The Indonesian Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) have extended cooperation to exchange technical information on nuclear safety and radiation protection.
“The cooperation is aimed at improving infrastructures, particularly to increase the capability of human resources to regulate the use of nuclear energy as well as to address the latest challenge facing Bapeten,” Bapeten chief Jazi Eko Istiyanto said in a written statement released on Friday.
Indonesian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and International Organizations in Vienna Darmansjah Djumala, representing Bapeten, and USNRC Chairman Christopher T Hanson signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to that effect on Thursday, he informed.
The cooperation is expected to enable Bapeten to increase its role as a professional and competent regulatory body, Istiyanto said.
The areas of the cooperation cover exchange of technical information, joint research on nuclear safety and radiation protection, regulatory review and study, and capacity building, he added.
Istiyanto said the existing cooperation between Bapeten and USNRC has benefited Bapeten to develop supervisory capacity through the exchange of information and experience.
“As a matter of fact, USNRC’s regulatory activities have served as a reference for many regulatory bodies in the world. Of course, the cooperation will push Bapeten to strengthen its regulatory infrastructure,” he said.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the 65th General Assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held in Vienna, Austria, on September 23, 2021, and will be valid for five years, he informed.
Source: Antara News