Prospective reactor vendors may find navigating nuclear regulatory landscapes challenging. However, they are generally aware of national safety regulators and their purpose. In addition to national regulations, there are also international safeguards overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that must be followed. Some advanced nuclear firms may not fully understand the importance of these international safeguards because compliance is voluntary for nuclear weapon states.
For vendors looking to export reactors, especially advanced ones, to non-weapons state countries like Canada, Ghana, Poland, or Turkey, compliance with international safeguards is crucial. Failure to adhere to these safeguards can become a dealbreaker for vendors. It is important for reactor vendors, particularly those from nuclear weapon states, to understand and comply with international regulations in order to successfully export their technology to a wider range of countries.