INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR REGULATORS ASSOCIATION STATEMENT
ON YEAR 2000 COMPUTER PROBLEMS
JANUARY 1999

The International Nuclear Regulators Association (INRA) considers the Millennium Bug or Y2K Problem, as it applies to civilian nuclear power plants, fuel cycle, and medical and industrial facilities which use radioactive materials, to be one of pre-eminent concern.

At its January 21-22, 1999 meeting, members of INRA reviewed programs in place in our countries, and noted that there are comprehensive national programs which are to be completed well in advance of crucial dates. The focus was not only on the installations and their safety systems, but on other systems (including external) that can affect nuclear safety, such as the electrical grid and communication networks, and on contingency measures that might have to be taken. There is a commitment that if these problems are not completed, we, as regulators, will take the appropriate action.

Within the context of nuclear safety, we wish to underline our concern regarding the results of the recent United Nations Conference, which indicate that few countries will be Y2K ready, that many will experience multiple Y2K failures, and that few have adopted expert guidance regarding remediation and contingency planning. A necessary component for an effective Y2K remediation program is the strong support and leadership of the government. This is needed to assure that the regulatory authority and operating organizations will be able to acquire the resources and take the appropriate action to diagnose and remediate the problem.

We urge governments, and their regulatory authorities and operating organizations, to take urgent action to diagnose the extent of the Y2K problems which may affect nuclear power plants, fuel cycle and medical facilities using radioactive materials, and to formulate and implement effective remediation programs and contingency planning on a near term basis. We urge all governments to exchange information with other governments, and with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the OECD, each of which have Y2K activities ongoing.

<----Back