NEA/COM(2011)2
Paris, 12 May 2011
On 11 May 2011, the Republic of Slovenia became the 30th member country of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
"We are very pleased to welcome Slovenia to the Agency," said NEA Director-General Luis Echávarri. "Through its full membership, Slovenia will build on its past collaboration with the NEA to further contribute to the top international scientific, technological and legal expertise required for the safe, environmentally friendly and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."
"On behalf of Slovenia and the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA), I can say that becoming a full member of the NEA is a very important step that will provide new challenges and mutual benefits for both our nation and for other member countries of the NEA," said SNSA Director Dr. Andrej Stritar.
An active member of the international nuclear community since its independence in 1991, Slovenia is party to the main treaties and agreements on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and on co-operation with regard to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It has been a party to the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy since 2001 and the Brussels Supplementary Convention since 2003.
Slovenia has been an observer in the seven NEA standing technical committees since 2002 and joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in July 2010.
Slovenia operates the Krško nuclear power plant, a one-unit 696 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR) connected to the grid in 1981 and co-owned with Croatia. The reactor supplies 25% of the country's electricity demand (currently, the electricity mix in Slovenia is 41% coal and gas, 29% hydro, 25% nuclear and 5% renewables). Slovenia also operates a nuclear training centre and a research reactor at the Jožef Stefan Institute, which has a staff of about 880 people.
Related links
Nuclear legislation in OECD countries: Slovenia
Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA)
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