The Saint-Petersburg branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy hosted the Interregional Training Course on Establishing Arrangements and Capabilities for Emergency Preparedness and Response, organized jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The course brought together 17 professionals representing regulatory bodies, nuclear industry organizations and government authorities from Argentina, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Türkiye.
The programme focused on strengthening national emergency preparedness and response (EPR) arrangements for nuclear and radiological emergencies, which one of the fundamental components of a robust nuclear safety infrastructure.
«The fifth training course on this topic clearly demonstrates the continuing importance of international cooperation in emergency preparedness and response. The challenges in the field of emergency preparedness and response are universal, which is precisely why continuous professional dialogue and the joint personnel training remain vital for improving the effectiveness of national systems», underlined Yurii Seleznev, Rector of Rosatom Tech.
Throughout the course, participants explored the IAEA safety standards for emergency preparedness and response, including the EPR-NPP Public Protective Actions (2013) guidance. The programme combined lectures with practical exercises covering lessons learned from nuclear power plant accidents, the development of emergency plans and procedures, operational response arrangements, protective action decision-making, and approaches to establishing national EPR programmes. The training concluded with a scenario-based exercise, during which participants developed and presented their own emergency response strategies.
Participants were provided with the unique opportunity to visit to the Rosatom Emergency Response Centre. During the technical tour, they were introduced to the Centre’s operational structure, specialized response equipment and emergency response capabilities, gaining first-hand insight on emergency preparedness.
«I was impressed by the wide range of equipment and capabilities they have for emergency response. It is clear that Russia has developed impressive technical capabilities and possesses the resources required to respond effectively to a wide range of emergency scenarios. it made me realize that I have to go back and let my colleagues know that we should be ready for all kinds of emergencies at any time», said Melike Yildirim, Radioactive Waste Management Specialist at the Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency.
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According to the IAEA Safety Standards, effective emergency preparedness and response requires a comprehensive and continuously evolving system supported by strong interagency coordination and international cooperation. Reliable EPR arrangements are essential to protecting people and the environment. For this reason, capacity-building activities in this field remain a priority for both countries operating nuclear facilities and those embarking on or expanding their nuclear power programmes.
Rosatom Technical Academy is an international multidisciplinary training centre for the global nuclear industry and an IAEA Collaborating Centre in five programmatic areas.
Russia is actively expanding cooperation with all interested states. Major joint energy projects continue to be implemented, with Rosatom and its divisions playing an active role in this work.