International Nuclear Energy Organization Names DOE Official New Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) today named U.S. Department of Energy official Suzanne Jaworowski as its new Steering Group chairperson. IFNEC made the announcement during its global conference in Washington, D.C.

Jaworowski, a senior advisor with the Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy, replaces Argentina's Under Secretary for Nuclear Energy Juliàn Gadano as chairperson of the IFNEC Steering Group. Jaworowski has served as vice chair of the Steering Group since December 2018, where she provided strategic counsel and communications support to IFNEC in addition to spearheading this week’s ministerial meetings and global conference on small modular reactors and advanced nuclear.

“It’s an exciting time as innovations are changing the shape of nuclear power to be smaller, modular, mobile and more cost effective,” said Jaworowski. “Small modular reactors and advanced nuclear will be the clean, big power behind electric vehicles and in other clean energy systems of the future all over the world.”

The IFNEC forum brings together key stakeholders from 65 countries to explore different ways countries can work together to ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IFNEC Steering Group is the permanent body that oversees this work. The Steering Group is designated by Executive Committee members of participating countries. The chairperson and vice chairs cannot serve longer than two years unless incumbents of those positions are reaffirmed for additional terms.

Argentina's Facundo Deluchi and Japan's Kenji Totoki were also newly appointed as vice chairs.

This is the first time the United States hosted the IFNEC Executive Meetings and Conference. Keyna was selected to host these discussions in 2020. 

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