NRRC Launches Session of Its Regulatory Awareness Initiative

The NRRC launched its Regulatory Awareness Initiative through a specialized knowledge session titled The Legal and Operational Nuclear Regulatory Framework in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, delivered by Dr. Saeed Al-Amoudi, Executive Vice President for Nuclear Facilities Regulatory Oversight, with the attendance and participation of NRRC staff

This initiative forms part of the NRRC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen national capacity, advance regulatory knowledge management, and develop professional practices related to the interpretation and application of regulations, requirements, and regulatory instruments. It aims to promote a unified institutional understanding, ensure consistency in regulatory practices, and clarify the relationship between the legal basis of regulatory work and its operational and implementation requirements

The session focused on the components of the legal and operational nuclear regulatory framework in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the legal and regulatory structure underpinning the NRRC’s mandate, the scope of its regulatory responsibilities and powers, and the interrelationship between laws, regulations, regulatory requirements, guides, and relevant operational procedures. It also addressed the integrated nature of these components as mandatory and mutually reinforcing elements that govern regulatory work, define roles and responsibilities, and ensure the clarity of requirements, their implementation mechanisms, and verification of compliance

The session further examined the operational dimension of the national nuclear regulatory framework, including mechanisms for translating legal and regulatory obligations into practical regulatory activities and linking regulatory requirements to the different stages of regulatory work, from planning, assessment, and review to inspection, follow-up, and regulatory decision-making. The session emphasized the importance of alignment between the legal and operational components to ensure the effectiveness of the regulatory framework and to establish a clear methodology for interpreting and applying requirements across regulatory functions

The session included case studies and practical exercises that enabled participants to analyze regulatory scenarios and link them to the legal, regulatory, and operational framework. This approach enhanced participants’ ability to understand requirements in their proper context, apply them through a unified regulatory methodology, and make decisions based on clear legal foundations and consistent professional practices

This initiative reflects the NRRC’s continued commitment to developing the capabilities of its staff, enhancing the quality and efficiency of regulatory work, and embedding a regulatory culture grounded in knowledge, consistency, and the effective application of requirements, in line with national and international best practices. It also reinforces the NRRC’s role in regulating and overseeing the peaceful and safe uses of nuclear and radiation technologies in the Kingdom