To view a particular year of  WANO’s History click on the Year in the table below.

At Chernobyl-4, an RBMK-1000 reactor in the then Soviet Union, a severe reactivity excursion is experienced during the performance of a turbine-generator coast down test, Insufficient management control, inappropriate use of procedures, human error and design problems contributed to the worst accident yet experienced by any nuclear power plant. Public confidence in the use of nuclear energy is badly shaken in Europe and, to a varying extent, throughout the world.

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The International Union of Producers and Distributors of Electric Energy (UNIPEDE) and INPO cosponsor the International Nuclear Utility Executive Meeting in Paris. Electricité de France hosts the meeting, which is chaired by Lord Marshal Chairman of the United Kingdom's Central Electricity Generating Board.

Thirty of the world's 32 countries that have nuclear power plants operating or under construction are represented. The utility executives agree to form a steering committee and implementation committee to plan for a worldwide association of nuclear operating organisations. Minister Lukonin agrees to consider whether the inaugural meeting can be held in Moscow. The purpose of the association will be to exchange operational experience throughout the international utility community.

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The WANO Inaugural Meeting is held in Moscow hosted by Minister Nickolai Lukonin who is recognised as the first honorary president of the association. One hundred forty-four companies sign the WANO Charter committing their companies to work in support of the WANO mission. Lord Walter Marshall of the Central Electricity Generating Board, UK, is named Chairman for the Governing Board and William S. Lee, Duke Power Company, USA, is elected as President to serve until the first biennial meeting. Minister Lukonin accepts a challenge to organise two-way exchange visits between every Moscow Centre plant and a plant of another centre within two years.

WANO AC co-ordinates its first exchange between Catawba Nuclear Power Plant (USA) and Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (Ukraine).

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Governors approve the plant performance indicator programme at the fourth WANO Governing Board meeting in London. Regional centres are asked to enter data starting with January 1990.

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Some 250 participants attend the first Biennial General Meeting held in Atlanta. Also, the seventh WANO Governing Board meeting and second Annual General Meeting are held. The governors held extensive discussions on “peer reviews.” It was agreed that a trial period should be set up for peer reviews, which must be voluntary, the purpose of the visit must be specified, and the actual way of implementation must be left flexible. Shoh Nasu, president of Tokyo EPC, is elected as the next WANO president to succeed Bill Lee.

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The first of eight pilot peer reviews is hosted by the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary is completed.

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The thirteenth WANO Governing Board meeting is held in Tokyo. Rémy Carle, Electricité‚ de France, is elected as the new Chairman of the Governing Board, replacing Lord Walter Marshall who has completed two terms.

April 18 to 20 1993

More than 420 participants attend the second WANO Biennial General Meeting held in Tokyo. Special emphasis is placed on the Peer reviews programme, which it is agreed should continue beyond the pilot phase on a regional basis, and assistance to east/central European operators. Dr. Ian McRae, CEO, ESKOM is elected president to succeed to Shoh Nasu.

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Rémy Carle is re-elected Chairman of the board for a further period of two years at the nineteenth meeting of the WANO Governing Board.

Some 290 representatives of utilities from 30 countries participate in the third Biennial General Meeting held in Paris. The meeting confirms that the main aims and objectives of WANO are being met. Eric Pozdyshev is unanimously elected president for a term of two years in succession to Dr Ian McRae.

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1997

The twenty-fifth meeting of the Governing Board is held in Prague, Czech Republic. In response to Rémy Carle's recommendation, Governors endorse preparations for conducting an internal review of WANO. Ray Hall and Bob Franklin will carry out the review, with a target of producing a final report to the Board by the end of 1997. Rémy Carle retires as WANO Chairman. Zack Pate is unanimously elected to be Chairman of WANO for the next two years.

The fourth WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Prague, Czech Republic. The meeting is attended by 275 participants from 136 utilities in 33 countries. The membership endorses the WANO Internal Review. Allan Kupcis, chief executive officer of Ontario Hydro, succeeds Eric Pozdyshev as President of WANO. For the first time, members of the press and media are present through the whole of the meeting.

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A new Memorandum of Understanding is signed between WANO and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Memorandum, signed by Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA Director General, and Zack T. Pate, WANO Chairman, covers cooperation and exchange of information between the two organisations.

The fifth WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The meeting is attended by 320 participants representing more than 430 nuclear reactors in 32 countries. The meeting marks WANO's 10^th anniversary.

Outgoing WANO President Allan Kupcis presents WANO members with two challenges: in the near term, to seek to complete a WANO peer review at every nuclear station worldwide by the time of the Biennial General Meeting in 2005, and in the longer term, to establish a periodic program for peer reviews such that each nuclear station hosts an outside review of its performance at least every three years and a WANO peer review at least every six years.

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The WANO Governing Board re-elects Dr Zack T Pate as WANO Chairman through June 2002, or until a successor is selected and qualified.

September 7 2001

WANO launches a public Web site.

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2002

February 20 and 21 2002

Forty-third Governing Board meeting in Berlin, Germany,

Governors unanimously approve a resolution to elevate the role of the Director of the Coordinating Centre to include the role of Managing Director of WANO under the supervision of the WANO Chairman and WANO Governing Board. (Effective 21 February 2002) 

March 17 2002

Forty-fourth Governing Board meeting in Seoul, Korea,

Governors also unanimously elect Mr Hajimu Maeda Chairman of WANO to serve a two-year term from July 2002.

Governors unanimously elect Mr Sig Berg Director of the Coordinating Centre and WANO Managing Director to serve a two-year term from October 2002. 

March 18 and 19 2002

The sixth WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Seoul, Korea.  340 participants representing more than 429 nuclear reactors in 32 countries attend the meeting.

Chairman Zack Pate reported on WANO’s activities and discussed the potential consequences of a minor core-damaging event.  Dr Pate stressed the importance of prompt and proper classification should a minor core damaging event occur.  He challenged members to review their utilities plans to deal with such an event including proper and accurate communication to stake holders.

Mr Pierre Carlier elected President of WANO by acclamation.

Governors unanimously approve resolution assigning the deputy director of the WANO Coordinating Centre as WANO Company Secretary from 1 May 2002.

May 2002

WANO conducts first pilot peer review at a nuclear fuel fabrication and processing facility.

July 2002

Hajimu Maeda replaces Dr Zack Pate as the WANO Chairman and the WANO Governing Board names Dr. Pate WANO Chairman Emeritus.

WANO Governors establish the WANO Nuclear Excellence Award in honour of Dr Zack T. Pate.

October 2002

Sig Berg replaces Tony Capp as the managing director of WANO

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2003

October 2003

The seventh WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Berlin, Germany.  Approximately 388 participants attend.

Chairman Hajimu Maeda reported on WANO’s activities and discussed the need for openness and transparency in WANO and in the industry.

Mr Oleg Saraev elected President of WANO by acclamation.

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2004

April 6-7 2004

Fifty-second Governing Board meetingin Nara, Japan,

Governors elect Mr William Cavanaugh III Chairman of WANO to serve a two-year term from July 2004.

May 15 2004

WANO marks its fifteen year anniversary

July 22-23 2004

William Cavanaugh III replaces Hajimu Maeda as the WANO Chairman.

November 24, 2004

Lucas Mampaey replaces Sig Berg as the managing director of WANO

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October 10-11 2005

The eighth WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Budapest, Hungary. Approximately 400 participants attended.

In his opening address Chairman William Cavanaugh III stated that ‘A nuclear renaissance is under way, but without safety there is no future.’ He continued, ‘However, I am convinced that with the wisdom, energy and dedication of the nuclear industry, we can and will turn nuclear energy’s promise into reality.’ Mr Cavanaugh finished with a clear message to the assembled leaders of the worldwide nuclear industry: ‘We create the climate of openness and transparency which is required for safety. Safety also relies on relationships and we must do more to create effective dialogue across disciplines.’ He concluded: ‘A CEO who is visibly committed and active in WANO sends a clear, unambiguous message about the importance that he and his company attach to nuclear safety.’

Mr Oliver D Kingsley Jr elected President of WANO by acclamation

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April 12-13, 2006

The fifty-eighth Governing Board meeting is held in Beijing, The People’s Republic of China.  At that meeting, Chairman William Cavanaugh III was unanimously re-elected to serve a second two year term through July 2008.

In response to William Cavanaugh’s recommendation, Governors approved the formation of a special committee to be chaired by WANO President, Oliver Kingsley. The committee is given the task of determining how WANO will meet the needs of the future. The committee, which will consist of the President and Secretary of WANO as well as the four chairmen of the regional governing boards, will conduct its review with a target of producing a final report to the Governing Board by April 2007.

April 13, 2006

An Extraordinary General Meeting is held in order to amend the wording of the WANO Articles of Association to include nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities.

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September 23 and 24, 2007

The ninth WANO Biennial General Meeting (BGM) is held in Chicago, USA. More than 400 participants attended.

In his opening address Chairman William Cavanaugh III stated:

‘In the WANO Charter signed by the founding fathers back in 1989 and signed by every new member since then, it is clearly stipulated that all nuclear operators have a dual responsibility: an individual responsibility to guarantee the nuclear safety of their own fleet and a collective responsibility to work together to improve performance and continually upgrade the safety of operating plants worldwide.

Our business today and the future development of nuclear power depend to a large extent on public acceptance. If something important happens on the other side of the world it will influence your business and others’. The nuclear safety risk to your business not only depends on the safety of your own fleet, but also on that of your colleagues.

I submit that some have forgotten – or do not understand – their collective responsibility for working together to improve performance. WANO is a voluntary association, but in the apparent view of some members today, membership does not include any serious sense of obligation.

WANO can only be an effective tool for business improvement if the world’s nuclear leaders agree to strengthen it; to move it on from being a mere voluntary association, where the degree to which you participate is entirely up to you, to a proactive association where membership involves a limited number of reasonable obligations. These obligations are related to the essence of working together, and are simply as follows:
 

·         First, to report significant events, and to use operating experience at your stations.

·         Second, to use WANO peer reviews and corporate reviews as effective tools for continuous improvement. This implies solving the areas for improvement that arise from them and to request WANO support as needed.

·         And finally, to strengthen WANO’s infrastructure by providing quality resources and leadership.’

Dr. Shreyans Kumar Jain was elected President of WANO by acclamation.

June 2008

The sixty-fifth Governing Board meeting is held via telephone and electronic mail. The Governors re-elect Mr William Cavanaugh III to serve as Chairman up to August 2010, or until a successor is elected.

August 6 and 7, 2008

The sixty-sixth Governing Board meeting is held in London, UK.

December 2008

Governors decide to postpone the sixty-seventh Governing Board meeting planned for Delhi, India following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

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January 15 and 16, 2009

The sixty-seventh Governing Board meeting is held in London, UK. Laurent Stricker, Electricité de France, is elected Chairman of the Governing Board, replacing William Cavanaugh III.

WANO membership in Sweden was realigned with Vattenfall AB becoming the Ordinary Member and Vattenfall Europe, Gmbh, aligning its Joint Membership so that it is represented by Vattenfall AB as the Ordinary Member. Similarly, E.on Sverige aligned its Joint Membership to be represented by VGB as the Ordinary Member. KSU changed status to Other Organisation working with the Swedish members.

AECL, Chalk River joined WANO as a Trial Joint Member in Canada, represented by the CANDU Owners Group as the Ordinary Member.

The sixty-eighth Governing Board meeting is held in Coronado, California, USA.

The WANO membership of Direccion Centrales Electronucleares (Ordinary Member from Cuba) is terminated at the request of the member.

The sixty-ninth Governing Board meeting is held in London, UK.

The Governing Board discusses and agrees to the formation of a Working Group to review WANO membership issues and questions related to the structure of the organisation.

George Felgate replaces Lucas Mampaey as Managing Director.