It is expected that the decommissioning of nuclear power plants will be a subject of growing importance for NEA member countries and that it will represent significant budgets and industrial activities in the very near future.  A number of challenges and uncertainties remain, particularly in the field of occupational radiation protection (ORP) during the decommissioning of nuclear power plants.

There are a number of challenges and uncertainties in the field of occupational radiation protection (ORP) during the decommissioning of nuclear power plants The aim of the WGDECOM is to identify and create a network of radiation protection (RP) experts to discuss RP and related issues relevant to decommissioning.  The WGDECOM focuses on practical case studies and expert discussions with NPPs undergoing decommissioning to help identify good practices in the field of ORP during decommissioning. Ideally, this work will help to collect and disseminate operational experiences and lessons learned for NPP decommissioning.

The WGDECOM’s members are volunteers from participating ISOE Utilities and ISOE Regulatory Authorities. When the WGDECOM members determined that the ISOE would benefit from a non-ISOE member’s OPEX/lessons learned, then the WGDECOM has invited Third Parties (non-ISOE members) to participate in the WGDECOM.

The WGDECOM reports directly to the ISOE Management Board/Bureau, but it also liaises with the ISOE WGDA and the NEA’s WPDD.