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Nuclear: ENEA at the 70th IAEA General Conference with technologies and projects on safety, energy, space and health
Nuclear safety, lead-cooled fission reactors, robotics for nuclear fusion, multi-radiation infrastructures for space applications, as well as innovative solutions for radiopharmaceutical production and intraoperative radiotherapy. These are among the technologies and projects presented by ENEA at the 70th edition of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations organization for technical and scientific cooperation in the nuclear field, taking place in Vienna until 18 September 2026.
ENEA’s Nuclear Department is participating with a delegation of researchers and a programme featuring three side events and seven presentations, covering a broad range of nuclear applications, from energy to space and from safety to healthcare.
The first event focused on the Compact Neutron Generator (CNG) for neutron radiotherapy, which enables advanced solid tumours to be treated directly in the operating room with a single irradiation lasting no more than ten minutes. The event featured Giuseppe Ottaviano and Alberto Ubaldini from the Methods and Techniques for Nuclear Security, Monitoring and Traceability Section.
The second side event, organized in collaboration with ETSON, focused on strengthening regulatory infrastructures for nuclear safety and security. ETSON is the leading European association for technical cooperation and exchange on nuclear safety, bringing together 16 technical and scientific support organisations serving national regulatory authorities. The event was presented by Federico Rocchi, researcher at the Nuclear Energy Systems Division, Chair of the IAEA TSO Forum and President of ETSON.
ENEA’s platform of experimental facilities for multi-radiation testing, using electrons, neutrons, protons, gamma rays and X-rays at different energy levels and serving the nuclear, aerospace and medical sectors, will be at the centre of the third event. The event will feature Alessia Cemmi, Michele Croia, Alfonso Santagata and Ilaria Di Sarcina, all from the Radiation Systems and Applications Division, together with Nadia Cherubini, Head of the Division, Paolo Nenzi of the Physical Technologies and Security Division, and Francesca Antonelli from the Sustainability Department (Thursday, 17 September 2026, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Conference Room M7, Building M, Ground Floor). The network of facilities, which currently includes the TAPIRO fast-neutron reactor, the REX electron accelerator, the TOP-IMPLART proton accelerator and the FNG neutron generator, will soon be expanded to include the TRIGA-RC1 research reactor and the Calliope gamma irradiation facility. A model of a small artificial satellite and a 3D-printed model of TOP-IMPLART, a unique facility in Italy for aerospace, nuclear and biomedical applications, including precision radiotherapy, will also be on display.
ENEA researchers are also taking part in the programme at the Italian Pavilion. The programme began on with Luigi Lepore from the Radiation Systems and Applications Division and Ranieri Marinari of the Experimental Engineering Division, who presented ENEA’s research and innovative solutions for the production of radiopharmaceuticals. Key topics included activities aimed at producing medical radionuclides at the TRIGA RC-1 research reactor and the SORGENTINA-RF fusion device.
Marco Utili of the Nuclear Energy Systems Division presented the current status and prospects for the development of Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs),one of the most promising technologies being developed for Generation IV nuclear reactors. Key features include: sustainability, thanks to reduced waste generation through a closed fuel cycle; safety and reliability, owing to lead’s high melting point and low vapour pressure; and proliferation resistance, supported by the use of MOX fuel with a high actinide content, making these systems less attractive for nuclear proliferation purposes. Nadia Cherubini presented the Historical Nuclear Archive, a digital portal developed by ENEA to promote and disseminate scientific culture and the history of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes in Italy. The project collects and makes accessible more than 3,700 documents, photographs, audiovisual materials and oral testimonies recovered from ENEA’s historical archives.
Three presentations are scheduled for today, Thursday, 17 September 2026, at 1:20 p.m. Nadia Cherubini will present the Nuclear Research Programme, the three-year programme funded by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and implemented by ENEA, with CNR as co-implementing partner and in collaboration with the RFX Consortium. The programme is designed to promote innovation, industrial development and training. The session will open with a tribute to Francesco Romanelli, President of DTT, who passed away last March. Marco Utili will present, also using a 3D viewer, the robotic systems developed for the remote handling of plasma-facing components in DTT, the all-Italian tokamak currently under construction at ENEA’s Frascati Research Centre. Finally, focusing on robotics for fusion facilities, Luigi Lepore will present the RIMAX project, dedicated to autonomous robotic radiological characterization.