Resource Center
Glossary & Frequently Asked Questions
Plain-language definitions and answers to common questions about civilian nuclear power program development.
Glossary
Key terms, defined at the policy and programmatic level.
NPT
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The foundational international treaty committing nuclear-weapon states to pursue disarmament, non-nuclear-weapon states to forgo nuclear weapons, and all parties to cooperate on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Additional Protocol
An agreement complementing a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, granting the IAEA expanded verification tools, including broader access to information and sites, to provide credible assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities.
INIR
Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review. An IAEA peer-review mission that assesses a state's readiness to advance to the next phase of the Milestones Approach, based on a national self-assessment across 19 infrastructure issues.
IRRS
Integrated Regulatory Review Service. An IAEA peer-review mission assessing the effectiveness of a state's regulatory framework against IAEA Safety Standards.
Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement
An agreement between a state and the IAEA establishing the IAEA's right and obligation to verify that nuclear material is not diverted from peaceful uses. Required under the NPT for non-nuclear-weapon states.
SMR
Small Modular Reactor. A class of nuclear reactor with lower electrical output and, in some designs, modular construction approaches. From a program-planning perspective, SMRs still require the full institutional and regulatory framework of any nuclear program.
Milestones Approach
The IAEA's structured three-phase framework for developing the infrastructure necessary for a new nuclear power program, with each phase culminating in a milestone assessed through an INIR mission.
Vienna Convention
The Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage. An international instrument establishing a framework for compensation in the event of a nuclear incident, with liability channeled to the operator.
CSC
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage. An international liability instrument that provides a tiered compensation framework and is designed to be compatible with both Vienna and Paris convention regimes.
FAQs
Common questions, answered directly.
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