety”.

Doors are Open
As noted Hawthorne, the number of those who would like to enter the nuclear club has grown. The next step from there is the Association, where one can get any help needed. “During the last two years we’ve prepared a manual for beginners and we invite those countries that are doing their first steps in nuclear power energy to become our members” – says the Association’s new President. Two years ago WANO accepted the UAE, where four power units will be built on Korean project. “Now Saudi Arabia and Vietnam express the same intention”. That was for the newcomers when the new Hong-Kong center was organized.

At the same time, as said Jacques Regaldo, the number of personnel in regional centers and membership fees will grow as well. The board decided to change the six-years cycle of partners audit to the four-years one, the decision takes effect in 2015. As for the membership fees, they will allow to have the checking more detailed and efficient. WANO appeared in troublesome times, especially difficult for the Russian nuclear power industry. Those who got together in Moscow in 1989 didn’t change their intention, although at that time a nuclear Renaissance was no more than something to look forward for.

While these days, even after the Japanese catastrophe, the direction of most nuclear powers haven’t changed, however Fukushima made the world nuclear society reconsider the safety issues. So did the WANO. Which means that both the new President and his successors will have more than enough things to do. “In my speech I told Dunсan I was sorry for leaving so much work to him, – said Vladimir Asmolov, Hawthorne’s predecessor. – There are no immediate answers to the question we are facing, there are no easy solutions either; but I believe that the WANO’s future presidents will accomplish the efforts, which will turn a new page in the life of WANO.”

Closing the WANO General Assembly session, Jacques Regaldo noted: “Over the last two days I have seen a lively open debate, a strong sense of common interest in helping each other to improve and an absolute commitment to the safety of our industry. We are on the right track – the road ahead is clear and straight, but the slope is steep. There is a lot of work to do and we can never be complacent. Together we will work to ensure the nuclear safety of our growing industry and strengthen the confidence and pride of future generations.” The General Assembly session concluded with the WANO’s Nuclear Excellence Awards ceremony at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses.

WANO was founded in May 1989 by nuclear operators in order to exchange experience. There are four regional centers: Moscow, Atlanta, Paris and Tokyo. Coordinating center is located in London. The Moscow center includes 37 organizations from Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic, India and China. Rosenergoatom concern is one of the most active operating organizations in the WANO structure.