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PolicyNovember 30, 2024

Bulgaria commits to a high level of nuclear and radiation safety; sees areas for further improvement

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According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts, Bulgaria has a comprehensive and robust regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety that includes all facilities and operations. The mission observed that the overall performance of Bulgaria’s regulatory system would be better with the establishment of a national safety policy and plan in line with IAEA safety requirements.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Bulgaria and hosted by the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (BNRA), the regulatory body for nuclear and radiation safety in Bulgaria, and the Ministry of Health (MoH). Taking place from 17 to 29 November, the IRRS reviewed Bulgaria’s national regulatory framework for nuclear, radiation, radioactive waste, and transport safety.

Using IAEA safety standards and international good practices, IRRS missions are designed to strengthen the effectiveness of the national legal and regulatory infrastructures while recognizing the responsibility of each country to ensure nuclear and radiation safety. This is the second IRRS mission that Bulgaria has hosted since the IAEA’s IRRS program began in 2006.

The IRRS team consisted of 16 senior regulatory experts from 15 IAEA Member States, two observers, and three IAEA staff members.

In Bulgaria, nuclear energy provides roughly 40 percent of the country’s electricity through the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), which has two pressurized water reactor units each providing an installed power of approximately 1000 MWe. The Bulgarian nuclear program plans to construct two new nuclear power units utilizing AP1000 technology at the Kozloduy NPP site. The country also uses nuclear and radiation technologies in medicine, industry, and research.

During the 12-day mission, the team met with officials from the BNRA and MoH and made site visits to observe regulatory inspections at the Kozloduy NPP; Kozloduy State Enterprise Radioactive Waste Management (SE RAW); Controltest Ltd., a company working in destructive and non-destructive testing, Theta Consult Ltd., working in radiation control and radiation protection, and Acibadem City Clinic.

“Bulgaria has a comprehensive and mature regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety. The challenge for BNRA will be to prepare itself for the regulatory oversight of the expected expansion of Bulgaria’s nuclear power program,” said IRRS team leader Zia Hussain Shah, Director General of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority. “We recommend that Bulgaria further improve its radiation protection framework, especially in the medical sector.”

The IRRS team observed that BNRA has a culture of continuous improvement and is a mature and competent regulator that fulfills its statutory obligations without undue influence. The team identified several areas of good performance, including:

  • The BNRA, through its Communication Policy, proactively engages key stakeholders by using its website, social media, and dedicated regular press conferences to provide updated information on nuclear and radiation safety in Bulgaria.
  • Daily communications between site inspectors and BNRA headquarters staff ensure that BNRA is consistently updated on the safety status of nuclear installations, enabling timely regulatory responses when necessary.
  • The BNRA maintains a comprehensive registry and database for radiation sources with direct inputs from licensees, enabling BNRA to systematically check the status of radiation sources in facilities and to track the import and export of those sources in real-time.
  • The Regulation on Protection during Medical Exposure outlines the provisions for justification of medical exposure involving both the prescribing physician and the radiological medical practitioner, especially in the case of fetuses, children, and asymptomatic individuals.

The team also provided recommendations and suggestions to help Bulgaria enhance its regulatory framework, including for the government to:

  • Adopt the national policy and strategy for safety, addressing all elements in line with IAEA safety fundamentals.
  • Adequately increase BNRA’s budget to cater to regulatory activities associated with the planned expansion of Bulgaria’s nuclear power program.
  • Ensure that there is a comprehensive long-term strategy for human resource development for BNRA and MoH, with consideration of adequate remuneration of regulatory staff in comparison with other national nuclear organizations.
  • Finalize the revision of the Strategy for Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management.

Additional recommendations and suggestions were made specifically for BNRA and the MoH, including:

  • BNRA should conduct an independent assessment of leadership for safety and safety culture throughout the organization.
  • BNRA should consider implementing processes of review and revision of regulations and guides in a systematic and timely manner.
  • MoH should consider developing guidelines for the release of patients who have undergone therapeutic radiological procedures with implanted sealed sources.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the IRRS team and our Bulgarian counterparts for their dedicated efforts over the past two weeks,” said Tsanko Bachiyski, Chairman of BNRA. “The IRRS mission reaffirms our commitment to the continuous enhancement of nuclear and radiation safety. BNRA will leverage the mission’s outcomes to further strengthen our regulatory capabilities and national safety infrastructure.”

The IRRS team’s final report will be provided to the Government of Bulgaria in about three months.

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