15.09.2011
On September 15, 2011 in Washington, DC (USA) Atomstroyexport JSC, company of the State Corporation Rosatom company, together with the world’s leading civilian nuclear power plant vendors stated the adoption of the basic principles that reflects global best practices in connection with the export of nuclear power plants. The Principles represent the companies’ independent commitments to conduct business in an ethical, transparent manner. The unprecedented “Principles of Conduct” reflect the participating companies’ commitment to their customers and all those who stand to benefit from nuclear power to assemble and share best practices that reinforce and enhance existing codes, standards and regulations.
These Principles articulate concisely the nuclear power plant industry’s shared high standards in the areas of safety, security, environmental protection and spent fuel management, compensation for nuclear-related damage, nonproliferation and ethics. No such voluntary, comprehensive, export-oriented code of conduct has previously existed in the nuclear industry.
Facilitated by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the voluntary Principles of Conduct were crafted over the past three years by representatives from all the major exporters of nuclear power plants. They have been adopted by nine companies based in Canada, France, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
The Principles incorporate the requirements of international treaties, reflecting and conforming entirely with the guidelines of the IAEA and the Nuclear Suppliers Group. While development of the Principles began years in advance of the Fukushima nuclear accident, the completed text also reflects initial lessons learned from the accident.
- Nuclear power plays a vital role in satisfying global energy requirements and it must continue to do so in a sustainable way, says Alexander Glukhov, President of Atomstroyexport JSC. – Therefore a possibility to contribute into the Principles development we considered important. The company has and will be offering its services with the highest standards of social responsibility.
As a voluntary initiative, the Principles are not legally binding, but Atomstroyexport JSC has independently undertaken to implement the Principles in the course of its business activities. Atomstroyexport JSC intends to demonstrate its commitment to the public in both word and deed as Russia’s own long-term interests align with the interests of their customer states in promoting the high export standards to which they aspire. Atomstroyexport JSC welcomes the cooperation of its customers, suppliers and other participants in the civilian nuclear power industry in applying the “Principles”.
Considering and implementing the world best practices Atomstroyexport JSC will meet periodically to review progress in applying the Principles and to update the Principles to reflect changing circumstances and international standards in the nuclear power engineering industry.
Reference:
The following companies have participated in the development of the Principles of Conduct:
• Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (at present SNC-Lavalin, Canada)
• AREVA (France)
• Atomstroyexport JSC (Russia)
• China National Nuclear Corporation (PRC)
• GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (USA)
• Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy (Japan)
• Korea Electric Power Company (KEPCO) (South Korea)
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)
• Toshiba (Japan)
• Westinghouse Electric Company (USA)
More information about the Nuclear Power Plant Exporters' Principles of Conduct is available at www.nuclearprinciples.org.
