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New Unit Assistance Industry Working Group (NUA I-WG) Meets in the UK

More than 60 nuclear professionals from across the global WANO community met in hybrid format for the New Unit Assistance Industry Working Group (NUA I-WG) meeting, held from 14-16 April 2026 and hosted by Hinkley Point C at Cannington Court, Somerset, UK.

The three-day meeting brought together operators, new build organisations, WANO representatives, and subject-matter experts to exchange experience and strengthen industry support for new nuclear units across design, construction, commissioning, and early operations.

Key Meeting Themes

Discussions and experience sharing were structured around three core themes critical to new unit performance:

• Operator Fundamentals - strengthening behaviours and decision making from early project phases through transition to operations
• Nuclear Safety Culture - building and sustaining nuclear safety culture across design, construction, commissioning, and operations
• Fire Protection - lessons learned and good practices for fire protection readiness across the plant lifecycle

These themes reflected common challenges identified through WANO analysis and recent experience from new operating plants.

Progress on NUA I-WG Sub-Group Activities

Members received updates on the progress of several NUA I WG sub groups supporting new unit performance:

• Good Practices to Prevent Safety Significant AFIs, focused on operator fundamentals, fire protection, leadership and nuclear safety culture, FME, construction quality, and engineering support capability
• Effective Oversight of Construction and Commissioning, developing a practical NUA module consolidating lessons learned, oversight frameworks, and preparation of operations staff
• Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), progressing a WANO guideline on operational readiness for new technology reactors, including SMRs and AMRs

Discussions highlighted progress across all activities, while also recognising ongoing challenges in securing broad international industry engagement.

Operator Fundamentals, Safety Culture, and Fire Protection

Experience from operating and new build projects highlighted the importance of embedding operator fundamentals, nuclear safety culture, and fire protection arrangements early in the new unit lifecycle. Presentations and discussions reinforced the need for strong leadership, early operational involvement, and clear standards during construction, commissioning, and transition to operations. WANO analysis and international experience showed that behavioural, organisational, and cultural factors are often as critical as technical readiness in achieving safe and reliable startup and early operation.

Next Steps

The next NUA I-WG meeting will be held virtually from 17-19 November 2026, with anticipated topics including Foreign Material Exclusion (FME), Construction Quality, and Engineering Support Capability.

Members interested in presenting, contributing to sub-group work, or hosting a future meeting are encouraged to contact Milly Stone ([email protected]).