Enhancing Regional Nuclear Emergency Preparedness in ASEAN. Alistair D. B. Cook NTS Centre Contact:

Transcription

1 Enhancing Regional Nuclear Emergency Preparedness in ASEAN Alistair D. B. Cook NTS Centre Contact:

2 Recent Developments Prior to Obama s visit to Vietnam, United States and Vietnam signed the Administrative Arrangement under their 2014 historic agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy (123 Agreement). To establish a joint committee on Civil Nuclear Cooperation to help implement the 123 Agreement, work toward establishing a Technical Support Center for Nuclear Security and Safeguards in Vietnam, allow the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help build Vietnam s nuclear regulatory capacity, and to enhance Vietnam s nuclear incident preparedness and response.

3 Recent Developments The Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Learning Education, Mohamad Nasir, recently said Indonesia must immediately build a nuclear power plant to meet the electricity needs of 60,000 megawatt by He posited that if security and safety are cited as reasons for Indonesia not building a nuclear power plant, Malaysia will do it anywaynear Indonesia. "The question is if a disaster happened, who would be affected first? It will be us (Indonesia)," he underscored. (Antara News, 25 May 2016)

4 Power generation in ASEAN: Vietnam set to commission its first nuclear power plant by 2025 to generate electricity; first in ASEAN TWh

5 Regional Norms and Practices 1995 Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon- Free Zone A state pursuing nuclear energy must (1) use nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes; (2) subject its nuclear programme to rigorous safety assessment, conforming to standards set by IAEA; (3) inform fellow members, if requested, of the outcome of the safety assessment; (4) adhere to NPT and IAEA safeguard system; (5) dispose of radioactive wastes in accordance with IAEA standards

6 Regional Norms and Practices ASEAN Meetings and Leaders Statements ASEAN leaders agreed to develop a coordinated ASEAN approach that would contribute to globalundertakings to improvenuclear safety, in cooperation with IAEA 2012 ASEAN Leaders Statement at Phnom Penh ASEAN s energy ministers noted the continuing efforts to facilitateinformation sharing and capacity building for ASEAN Member States considering civilian nuclear energy for power generation as an option to meet their energy needs. ASEAN Ministers of Energy Meeting 2015 ASEAN Network ofregulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) It focuses on issues of mutual interest, such as enhancing regulatory capacity; sharing of best practices in regulating nuclear activities; information exchange on nuclear activities in each country to promote transparency; and strengthening in nuclear emergency and preparedness.

7 Emerging Risks and Challenges Capacity- building issues Lack of education and training (E&T) program in nuclear engineering in local universities Relevant countries are still in the process of expanding their pool of nuclear engineers through overseas training; critics said HR training focuses mainly on theory. R&D infrastructure is not sufficient for nuclear engineering research Regulatory independence Partly independent nuclear regulators may compromise nuclear safety & security; Nuclear regulatory bodies in the region lacking full independence from government agencies promoting nuclear energy; inter- agency coordination remains the top priority at this stage

8 Emerging Risks and Challenges Nuclear waste management Lack of comprehensive regional & national plans on the final disposal of high- level radioactive waste in the region Disasters that maytrigger nuclear accidents Some countries in the region interested in nuclear energy still not investing enough in safety controls and emergency preparedness Need to institutionalise a region- wide joint nuclear emergency response framework.

9 Nuclear Emergency Response and Preparedness National and regional strategies and various disasterresponse simulation exercises of ASEAN focus heavily on natural disasters, but not on technological disasters. The 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) held in Sendai, Japanin March 2015 castthe spotlight on preparedness for technological disasters NATECH- Naturaldisasters triggering technological disasters E.g. Great East Japan Earthquake triggering the Fukushima nuclear disaster Potential NPPsites in Southeast Asia may be prone to natural disasters E.g., tsunami triggered by strong tremor; storm surges triggered by strong typhoons

10 Nuclear Emergency Response and Preparedness All ASEAN member- states have a vested interest in collectively institutionalising a joint emergency response. Major nuclear accident will have severe transboundary consequences, such as contamination of food and water sources, irrespective of national boundaries in the region. The food supply chain can be disrupted as sources of food can be contaminated by either airborne radiation or radioactive water from affected power plants. Widespread health and environmental effects may cross national borders primarily due to radioactive plume. Severe consequences on the regional economy as nuclear accidents may impact the industry, agricultural and tourism sectors of ASEAN.

11 Recommendations Regional Nuclear Emergency Exercises Incorporate joint nuclear emergency drills into the region s disaster response exercises such as the ASEAN Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercises and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM)- Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR)/Military Medicine Exercise; Facilitate the formation of a regional contingent of specially trained nuclear disaster emergency responders, building on the structure of ASEAN- Emergency Rapid Assessment Team; A platform that can develop a set of standard operating procedures that synchronises the different nuclear emergency protocols used by each country.

12 Recommendations Nuclear Crisis Centre A special coordinating body conversant with the appropriate responses to this type of technological disaster that can be tasked to: facilitate information exchange and coordinate regional and civil- military nuclear emergency response; formulate joint efforts to clean up affected sites; organise workshops, trainings and joint nuclear emergency drills for the region s highly trained radiation emergency responders; serve as special unit within the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre).

13 Recommendations Cultivatea regional culture ofjoint nuclear crisis response readiness Tap the support of ASEAN dialogue partners with greater technical expertise in nuclear power such as the European Union, China, Japan, South Korea, US, Russia. Enhancement of regional coordination, information exchange and joint training on nuclear accidents. Share information across relevant sectors and track 1.5 and 2 bodies to reduce replication on cooperation.