Interested participants have until 30 April 2020 to submit an abstract for a paper or poster presentation at the International Forum on Enhancing a Sustainable Nuclear Supply Chain, organized by the IAEA and the European Atomic Forum(FORATOM) in Helsinki, Finland, from 7 to 10 September 2020.
This Forum is the 16th IAEA-FORATOM joint event aimed at raising awareness and increasing understanding of the role of management systems in integrating all the vital objectives of nuclear facilities and activities. This year’s event has a special focus on nuclear supply chain management.
The nuclear industry is undergoing a period of significant change, with long-term operation(LTO) programmes underway and new build projects in progress or planned in many countries. Some countries are embarking on a nuclear power programme for the first time, while others are expanding their fleet. In some parts of the world, nuclear power programmes are downsizing or being phased out, resulting in significant implications on the supply chain strategy and management.
In addition, many specialists in areas such as safety, design and operations and maintenance are retiring, while the new generation is arriving gradually to replace them.
Changes among subcontractors and the entire supply chain can also pose challenges in LTO scenarios.
“It is important to consider suppliers as part of the management system of a nuclear facility or activity, and not as a separate entity,” said Pekka Pyy, a senior expert on organization and management systems at the IAEA. "Many LTO programmes will require different degrees of modernization, refurbishment and equipment replacement. The success of both LTO and nuclear new build programmes is fundamentally reliant on a healthy supply chain and established measures for its management.”
The International Forum on Enhancing a Sustainable Nuclear Supply Chain will give participants an opportunity to discuss these issues, exchange experiences, practical examples, new insights and case studies on supply chain and management systems within the nuclear industry. Topics will include the integration of modern supply chain management practices, management systems within an organization, quality management, leadership and organizational culture. The implementation of risk-based and informed approaches, and safety, safeguards and security aspects will also be addressed.
How to submit abstracts
The Programme Committee is seeking abstracts which present examples of management system applications, quality management, and/or management of the supply chain. Abstracts, up to a maximum of 500 words, should summarize the objectives of the work, main challenges, main steps, and the findings and lessons learned. Presentations and posters are being sought on a wide variety of topics with an emphasis on practical examples of good practices in the area of management system development, implementation and continuous improvement.