1. Perspective and current status of introducing nuclear power in Tunisia
RCF ANNuR FNRBA workshop on regulatory control
6-10 November 2017, Morocco
Perspective and current status of introducing nuclear power in Tunisia
Leila Ounalli Mejri (PhD) : Nuclear Safety Department National coordinator of RAF1005 project Member of the ministrial team working on Nuclear law

2. Outline Country Profile Status of the Nuclear Power Programme
Status of Regulatory Infrastructure Development
Structure of the Regulatory Body
Human Resources 2

3. Country Profile National Electric Grid Population : ~ 12 Million
Languages : Arabic, French
Surface : km2
GDP : 4467 $ / inhabitant
Mining sources: Phosphates, natural gas
1957: Tunisia joined the IAEA

4. Status of the Nuclear Power Programme

5. Introduction of the first NPP in Tunisia
November 2006:
The Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) was assigned by the government to conduct, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, through the National Centre for Nuclear Science and Technologies(CNSTN) a technical-economic feasibility study for NPP implementation.

6. Nuclear Power Plant (feasibility study carried out by STEG)
Foreseen projetcs
Nuclear Power Plant (feasibility study carried out by STEG)
Subcritical Assembly (feasibility study carried out by CNSTN)
TUN1009 ( ) extended to TUN1012 ( )
Title: Installing a Subcritical Assembly in the National Centre for Nuclear Sciences and Technology
An efficient tool for education and training of nuclear scientists and engineers
Research Reactor (feasibility study carried out by CNSTN)
Research Reactor would enhance the country’s preparedness for the first NPP introduction

7. Research Reactor projects
Organisaton and stakeholders
Tunisian Nuclear
Energy Authority
Tunisian Nuclear
Safety Authority
Subcritical Assembly
Research Reactor projects

8. Tunisian Infrastructure Development Programme

9. Embarking on a nuclear power program requires long term commitments and adequate nuclear infrastructure with
an effective and independent regulatory body to support it, which Tunisia is undertaking.

10. Status of Regulatory Infrastructure Development & Structure of the Regulatory Body

11. Current regulatory framework
Law n°81-100, Art 95 establishing the National Center for Radiation Protection (CNRP)
Legislation and regulations are in place since 1981,
The CNRP acts as the regulatory authority at the national level for all issues concerning the use of radioactive sources in the context of radiation protection, except nuclear installations.
The CNRP regulatory authority is under the ministry of health.
The law n°81-51, 1981 excluded the radiation protection in nuclear installations
The law n° 97-37, 1997 and its decrees of applications related to the transport by road of hazardous materials doesn’t cover all aspects of the transport of the nuclear materials …

12. It was decided to :
Prepare a legislative and regulatory framework based on a Comprehensive Nuclear law covering especially Safety, Security and Safeguards, as well as liability for nuclear damage.
This law covers all nuclear and radioactive practices from mining to the final disposal and implement all international standards and provisions of all related conventions and treaties.
Work for the adoption of all relevant international conventions.

13. New legislative and regulatory framework(1/2)
Since May 2008, A group of experts was created and it is coordinated by the CNSTN ‘permanent secretariat of the National Atomic energy commission (CNEA)’.
As a first step, the expert team proceeded to an assessment of the Tunisian nuclear legislation and the IAEA was involved in this process by revising the drafted law.

14. New legislative and regulatory framework(2/2)
The project of Comprehensive Nuclear Law was
approved by the CNEA and later by the board of ministers.
evaluated by IAEA experts under the technical cooperation program. Recommendations are being implemented.
Waiting for project approval through the national official channels.
The project of the creation of the National Nuclear Safety Authority
This new regulatory body will carry out regulatory functions for safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, physical protection, radioactive material transport, and radioactive waste management

15. The 20 chapters of the SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE Guide DS424
GS-R-1
GS-R-3
The 20 chapters of the SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE Guide DS424
1 - National policy and strategy
2 - Global nuclear safety régime
3 - Legal framework
4 - Regulatory framework
5 - Transparency and openness
6 - Funding and financing
7 - External support organizations and contractors
8 - Leadership and management for safety
9 - Human resources development
10 - Research for safety and regulatory purposes
11 - Radiation protection
12 - Safety assessment
13 - Safety of radioactive waste, spent fuel management and decommissioning
14 - Emergency preparedness and response
15 - Operating organization
16 - Site survey, site selection and evaluation
17 - Design safety
18 - Preparation for commissioning
19 - Transport safety
20 - Interfaces with nuclear security
GSR Part 4
BSS-115
WS-R-5
GSR Part 5
NS-R-2
GS-R-2
NS-R-1
NS-R-3
TS-R-1

16. Table of contents of the nuclear law (1) 12 chapters
Chapitre 1: General provisions (articles 1-4)
Section 1: Fondamental principles (articles 5-8)
Section 2: Terminology (article 9)
Section 3: Transparencey ( articles 10-12)
Chapitre 2: Control of the activities, the practices and the nuclear
and radiological installations
Section 1: Autorisation system (articles 13-20)
Section 2: Control system (articles 21-27)
Chapitre 3: Nuclear and radiological safety (articles 28)
Section 1: nuclear safety (articles 29-40)
Section 2 : radiological safety (articles 41-45)
Section 3: Emergency situation (articles 46-51)
Section 4: decommissioning of nuclear installations (articles 52-57)

17. Table of contents of nuclear law (2)
Chapitre 4: Nuclear security and physical protection (articles 58-65)
Chapitre 5: Radiation protection (articles 66-70)
Chapitre 6: Prospecting, search and exploitation of the radioactive ores (articles 71-72)
Chapitre 7 : The transport of radioactive materials (articles 73-81)
Chapitre 8 : Management of radioactive wastes and of the Spent fuel (articles 82-90)
Chapitre 9: Guarantees and control of the imports and the exports of the nuclear materials (articles )
Chapitre 10: Civil liability of the nuclear damage (articles )
Chapitre 11: Penal provisions (articles )
Chapitre 12: Transitional provisions (articles )

18. Priority to safety
Priority to Nuclear safety as a fundamental principle is included in the drafted law; more details should be completed by preparing the decrees of application

19. 3-Decree on standards and categories of habilitation
List of decrees of application (18) of the Tunisian comprehensive nuclear law (1/4)
1-Decree on conditions of exemption of certain sources and activities or any part thereof from licensing and regulatory regime.
2-Decree on conditions and procedures on the regime of the licensing system
3-Decree on standards and categories of habilitation
4-Decree on the special statute of inspectors
5-Decree on conditions and procedures of inspections

20. 6-Decree on detailed requirements for nuclear safety
List of decrees of application (18) of the Tunisian comprehensive nuclear law (2/4)
6-Decree on detailed requirements for nuclear safety
7-Decree on detailed requirements for radiation safety
8-Decree on conditions and procedures of emergency plans
9-Decree on detailed requirements for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities
10-Decree on detailed requirements for the physical protection of nuclear materials and installations
11-Decree on detailed requirements on security of radioactive sources and facilities.

21. 13-Decree on conditions on situations of exposure
List of decrees of application (18) of the Tunisian comprehensive nuclear law (3/4)
12-Decree classifying areas within nuclear facilities and conditions of access, in addition to the classification of nuclear materials and emergency in case of intrusion.
13-Decree on conditions on situations of exposure
14-Decree on conditions and procedures of authorization in addition of radioactive substances in the production and manufacture of drugs, supply and export of such products and the administration of radioactive materials for humans or animals, for the purposes of medical or veterinary research

22. List of decrees of application (18) of the Tunisian comprehensive nuclear law (4/4)
15-Decree on conditions and procedures of authorization of transport of radioactive materials
16-Decree on the safe management of the radioactive waste and spent fuel
17-Decree establishing a Fund for the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel and the decommissioning
18-Decree on detailed requirements on safeguards and on controlling the supply and export of nuclear materials and technology.

23. Conclusions The priority is given to the:
Capacity building via IRL connexion, subcritical assembly and research reactor,
Establishment of the nuclear law,
Creation of the national nuclear safety authority (instance).
The advantage is that the reactor will be authorized and commissioned following the national regulation in compliance with the IAEA standards and not following the supplier country

24. شكرا
Merci
Thank you
المـركـز الوطــني للعـلــوم والتكـنــولــوجيـــا الـنــوويـــة
National Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology )
Sidi Thabet Technopark 2020 Ariana - Tunisia
Tel : (+216) Fax : (+216) /