From December 20 – 21, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) delivered a virtual workshop on “Design and Shielding Calculation for Linear Accelerators” for the regulatory authorities of Paraguay and Dominican Republic. The workshop consisted of two 4-hour sessions, which provided an overview of basic concepts such as workload, occupancy and use factors, half and tenth value layers (which are important considerations in designing shielding), primary and secondary barriers, neutron dose, and the application of the time average and instant...
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On October 20-21, 2022, the US NRC Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) visited Georgia and met with the Agency of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Republic of Georgia (ANRS) to discuss ANRS’s regulatory activities and identify areas for future collaboration under the RSRP. Attendees at the meeting included ANRS Chairman Vasil Gedevanishivili and representatives from AdSTM (contractor). The meeting discussed in detail current status and plans for promulgating the Law of Georgia on Nuclear and Radiation Safety. The meeting discussed completed in 2022 and on-going regulatory...
On October 17-18, 2022, the US NRC Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership Program (RSRP) visited Armenia and met with the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (ANRA) to discuss accomplishments since the last meeting and to identify areas for further collaboration under the RSRP. Meeting attendees included: ANRA Acting Chairman Khachatur Khachikyan, Deputy Chairman Vahe Grigoryan and senior ANRA staff members; Armen Amirjanyan, the Director of ANRA’s technical support organization, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center (NRSC); and the AdSTM (contractor) representatives. ANRA presented ongoing...
On September 28th, 2022, UDELAS and AdSTM (representing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP)), signed a new agreement to implement the fifth cycle of the Master Program in Radiation Protection (MPRP). A new group of aspiring students will start classes on October 3rd, 2022. Representing UDELAS, the University`s President, Dr. Juan Bosco Bernal, and Sergey Katsenelenbogen (AdSTM) signed the agreement. NRC representatives, UDELAS authorities and the Regulatory Authority participated in the event. Dr. Bernal expressed UDELAS...
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) met with the Panamanian Regulatory Authority on September 27th, 2022, to follow up on collaborative projects and outcomes of recent activities. The Regulatory Authority thanked the NRC for the uninterrupted support to the Master Program in Radiation Protection at UDELAS. There is a continued interest in integrating the radiation sources registry into the routine regulatory work and capacity building for new collaborators.
On September 15, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) conducted a virtual meeting with the Nuclear & Radiological Regulatory Authority (ARRN) of Paraguayto discuss the status of existing projects and identify new potential activities. The ARRN oversees the use of ionizing radiation in Paraguay. Several topics were discussed including the national sources inventory and capacity building.
On September 13-14, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) delivered a virtual training seminar on “Cobalt-60 and Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Teletherapy Units Regulations and Inspections” to seven participants (regulators and licensees) from Zambia. The seminar focused on several aspects of the United States (US) approach to regulating and inspecting teletherapy facilities. Additionally, an overview of performance-based inspections and how inspections are conducted in the US was provided. RSRP instructors also presented a review of...
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Radiation Sources Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) visited the National Commission of Energy (CNE) on September 7, 2022, to provide an overview of the program, discuss the status of ongoing collaborations, and to identify potential new projects. The CNE, through its Nuclear Division, oversees the use of ionizing radiation in the Dominican Republic. Several topics were discussed including an update of the national sources inventory, development of legislation and regulatory framework, public awareness and user outreach activities, and capacity...
The US NRC Radiation Source Regulatory Partnership (RSRP) completed a 2-hour virtual training seminar on “Uranium Production Regulation”, for regulators in Zambia, on August 2, 2022. The seminar provided an overview of risk and the law, the regulations and a summary containing a ten-step guide for developing a Uranium Production Regulatory Program. Seminar attendance included thirty seven participants including regulatory staff from the Radiation Protection Authority (RPA).
RSRP visited the University of Burundi July 25-28, 2022, to conduct a workshop that included the installation of the ARIS 2.5 inventory software and training on its use. The University of Burundi staff performed several exercises that demonstrate the functionality and integrated operation of the ARIS system. Participants are ready to proceed expeditiously with developing a national registry of ionizing radiation sources and generators.