Functions and Structure
FUNCTIONS
The Nuclear Regulatory Agency assists the chairman in the implementation of his functions. The chairman of the Agency is an independent specialised body of the executive power which implements the state regulation of the safe use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation and the safety of radioactive waste management and the safety of spent fuel management within the competencies, as specified by the Act.
The NRA Chairman has the responsibility and/or authority to:
- Direct and represent the Agency;
- Grant, amend, supplement, renew, suspend and revoke licences and permits (authorisations) for safe implementation of the activities under this act;
- Control the fulfilment of safety requirements and standards related to the safe use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation, the radioactive waste management and the spent fuel management, as well as the conditions of the licences and permits granted;
- Issue and withdraw individual licenses to work at nuclear facilities or with sources of ionising radiation;
- Undertake enforcement measures and impose administrative penalties in the cases provided for under this act;
- Assign (contract) external expertise, researches and studies related to nuclear safety and radiation protection in the process of utilization of nuclear energy and ionising radiation and during management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel;
- Implement the interactions with other competent authorities of the executive power vested with some regulatory and control functions related to nuclear energy and ionising radiation use, and propose to the Council of Ministers measures for co-ordination of the activities;
- Implement the international co-operation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the field of safe use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation, and safety of radioactive waste management and spent fuel management;
- Provide individuals, legal entities and state bodies with objective information referring to nuclear safety and radiation protection;
- Submit annually to the Council of Ministers a report on the status of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation and in radioactive waste management and spent fuel management, as well as on the operation of the Agency;
- Organise and co-ordinate the drafting process and submit to the Council of Ministers the reports for implementation of country obligations under the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management;
- Organise and co-ordinate implementation of the obligations of the Republic of Bulgaria arising from the Agreement Between the Republic of Austria, Kingdom of Belgium, Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Greek Republic, Ireland, Italian Republic, Great Duchy of Luxembourg, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Portuguese Republic, Kingdom of Spain, Kingdom of Sweden, the European Community on Atomic Energy (EURATOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Art. III (1) and (4) of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as from the Additional Protocol to the Agreement;
- Perform the functions of a competent authority and a contact point for notification in case of an accident and for provision of assistance according to the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency;
- Develop and submit for adoption to the Council of Ministers regulations for the application of this act;
- Exercise other powers as may be entrusted thereto by the national legislation.
STRUCTURE
The structure of the administration, stipulated by the Rules of Procedure of the NRA is co-ordinated with the Act on Administration which determines uniform requirements with regard to the structure of the administration, assisting each executive body.
In the course of exercising its authorities, two Deputy-Chairmen shall assist the Chairman, who are designated by a decision of the Council of Ministers and are appointed by the Prime Minister.
The following job positions are directly responsible to the Chairman:
- Executive Secretary
- Officer on security of information. The officer on security of information is appointed pursuant to the order ensuing from the Act on protection of classified information and implements tasks ensuing from this act and from the legislative acts related to its implementation.
- Financial inspector. The financial inspector is appointed in accordance with the requirements of the Act on Internal State Financial Control (AISFC) and implements preliminary control on compliance with the legislation in force of all documents and actions related to the financial activities of the agency according to AISFC, the rule on its implementation and the directions of the Agency on internal state financial control.
- Internal Auditor
The Agency administration is organized in one General Department and four Departments separated in General and Specialized Administration. The Executive Secretary implements the administrative management of the Agency administration.
The General Administration of the Agency is organized in the following units, namely:
- Department of Administrative, Legal and Financial Services which ensures technically the activities of the chairman as a body of the state power, of the specialized administration and also implements activities related to rendering administrative services to citizens and legal entities and comprises of the following divisions:
- Division of finance and economic activities;
- Division of legal sevices;
- Division of human resources and registry
The Specialized Administration of the Agency is organized into the following departments:
- General Department of Safety Regulation of Nuclear Facilities with a subsidiary unit at the Kozloduy NPP. The General Department of Safety Regulation of Nuclear Facilities assists the Agency chairman in the implementation of his regulatory and controlling functions with regard to activities at nuclear facilities, nuclear material and radioactive waste from nuclear facilities. The department comprises of the following divisions, namely:
- Division of safe operation of NPP;
- Division of operative control of NPP;
- Division of nuclear material and physical protection;
- Division of licensing of nuclear facilities;
- Division of decommissioning and radioactive waste.
- Department of Safety Analyses, Assessment and Research and Development. The Department of Safety Analyses, Assessment and Research and Development assists the Agency chairman in the implementation of his regulatory and controlling functions with regard to assessment of the submitted by the applicant, respectively holder of a license or permission documentation for issuing permissions or licenses for carrying out activities in nuclear facilities. The department comprises of three divisions, namely:
- Division of Structures, Systems and Components 1;
- Division of Structures, Systems and Components 2;
- Division of Research and Analysis of Safety.
- Department of Radiation Protection and Emergency Preparedness. The Department of Radiation Protection and Emergency Preparedness assists the Agency chairman in the implementation of his regulatory and controlling functions with regard to activities with sources of ionizing radiation (SIR) and radioactive waste generated from their operation. The department comprises of the following divisions, namely:
- Division of Emergency Planning and Preparadeness;
- Division of Operative Control of SIR;
- Division of Licensing of SIR.
- Department of International Co-operation. The Department of International Co-operation assists the Chairman of the Agency with regard to the matters pertaining to the international relations
