The Italian national agency for new technologies, energy and the environment (ENEA) and the French institute for radiation protection (IRSN) have signed an agreement on nuclear safety and radiation.
The agreement was signed at last week’s Franco-Italian summit in Paris, which was co-chaired French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Engineers and researchers from both organisations will to exchange experience and develop joint projects on a wide range of topics, including methods of analysing plant safety, the safety of fusion facilities such as ITER and radiological surveillance of the environment.
One of the areas for cooperation will be in the analysis of the tools and processes of the Areva EPR reactor, which is under construction in France and planned for Italy. Head of ENEA Giovanni Lelli says that the collaboration with IRSN will be valuable. IRSN has indisputable experience and already provides support to the French nuclear safety authorities, he says.
IRSN and ENEA will also work together to develop public information, according to a statement.
Director general of IRSN Jacques Repussard says: “The common goal of IRSN and ENEA is to share their experience in radiation protection, safety and security, to promote the safe and responsible use of nuclear power.”
The agreement is part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the France and Italy on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, signed in Rome in September 2009.
