Great Success for WNE 2021: WNE confirms its popularity and its status as the world's largest civil nuclear exhibition

Paris [France]/ New Delhi [India], December 16 (ANI/PRNewswire): The 4th edition of the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE), the world's largest civil nuclear exhibition organized by RX France, which took place over three days from 30th November to 2nd December in Villepinte, north of Paris, has ended on an upbeat note.
WNE once again succeeded in attracting a large international attendance, despite the difficult health context.
This 2021 edition kept its promises in terms of audience. An event by GIFEN (the French Nuclear Industry Association), organised by RX France, WNE 2021 brought together 17,000 participants and 612 exhibitors (40% of whom were international) from 76 countries. The 2021 figures once again reflect the popularity of WNE. The numerous cooperation agreements signed at the show reaffirm the business dimension of WNE, while the exhibition also received very strong media coverage abroad.
Sylvie Bermann, Ambassador of France and President of WNE, said:
"For three days, the global nuclear industry gathered in Paris has demonstrated its ability to meet the challenge of climate change. Because it can produce low-carbon electricity continuously and at competitive prices, but also of innovating and adapting to the multiple challenges of today's world by developing new solutions, our industry confirms that it is, as the theme that has guided us for three days states: a key player for a low-carbon society in a responsible future."
"I would like to thank all the high-level personalities who have honoured us with their presence: Bruno Le Maire, Minister for the Economy, Finance and the Recovery ; Agnes Pannier-Runacher, Minister Delegate for Industry, attached to the Minister of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery; Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA; Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA ; Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy ; Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market ; and Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA). They all expressed their support for our industry; they all recalled the major place that nuclear energy must play in the future energy mix, to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050."
LEADING FRENCH AND INTERNATIONAL PERSONALITIES
WNE welcomed nearly 1,000 top international decision-makers (governments, institutions, major buyers, etc.) and official delegations from some 20 countries (Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America).
A 2021 EDITION THAT TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE OF A NEW MODEL WITH DIGITAL
WNE rose to the challenge and adapted to the health context by changing its format to become a hybrid physical and digital event. The WNE Live & Connect digital platform enabled those members of the community who were unable to attend in person to follow the various sessions online (opening and closing ceremonies, WNE Awards ceremony, sponsors' Tribunes, workshops, panel discussions on waste management and hydrogen, and the 'SMRs and Advanced Reactors Day'). Sessions will also be available for replay shortly.
This online presence was reinforced by strong engagement on the social networks LinkedIn and Twitter. During the week of the exhibition, 2.2 million unique users were reached on WNE and the subject of nuclear energy and generated 1,400 mentions of WNE on social networks.
NEW FEATURES AND HIGHLIGHTS OF WNE 2021
The panel discussions on SMRs and Advanced Reactors, hydrogen and waste management, which have been the main topics of discussion in the industry and among politicians for months, opened up new perspectives and met with the expected success. These subjects were discussed for the first time at WNE.
The WNE Fellow Award, presented for the first time in 2021, went to Kirsty Gogan, a person from outside the nuclear industry, whose works and views have highlighted the major role of nuclear power in the fight against climate change. She was chosen by a jury of internationally recognised experts chaired by Bernard Bigot (Director General of the ITER Organization) and received her award on the eve of the exhibition's opening.
WNE would not be WNE without the exhibitors' workshops, the business meetings, the Start-up Planet, the Sponsors' Tribunes, the Panel Discussions, and the WNE Awards which celebrate exhibitors' innovation. 7 winners were selected from 21 short-listed entrants in four categories (operational excellence, nuclear safety, products & services, skills and knowledge management).
THE WNE AWARDS 2021
THE WINNERS IN THE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE CATEGORY
Large groups & ETI : EDF, "Stop Corrosion"
VSEs/SMEs: Oakridge SAS, "NESTERS - stands for: Nuclear Ex-core inStrumentation system (Rpn) System App."
THE WINNERS IN THE NUCLEAR SAFETY CATEGORY
Large groups & ETI: EDF, "Radiation protection shells"
VSEs/SMEs: Cathelain and co-applicants, "C-Bolt"
THE WINNERS IN THE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CATEGORY
Large groups & ETI: Veolia Nuclear Solutions, "Treatment of Problematic Nuclear Waste Streams - GeoMelt® Vitrification of Reactive Metals
VSEs/SMEs: Avnir Energy, "SK-DIZI (Surveillance System for Ionized Zones)"
THE WINNERS IN THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CATEGORY
Large groups & ETI: CEA, the French alternative energies and atomic energy commission, "Create Your MOOK"
VSEs/SMEs: After careful consideration, the jury decided there would be no award this year for SMEs and VSEs due to the difficulty of scoring and judging against the criteria.
The Student Day on 2 December, organised by i2EN (International Institute of Nuclear Energy) in cooperation with GIFEN in a hybrid format, welcomed more than 150 students at WNE while nearly 500 students connected remotely from their respective institutions in France and abroad.
The next edition of WNE will be held from 28 to 30 November 2023 in Paris Nord Villepinte.
Link to a pictures' selection - Picture credit : UXO
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