Members of the International RegLab Project held their first meeting on 22 and 24 April 2025, marking the start of this new initiative to enable the safe and efficient application of disruptive technologies to enhance regulatory readiness. The project brings together government representatives who will collaborate through regulatory sandboxing.
Meeting participants discussed the topics to be included in the first sandboxing cycles as well as the planned activities. The meeting participants also discussed lessons learnt from past pilot RegLabs, discussed how to implement improvements in the process, worked on choosing the topics of interest for the first two RegLabs and discussed next steps to start their implementation.
About the International RegLab Project
Disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, learning algorithms, 3D printing, advanced robotics and drones are transforming entire sectors of the economy with the potential to result in major enhancements, including in nuclear safety. While recognising these new technologies could advance nuclear safety, accelerate the nuclear innovation cycle and attract young talent to nuclear careers, their deployment raises regulatory safety considerations and uncertainties.
Under the auspices of the NEA, the International RegLab Project will allow participants with technical, operational and regulatory expertise to explore through sandboxing how innovation proposals can be regulated and deployed.
Four RegLab sandboxing rounds will be organised before August 2027 to explore topics linked to the deployment of disruptive innovations in the nuclear regulatory space. Based on the outcomes of these exercises, project members will share insights and recommendations to their national and international technical committees.
Working in co-operation with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ISOP Network, the initiative brings together the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), France’s Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection (Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority, or ASNR), Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) of Spain, the United Kingdom’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) of the United Arab Emirates.
