ANRA Signed New Cooperative Arrangement with US NRC

The Committee on Nuclear Safety Regulation of the Republic of Armenia and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission signed the Cooperative Arrangement on the exchange of technical information and cooperation on nuclear safety matters in Washington, USA, on March 14, 2023.

The cooperation between regulatory authorities of RA and USA began in 1995. The first arrangement between the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) on the exchange of technical information and cooperation on nuclear safety issues was signed on September 30, 1997. The cooperative arrangement was re-signed in 2007 and 2017.

In December 2021, ANRA received a proposal from US NRC to sign a new arrangement, which, in addition to the areas established in the previous arrangements, expands cooperation on issues related to nuclear and radiation safety regulation in the field of nuclear energy use.

So, in frame of the arrangement signed in March this year, cooperation and exchange of information and experience will be carried out between ANRA and US NRC on strengthening the regulatory infrastructure in the field of nuclear energy use, strengthening the physical protection of nuclear facilities and nuclear materials, as well as development of regulations dealing with the implementation of environmental monitoring, safety of radioactive materials and radioactive waste and other.

ANRA and US NRC also signed CAMP (Code Application and Maintenance Program) Implementing Agreement for 2023-2026, which allows the application of US NRC computation codes for the safety assessment and analysis of the ANPP. The computation codes are used to perform analyses of possible accident conditions at NPPs, to assess emergency procedures and emergency management strategies, to evaluate possible options for upgrading safety systems, etc. ANRA and Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center have their contribution to the improvement of US NRC computation codes.