Pierre-Marie Abadie chairs the 8th ENSREG Conference on Nuclear Safety
The 8th ENSREG Conference, chaired by Pierre-Marie Abadie, confirmed the unprecedented challenges posed by the new nuclear landscape and the commitment of regulatory authorities to safety, a key factor in overall performance.
Pierre-Marie Abadie, Chairman of ASNR, chaired the 8th Conference on Nuclear Safety, co-organised by ASNR and ENSREG, the European Group of Nuclear Safety Regulators, on 16 and 17 June 2026 in Brussels (Belgium).
The conference’s overarching theme, ‘Regulating nuclear safety in a rapidly changing and challenging environment’, provided an opportunity to address the challenges and opportunities of the current context in the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection.
In his introduction, Pierre-Marie Abadie noted that the nuclear sector had now entered a new cycle, following a decade characterised by enhanced safety measures in the wake of the Fukushima accident. He argued that, whilst safety remained the top priority, safety authorities must now meet new expectations. His opening address highlighted the revival of nuclear power in several countries, driven by decarbonisation and energy security, accompanied by plans for new reactors and the extension of the operating life of existing facilities. At the same time, he highlighted the emergence of innovative technologies, such as small modular reactors (SMRs), artificial intelligence and digital tools, which present both opportunities and new challenges for safety. Pierre-Marie Abadie argued that safety authorities must strengthen their expertise, agility and cooperation with all stakeholders in the sector, whilst preserving their independence. He also stated that, in this context, safety and radiation protection were the essential foundation for sustainable, credible nuclear development that is accepted by society.
Pierre-Marie Abadie, Chairman of ASNR, opens the 8th Conference on Nuclear Safety, co-organised by ASNR and ENSREG.
The conference was organised into a series of sessions, during which panellists – representing nuclear safety authorities, research bodies, technical support organisations, international organisations, the European Commission, industry, civil society and non-governmental organisations – addressed a wide range of topics, challenges and opportunities.
The opening session, with P.-M. Abadie, confirmed the importance of safety authorities developing the necessary expertise to support the development of disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, maintaining close ties with international organisations, such as the IAEA and the NEA, and contributing to overall industrial performance. Safety was highlighted as a common good to be preserved, which must not be opposed to innovation nor the efficiency of industrial projects. The independence of the authorities was emphasised as necessary, but it was stressed that this must not prevent safety authorities from interacting with the industry, other regulators and stakeholders.
Opening session of the 8th ENSREG Conference. From left to right: Michala Hergetova (moderator), Karine Herviou (Deputy Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency), Michael Hübel (Acting Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission), Pierre-Marie Abadie (Conference President, Chairman ASNR), Juan-Carlos Lentijo (Chair of ENSREG, President of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council CSN), Petteri Tiippana (Chair of WENRA, Director General of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK)
Session 1, which focused on the relationship between industrial performance and nuclear safety, was attended by Olivier Gupta, Director-General of ASNR and Vice-President of WENRA, and addressed the role of safety in the current context of the nuclear industry’s revival. Whilst the importance of the role played by the regulatory authorities in this context was emphasised – with strong expectations for stable, proportionate and predictable regulation – the session also served as a reminder that a lack of stability or excessive complexity are not conducive to safety. In addition, the session confirmed the value of the industry and safety authorities engaging in dialogue at a very early phase of industrial projects, enabling safety requirements to be considered at an early stage of the projects’ industrial development. All participants recognised that the challenge lay not in reducing regulatory requirements, but in clarifying respective expectations.
Intervention of Olivier Gupta, Director-General of ASNR and Vice-President of WENRA, during Session 1.
Session 2 focused on the role of research, science and expertise in the regulatory decision-making process. Vincent Lagneau, Scientific Director of ASNR, provided examples of regulatory decisions taken by ASNR on the basis of research programme outcomes. In particular, he pointed out that, in view of the long-term operation of the reactors operated by EDF, ASNR's position regarding the maintenance of the reactor basemat’s integrity in the event of a core meltdown accident was based on research programmes focusing on corium-concrete interaction, as well as on modelling developments incorporated into the ASTEC code, developed by ASNR. Given the pressures they are currently facing, the need for safety authorities to be able to rely on robust research and collaboration between research organisations was emphasised. The need for research programmes conducted within various institutes or international organisations to be coordinated and guided by the aim of supporting nuclear safety authorities was also highlighted. The session further emphasised the need for research to be more responsive and conducted with a view to the practical implementation of its results.
Intervention of Vincent Lagneau, Scientific Director of ASNR, during Session 2.
The third session provided an opportunity to address the challenges posed by armed conflicts to nuclear safety. During this session, which was attended by Jean-Luc Lachaume, Commissioner of ASNR and Chair of HERCA, the war in Ukraine was discussed at length. In particular, it was emphasised how profoundly this conflict had altered the assumptions underpinning nuclear safety and security, demonstrating that nuclear facilities can be exposed to military attacks. Participants agreed on the difficulty of managing the conflict between maintaining nuclear safety and security on the one hand and safeguarding the electricity supply on the other. The importance of strengthening international cooperation and coordination was widely emphasised, as was the need to implement proactive preparedness measures in peacetime, to have structured decision-making frameworks in place, and to further develop legal and regulatory frameworks to reconcile nuclear safety considerations with broader societal needs.
Intervention of Jean-Luc Lachaume, Commissioner of ASNR and Chair of HERCA, during Session 3.
The fourth and final session focused on how to maintain and strengthen public confidence in nuclear safety and its regulation. The competence of safety authorities, their independence, and their ability to share information and explain their decisions were cited as key factors in building confidence. The session highlighted the importance of consistent and scientifically sound decisions. It also emphasised that societal engagement, through active dialogue with the public and stakeholders, fostered public confidence in the authorities’ decisions. Transparency – in particular, access to clear, up-to-date and accessible information – was also highlighted. The specific case of cross-border information exchanges between nuclear safety authorities in geographically neighbouring countries was discussed. NGO representatives called for greater openness, easier access to information and stronger guarantees that regulatory positions are not influenced by the interests of industry or lobby groups.
In his closing remarks, P.-M. Abadie highlighted five major collective challenges facing all stakeholders in the nuclear safety and radiation protection ecosystem. He commended the commitment shown by the safety authorities in tackling these new challenges and called on all stakeholders within this ecosystem – regulators, experts, industry representatives and civil society – to defend and preserve the safety ecosystem.
- The first challenge concerns the construction of new reactors, a complex industrial undertaking that goes beyond mere design issues. Safety must be integrated into every stage of the projects, from design through to the management of construction works and the supply chain. Safety authorities must support these projects by clarifying their safety requirements at the appropriate time in relation to key project milestones, and by developing their own technical, organisational and managerial capabilities.
- The second challenge is that of standardisation. Whilst regulatory convergence already exists largely in Europe thanks to the work of WENRA, the main challenge lies in the industrial standardisation of designs and construction methods in order to promote replicability, quality and safety. Cooperation initiatives between authorities, experts and project developers contribute to this objective.
- The third challenge concerns a graduated and proportionate approach to safety, which must be based on in-depth technical dialogue and a collegial approach enabling issues to be prioritised and balanced decisions to be taken.
- The fourth challenge highlights the importance of research and scientific expertise in reducing uncertainties, developing new assessment methods and underpinning credible decisions, which requires sustainable funding.
- Finally, the fifth challenge is that of organisational agility. Recent crises have demonstrated not only the need for our organisations to adapt quickly, but also their ability to do so whilst maintaining rigorous, transparent and robust processes.
P.-M. Abadie concluded by emphasising the major advantage that the European dimension offers in meeting current challenges. He pointed out that, beyond their national differences, European countries share common values (independence, transparency, dialogue and science-based decision-making) and benefit from the diversity of their expertise. Through a culture of cooperation and joint initiatives, he called on Europe to pool its expertise to strengthen nuclear safety and radiation protection in the long term.
The conference brought together more than 230 participants in person. Its organising committee, comprising representatives from ENSREG member states and the European Commission, was formed in June 2025 and chaired by Luc Chanial, International Adviser at ASNR.
More than 230 participants attended in person the Conference.
The 8th ENSREG Conference organising committee.