Welcome speech from the WANO Chairman for the VIII International Forum ATOMEXPO in Moscow


Dear participants and guests of the ATOMEXPO Forum!

Nuclear energy is facing new global challenges today. Many new projects are being launched by new comers to the industry whilst at the same time many countries have to deal with the issue of ageing plants. In addition to this, there is a growing need for information and transparency with increasingly difficult economic conditions. In this global context, WANO’s role is to stay focused on nuclear safety fundamentals. Relying on a strong, united and vigilant community, WANO’s mission is to raise safety standards in operation all over the world.Safety is our first priority because it is the condition for the acceptance and development of nuclear energy.
As a global organisation, with the support of all our members, we have made together tangible progress through more challenging programmes. This progress is mainly due to the commitment and will of each WANO member. But we must not be complacent, we still have to go the extra mile, striving for greater consistency in our safety assessments and adapting our organization to meet the future developments in the nuclear industry.
In April we marked the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. With the passing of time, we still have to improve our methods, to better evaluate our performance, to implement the lessons learned everyday in the field of operations and to bring support to the plants which are most in need. In this context, I want to underline the importance of Atomexpo which takes place every year and is a major event for the industry. It is a confirmation of our commitment to strengthen international cooperation in the nuclear power industry for the continuous improvement of nuclear safety. May I wish all those taking part in Atomexpo fruitful discussions and successful cooperation.

Nuclear energy is facing new global challenges today. Many new projects are being launched by new comers to the industry whilst at the same time many countries have to deal with the issue of ageing plants. In addition to this, there is a growing need for information and transparency with increasingly difficult economic conditions. In this global context, WANO’s role is to stay focused on nuclear safety fundamentals. Relying on a strong, united and vigilant community, WANO’s mission is to raise safety standards in operation all over the world.Safety is our first priority because it is the condition for the acceptance and development of nuclear energy.

As a global organisation, with the support of all our members, we have made together tangible progress through more challenging programmes. This progress is mainly due to the commitment and will of each WANO member. But we must not be complacent, we still have to go the extra mile, striving for greater consistency in our safety assessments and adapting our organization to meet the future developments in the nuclear industry.

In April we marked the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. With the passing of time, we still have to improve our methods, to better evaluate our performance, to implement the lessons learned everyday in the field of operations and to bring support to the plants which are most in need. In this context, I want to underline the importance of Atomexpo which takes place every year and is a major event for the industry. It is a confirmation of our commitment to strengthen international cooperation in the nuclear power industry for the continuous improvement of nuclear safety. May I wish all those taking part in Atomexpo fruitful discussions and successful cooperation.

 

Jacques Régaldo, WANO Chairman