WANO gathering 'reinforces commitment to excellence'

The event, held from 9-11 October in Prague in the Czech Republic, covered topics including the industry-led improvement initiative Action for Excellence, leading industry change, industry innovation, the benefits of WANO secondments, and a young generation perspective of the nuclear industry.

Those taking part included International Atomic Energy Agency director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Sama Bilbao y León, director general of World Nuclear Association, Nucleareurope's Yves Desbazeille, Véronique Rouyer, Head of NEA Division for Nuclear Safety Technology and Regulation, OECD/NEA, Shiro Arai, President, JAIF Inc and Maria Korsnick, President & CEO, NEI.

WANO CEO Ingemar Engkvist said: "The high levels of engagement at the event reinforces the industry's ongoing commitment to excellence in nuclear safety and to continuously performance improvement. In the coming years, we will work with the industry to help our members attain ever higher levels of safety and reliability."

During the extraordinary general meeting on Monday, members voted in Mohamed Al Hammadi, the managing director and CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, as incoming WANO president.

Al Hammadi said: “Set against the dynamic environment in the energy sector, WANO's role and the mission we serve remains more relevant today than ever before: safety of the global fleet remains the top priority for all our members - whether they have been operating for many years or are just entering the industry ... I have seen first-hand the benefits that WANO's engagement brings for a country embarking in nuclear for the first time."


Al Hammadi is the first Emirati and first Arab to be WANO President (Image: ENEC)

The winners of this year’s Nuclear Excellence Awards - which acknowledge the outstanding contribution made by eight nuclear professionals to promote excellence in the safe operation of commercial nuclear power - were also announced during the gathering and were: Frank Saunders - Bruce Power (posthumous award), Roger Spinnato - Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Wu Fang - China Power Investment Corporation, Alexander Shutikov - Rosenergoatom JSC, Valeriy Bessonov - Rosenergoatom JSC, Mikko Kosonen - Teollisuuden Voima Oyj, Steve Milton - EDF Energy Generation, Liu Jing - China National Nuclear.