Comunicating nuclear safety

Monika Kaczynska

Director of President’s Office

Polish Regulatory Authority

6.10.2015, Fukui, Japan

POLAND

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we do not have nuclear plants but we have a Polish Nuclear Power Program

HOW MANY NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS WE HAVE IN POLAND?

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CURRENT STATUS OF NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME

PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH - MINISTRY OF ECONOMY DATA

Opinion polls: nation-wide survey

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If the nuclear power plant was being built in Poland, its safety standards would,

in your opinion, be:

Opinion polls: local survey

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If the nuclear power plant was being built in Poland, its safety standards would,

in your opinion, be:

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KEY ACTORS

Investor/

Operator/

Utility (PGE)

Radioactive Waste Management Plant

(ZUOP)

Nuclear Regulatory

Authority

PAA

Ministry

of Economy

Vision & mission & strategy

We are a modern, competent nuclear authority respected

and trusted by the general public, conducting activities that are significant for ensuring nuclear safety and radiological protection.

Through regulatory and supervisory activities we aim to

ensure that activities involving exposure to ionizing radiation are conducted safely both for workers, the general public and the environment.

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Regulator key communication assumptions

Pri

ori

ty f

or

Safe

ty

• Safety as a superior value and priority for the nuclear regulatory actions

• Implementing the highest possible safety standards

• Strict requirements compliance to protect human life and health

Co

mp

ete

nce a

nd

p

rofe

ssio

nali

sm

• Knowledge and experience of the nuclear regulatory personnel,

• Tools and prerogatives necessary to enforce nuclear safety requirements

• The ability to continuously improve safety culture

Pu

bli

c t

rust • full transparency of the

regulatory work

• conducting the two-way communication

• politicaly independent decision

The three pillars of the PAA communication strategy

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Target groups

POLICYMAKERS • MINISTRY OF ECONOMY

• MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

• THE PARLAMENT OF POLAND

BENEFICIARIES • INVESTOR

• NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS

• SUBCONTRACTORS

KEY OPINION

LEADERS

• UNIVERSITIES

• R&D CENTERS

• THINK TANKS

• CONSULTING AGENCIES

• EXPERT INSTITUTIONS

INTERVENERS • ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OPPOSING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM IN POLAND

FOREIGN PARTIES • INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• FOREIGN NUCLEAR REGULATORY OFFICES

INTERMEDIARIES • JOURNALISTS SPECIALIZING IN THE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT OR HEALTH ISSUES

SOCIETY • CITIZENS IN THE AGE OF 16-69

• RESIDENTS OF PROVINCES, DISTRICTS AND MUNICIPALITIES IDENTIFIED AS

POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR FUTURE POLISH NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

• WOMEN IN THE AGE OF 18-59

• ADOLESCENTS IN THE AGE OF 16-29

• RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGES OF LESS THAN 200 THOUSAND. RESIDENTS

PAA stakeholders map

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Our tools

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Educational films

Twitter Website Newsletter

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Evaluation of the implemented communication activities

Regular media monitoring

Public opinion polls

Quoting index

An external audit of the key stakeholders

Journalists and citizens inquiries

SWOT analysis

Strengths

Employees who are experts in the

field of nuclear safety

Modern, clear and precise Atomic Law

regulations

Reorganized and effective structure

Adequate budget

Weeknesses

Limited scope of communication

activities

Regulator is an unknown organization

Ineffective internal communication

Low knowledge of new media among

employees

Technocratic approach towards PR

(complicated language)

Opportunities

PAA plays an important role in PNPP

Public interest in nuclear power is on

the rise

Pro-active communication as a

chance to increase public confidence

Society trusts experts and scientists

Threats

Low public trust in PAA

If the government decides not to

pursue the program, the PAA may be

downsized

PAA may be blamed for delays in the

program

PAA may be targeted by NGO’s, such

as Greenpeace

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Regulator independence

International agreements:

• 1.Convention on Nuclear Safety

• 2.Joint Convention on Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management

Safety Standards IAEA:

• SF-1 Safety Fundamentals

• GSR Part 1 Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety

• SSG-16 Specific Safety Guide on Establishing the Safety Infrastructure for a Nuclear

Power Programme

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Challenges

Should the regulatory authority be proactive in communication?

• It depends on the status of the nuclear programme

• There is a thin red line between communicating nuclear safety and

promoting nuclear energy

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Conclusions - recommendations

• be aware of conflicts of interests, keep independent

• prepare communiactaion startegy not to put on a shelf /communicate

the startegy to the staff (goals, key messages, action plans for every year

should be know by the staff)

• work on your image/ brand (mission, vision, logo, media cooperation)

• hire communication experts (not only engineers and inspectors are experts ;)

•

• becareful of the accusation of spending public money (big and

expensive campaings in tv or internet can be „dangerous” ).

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Thank you for your attention