From left, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited President and CEO Fred Dermarkar, former EM Senior Advisor William "Ike" White and United Kingdom Nuclear Decommissioning Authority CEO David Peattie focused on challenges and opportunities and how they can collectively leverage their global expertise for the cleanup of nuclear legacy sites during a meeting on the margins of the 2024 Waste Management Symposia. (Photos: Matt Roberts)
Current International Engagements
To accomplish our mission, EM leverages best practices and lessons learned; and seeks innovative solutions to clean up nuclear legacy sites across the United States.
International Organizations
EM works closely with a number of entities including other Department of Energy (DOE) offices, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the IAEA Joint Convention (on the Safety of Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management), and the Nuclear Energy Agency.
EM also supports the U.S. State Department sponsored Joint Standing Committee on Nuclear Energy Cooperation, which provides the U.S. and partner countries with an opportunity to exchange information on nuclear policy and environmental remediation.
United Kingdom
Under a Statement of Intent (SOI), leaders from EM and the United Kingdom's (U.K.) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority National Nuclear Laboratory (NDA/NNL) collaborate throughout the year to discuss program management, technical challenges, and technology capabilities needed to address the shared decommissioning challenges. The SOI has also resulted in informational exchanges focused on best practice and benchmarking activities related to materials management, startup and commissioning approaches, deactivation and decommissioning (D&D), tank waste sludge management, and waste treatment/disposal.
Canada
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and EM are also facing similar issues across their sites, including aging infrastructure, nuclear materials disposal and decommissioning. Some of EM’s mission critical infrastructure is decaying rapidly and needs to be maintained and upgraded while other infrastructures need to be maintained in a safe state prior to D&D.
In March 2020, EM, NDA, and AECL signed a Trilateral Agreement to further extend the international collaboration and create additional opportunities for leveraging of funding, exchange of personnel, and joint program reviews.
The three countries have focused ongoing collaboration in the following areas:
- In Situ Decommissioning as a viable approach for safe, accelerated, and cost-effective remediation of nuclear facilities;
- Best practices on design, construction, and operation of near surface disposal facilities;
- Benchmark approaches to effective management and investment in infrastructure upgrades, repairs, and maintenance;
- Decommissioning of nuclear legacy clean-up sites in a sustainable manner through activities such as incentivizing the supply chain, ensuring socioeconomic benefit to communities, and achieving carbon net zero by 2050;
- Stakeholder engagement; and
- Sustainability.
Japan
EM provides technical expertise and support to Japan in addressing the environmental challenges resulting from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and EM developed a draft roadmap to guide engagement on decommissioning in 2019-2020. The roadmap includes a series of bilateral workshops and other government-government and industry-industry engagements. EM held virtual workshops in May and July 2020 with METI and with U.S. and Japanese industry to exchange information on U.S. companies’ experience with decommissioning, and potential opportunities for collaboration on decommissioning projects in Japan. In 2021, EM worked with the U.S. State Department and other U.S. government agencies to develop interagency-approved language on the release of tritium water from the Fukushima NPP into the ocean waters. In 2022, EM coordinated with the NRC to share U.S. data with the government of Japan on NRC environment reviews conducted as part of reactor licensing.
In addition, EM coordinates the Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship in providing technical support to Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company in modeling radionuclides dispersion in ocean from discharged water, in connection with the radiological impact assessment of discharge of the Advanced Liquid Processing System treated water from Fukushima Daiichi.
Arctic Countries
The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum that provides a means for promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States. EM works with the Arctic Council’s Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) Radioactivity Expert Group to ensure U.S. interests are represented and provides opportunities for EM experts to collaborate with other international experts on issues related to radiological monitoring around remediation sites. The AMAP geographical coverage extends from the High Arctic to the Sub-Arctic areas of Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland and the Faroe Islands). Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States.
DOE National Laboratories
DOE national laboratories have established ongoing partnerships in specific technical areas. One prominent example of this multi-national partnership with national labs, universities, and foreign counterparts to better understand the long-term performance of nuclear waste glass. The team consists of representatives from Japan, France, Germany, Italy, U.K., and Belgium, and the U.S.
Also, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is leading a team involving Hanford, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Vanderbilt University, Washington State University, and the Luela University of Technology in Sweden to explore the performance of low activity waste glass by investigating natural erosion of ancient hillforts in Sweden.
EM regularly promotes our National Laboratories’ expertise by advancing collaboration with foreign countries/ international partners through Strategic Partnership Projects (SPPs). SPPs allow EM DOE National Laboratories to share their expertise, knowledge, lessons learned, and environmental technologies with other international organizations working to address environmental waste management concerns.
International Travel
EM enables international travel for EM employees and facilitates foreign delegation visits to the US.
For questions or additional information on EM international travel, please contact [email protected]
EM Foreign Travel Coordinator:
Leisa Pope
Intergovernmental and Stakeholders Program
International Engagement/Foreign Travel
E-mail: [email protected]
International News
Agreements
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Leaders from DOE and Canada's Atomic Energy of Canada Limited signed a Modification Statement of Intent (SOI) on Sept. 12, 2023 modifying the Feb. 26, 2013 SOI.September 19, 2023
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Leaders from the US DOE, the UK’s NDA, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), the French CEA and National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) issued a joint statement to affirm their commitment to continue their collaboration.February 28, 2023
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Leaders from the US DOE, the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), reaffirmed their collaboration to share information, lessons learned, and good practices in multiple aspects of sustainability.November 15, 2022
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Statement on Trilateral Commitment in the Decommissioning of Legacy Nuclear SitesNovember 2, 2021
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Statement of Intent among the DOE of the USA and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority of the UK and Northern Ireland and Atomic Energy of Canada LtdMarch 8, 2020
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Extension of the Statement of Intent by the U.S. Department of Energy & Atomic Energy of Canada Limited in the Field of Used Fuel & Radioactive Waste.September 13, 2018
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Confidentiality Agreement between the US Department of Energy, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and the UK National Nuclear Laboratory Limited, 2015April 21, 2015
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Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the National Company of Radioactive Waste of Spain Concerning Cooperation in the Field of Used Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste ManagementApril 8, 2014
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Arrangement between the Office for Nuclear Regulation of Great Britain and the United States Department of Energy for the Exchange of Information and Co-operation in the Area of Nuclear Safety Matters.March 10, 2014
CONTACTS
Benjamin Rivera
International Engagement
Intergovernmental and Stakeholders Program
E-mail: [email protected]
Ana Han
Foreign Affairs Specialist
International Engagement
Intergovernmental and Stakeholders Program
E-mail: [email protected]