The International Nuclear Emergency Exercise (INEX) series has supported the NEA membership since 1993 in improving the international aspects of nuclear or radiological accident emergency, preparedness and response. Participants in these INEX exercises share information, data, knowledge and experience to test all aspects of emergency management systems and approaches, identify gaps and provide recommended strategies to improve nuclear emergency management worldwide.
The sixth in the series, INEX-6, will focus on the planning and preparedness for the the long-term recovery phase (existing exposure situation) after a nuclear or radiological accident. This extremely complex and multi-dimensional exercise will serve to identify gaps in policy, preparedness and regulation. It will provide an opportunity for participating countries to test and demonstrate the value of the changes put in place nationally, regionally and internationally following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, as well as to assess the efficiency of the guidance and methods developed in this regard by the ongoing activities of the Committee of Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH), notably the NEA publication ‘Building a Framework for Post-Nuclear Accident Recovery Preparedness’
The NEA have established the Expert Group on the Sixth International Nuclear Emergency Exercise (EGINEX6) to coordinate the planning, delivery and review of the exercise operating under the auspices of the Working Party on Nuclear Emergency Matters (WPNEM). 11 Member Countries plus invited experts are represented on EGINEX6 and it is hoped that more countries will become involved at the participation stage. To help tackle the complexity of running recovery exercises, a modular approach will be used which tackles key topical issues related to long-term recovery management. This will help deliver the exercise objectives and the overarching aim, which is “to exercise national and international arrangements for the recovery phase of a nuclear or radiological emergency and to identify improvements to enhance national and international preparedness for recovery.” Like previous INEX exercises, the learning captured from the exercise will drive the future programme of work of the WPNEM.
INEX-6 has been provisionally scheduled for September 2023, with completion of the EGINEX6 mandate due in 2024 with the publication and launch of the post-exercise report.