On October 19, 2023, the US NRC Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership Program (RSRP) met with the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA) to discuss accomplishments and challenges since the last bilateral meeting in October 2022. The goal was to identify current needs and areas for further collaboration under the RSRP.
Meeting attendees included:
- ANRA Acting Chairman Kh. Khachikyan, Deputy Chairman V. Grigoryan, and senior ANRA staff members;
- Director of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center (NRSC) A. Amirjanyan, and senior NRSC staff;
- Emily Larson, US NRC OIP Desk Officer Armenia, and P. Kelm, AdSTM.
The ANRA presented ongoing activities and resulting challenges in the past, including the status of Armenia’s operating reactor and potential for new reactors. Discussion focused on the need to train new staff and the need to update Armenia’s national regulatory framework to comply with its commitment to bring its legislation in compliance with EU standards (CEPA). US NRC support by was requested for both activities. ANRA also noted it intends to perform countrywide outreach consultations for users of radiation sources in 2024, with the aim to include recent new materials users.
The NRSC also reported about its successful completion of xARIS development, an update of current ARIS software.