Group of 24 people standing in rows facing the camera, at the head of a conference room.

IFNEC Global Ministerial Conference in Washington D.C., 2019

The Office of International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation (INEPC) supports the Office of Nuclear Energy’s participation in the:

  • Generation IV International Forum (GIF)
  • International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC)
  • Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Generation IV International Forum

The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) was chartered in 2001 to lead the collaborative efforts of the world's leading nuclear nations to develop next-generation nuclear energy systems to meet future global energy needs. The Office of Nuclear Energy played a key role in reaching a major milestone in 2005 when Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States signed the GIF Framework Agreement, the world's first agreement aimed at the international development of advanced nuclear energy systems. The GIF Policy Group is responsible for the overall framework, policy formation and interactions with third parties. The group meets two to three times a year to review past activities, provide guidance to the Experts Group and Systems Steering Committees and determine future program direction. INEPC supports U.S. participation in the Policy Group. The United States assumed the chairmanship of the GIF from Japan at the beginning of 2013.

International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC)

The International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) is a forum of states and organizations that share the common vision of the safe and secure development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes worldwide. IFNEC members include 32 full-participant countries, 3 permanent observer organizations and 31 observer countries. IFNEC’s two working groups, the Infrastructure Development Working Group and the Reliable Nuclear Fuel Services Working Group, support the mission of ensuring the use of nuclear energy proceed in a safe and secure manner by addressing specific objectives agreed by the members.  IFNEC activities also include targeted workshops, such as the IFNEC Finance Workshops. The Office of International Energy Policy and Cooperation plays an active role in developing and implementing the strategy, agenda, background papers and providing other support for major IFNEC events.  For more information on IFNEC, please visit: www.ifnec.org.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

INEPC works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a regular basis. One major activity is the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), an open international forum for studying nuclear energy options, associated requirements, and potential deployment in IAEA member states. The group helps coordinate the Department of Energy’s role at the IAEA’s General Conference, which occurs annually at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

Nuclear Energy Agency

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is a specialized agency within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). INEPC engages with the NEA on matters relating to the NEA’s Steering Committee and its topical meetings and cooperative technical programs on an ad-hoc basis. The NEA provides a valuable multinational forum that helps the Department of Energy achieve its international cooperation goals, and leverage its research and development expenditures.