World Nuclear Association

World Nuclear Association

Logo of World Nuclear Association
Founded	2001
Type	Non-profit
Focus	Nuclear power
Location	London, United Kingdom
Area served	world-wide
Members	173
Key people	Agneta Rising - Director General
Employees	35
Website	www.world-nuclear.org
Formerly called	Uranium Institute (founded 1975)

The World Nuclear Association (WNA) is the international organization that promotes nuclear power and supports the many companies that comprise the global nuclear industry. Its members come from all parts of the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, nuclear fuel fabrication, plant manufacture, transport, and the disposition of used nuclear fuel as well as electricity generation itself.^[1]

Together, WNA members are responsible for 70% of the world's nuclear power as well as the vast majority of world uranium, conversion and enrichment production.^[2]

The WNA says it aims to fulfill a dual role for its members: Facilitating their interaction on technical, commercial and policy matters and promoting wider public understanding of nuclear technology.^[3] It has a secretariat of around 35 staff.

The WNA was founded in 2001 on the basis of the Uranium Institute, itself founded in 1975.

Membership

The WNA continues to expand its membership, particularly in non-OECD countries where nuclear power is produced or where this option is under active consideration. WNA members are located in 35 countries representing 80% of the world's population.

The annual subscription fee for an institutional member is based on its size and scale of activity. Upon receiving an inquiry or application, WNA's London-based secretariat determines the fee according to standard criteria and informs the candidate organisation accordingly. The fee structure provides, in many cases, for significant discounts for organisations located in countries outside the OECD.^[1]

A low-fee non-commercial membership is available for organisations with a solely academic, research, policy or regulatory function.

Charter of Ethics

The WNA has established a Charter of Ethics to serve as a common credo amongst its member organizations.^[4] This affirmation of values and principles is intended to summarize the responsibilities of the nuclear industry and the surrounding legal and institutional framework that has been constructed through international cooperation to fulfill U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's vision of 'Atoms for Peace'.

Leadership

WNA members appoint a Director General and elect a 20-member board of management. The current Director General is Agneta Rising.^[5] The Chairman of the board is Jean-Jacques Gautrot, Senior Advisor & former CEO of Areva UK. Vice chairman is Helmut Englebrecht, CEO of Urenco. A board of management fulfils statutory duties pertaining to the organization's governance and sets WNA policies and strategic objectives, subject to approval by the full membership.^[6]

Activities and services

Industry interaction

An essential role of the World Nuclear Association is to facilitate commercially valuable interaction among its members.

Ongoing WNA working groups, consisting of members and supported by the secretariat, share information and develop analysis on a range of technical, trade and environmental matters. These subjects include:^[3]

• Cooperation in reactor design, evaluation and licensing
• Radiological protection
• Industry economics
• Nuclear law
• Supply chain
• Transport of radioactive materials
• Waste management and decommissioning
• Capacity optimization
• Uranium mining standardization
• Construction risk management
• Security of the international fuel cycle
• Fuel market report working group

When meeting to discuss industry issues, WNA members are cautioned to avoid any topic that could potentially create even the impression of an attempt to set prices or engage in other anti-competitive behaviour. Accordingly, topics not discussed in WNA meetings include terms of specific contracts; current or projected prices for products or services; allocation of markets; refusals to deal with particular suppliers or customers; or any similar matters that might impair competition within any segment of the nuclear industry.

Meetings

The WNA's annual symposium in London provides a forum for members, spotlights the role of the WNA's worldwide affiliates and serves as a platform for speakers from throughout the world nuclear industry. WNA events are also held regularly in China and India. The WNA has previously presented an award for 'Distinguished Contribution to the Peaceful Worldwide Use of Nuclear Energy'.^[7]

The WNA also cooperates with the Nuclear Energy Institute on annual World Nuclear Fuel Cycle meetings for industry representatives concerned with nuclear fuel supply and in particular the uranium market.^[8]

Representation

The WNA represents the interests of the international nuclear industry at key international forums such as:

• International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Energy Agency advisory committees on transport and all aspects of nuclear safety
• United Nations policy forums focused on sustainable development and climate change. (The WNA was in attendance at the 2009 Copenhagenclimate change talks)
• International Commission on Radiological Protection and OSPAR deliberations on radiological protection.

In contrast to earlier less structured forms of industry representation the WNA claims to provide a unified voice from a single body; encompassing all manner of industry expertise and perspectives. It is clear and unreserved in its purpose of promoting the maximum feasible use of safe nuclear power.

Public information

The WNA public website is intended to provide the best available non-technical source of information on the global nuclear industry. The site presents reference documents, and a wide range of educational and explanatory papers which are constantly updated.

The WNA supports World Nuclear News (WNN), an online news service intended to bring accurate and accessible information on developments in nuclear power to WNA's industry readers and the general public. Its output is free of charge and may be widely reproduced in accordance with WNN's copyright policy.^[9]

The WNA reactor database contains information on past, present and future nuclear power reactors across the world.^[10]

Other services

The WNA is engaged in a number of other initiatives to promote the peaceful development of nuclear power. These include the World Nuclear University (WNU), which is a global partnership between the WNA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and the World Association of Nuclear Operators committed to enhancing international education and leadership in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. It runs a series of programmes designed to complement existing institutions of nuclear learning in their curriculum. The premier event on the WNU calendar is the Summer Institute, which runs each year in July and brings together speakers from industry and government to present on all aspects of nuclear power. It also runs five one-week courses per year with partner universities around the world intended to enhance knowledge of today’s nuclear industry among students.

Women in Nuclear is a global not for profit organization with over 2000 members from some 60 countries. The organization was established in 1993 and is governed by an elected board and executive. The organization is sponsored under the auspices of the WNA and its objectives are identified as including the dissemination of factual information about nuclear and radiation technology, professional exchange among its members and promotion of career opportunities in the nuclear industry.^[11] Although open to both women and men, members are primarily women working in nuclear technology related industries including academia, uranium mining, nuclear power generation, regulatory agencies, nuclear medicine, related organizations such as the IAEA and government officials.^[12]

See also

• Institute of Nuclear Materials Management
• International Atomic Energy Agency
• World Nuclear Transport Institute

External links

• World Nuclear Association
• The World Nuclear Association's Annual Symposium
• World Nuclear Fuel Cycle

References