Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 02/2014

New Nuclear Builds in Central and Eastern Europe: Safety Aspects

Jodi Lieberman

December 2013

The Polish Institute of International Affairs

Abstract

With nearly all of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe considering construction of new nuclear plants, either to add to existing units or for the first time, it can be instructive to take stock of where they started following 1989, where they are now, and what lies ahead. Most of the countries benefited from nuclear safety-related assistance in the past. Through their membership in the EU and IAEA they also have access to the tools and institutional procedures that can be useful in assessing their nuclear programmes from a nuclear safety point of view. Poland, starting from scratch with a new nuclear build, may benefit from extensive external experience.