IAEA Completes First Safety Review of El Salvador’s Nuclear Power Plant Plans

El Salvador has taken a significant step toward diversifying its energy portfolio with the conclusion of a six-day safety review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the country’s site selection process for its first-ever nuclear power plant (NPP). The review, conducted under the IAEA’s Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED), marks a milestone for the Central American nation as it pursues nuclear energy to meet growing electricity demands and support sustainable economic growth.

Held from May 26 to 31, 2025, the SEED mission was conducted at the request of the Government of El Salvador. It was hosted jointly by the Organization for the Implementation of the Nuclear Energy Program in El Salvador (OIPEN) and the Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River (CEL)—the agencies leading the country’s nuclear energy initiative.

A New Chapter in El Salvador’s Energy Landscape

With El Salvador aiming to diversify its power generation beyond hydropower, fossil fuels, and intermittent renewables, nuclear power is emerging as a clean, reliable, and long-term solution. By adopting nuclear energy, the country hopes to reduce its carbon emissions, stabilize electricity prices, and enhance energy security.

“El Salvador’s decision to pursue nuclear power is a forward-looking move that aligns with global efforts to transition to low-carbon energy systems,” said Daniel Alvarez, President of CEL and Honorary Director of OIPEN. “From the beginning, we have committed to a technical, transparent, and responsible process guided by the highest international standards.”

Comprehensive Site Selection Process

The SEED review team, composed of international experts from Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with two IAEA staff members, assessed El Salvador’s site selection process against IAEA guidance and international best practices. The review focused on how effectively the country is integrating geospatial analysis, national regulations, public infrastructure, and exclusion criteria to identify safe and viable locations for its future nuclear facility.

Two candidate sites—Chalatenango, approximately 40 kilometers northeast of San Salvador, and San Vicente, around 70 kilometers east—were visited during the mission for on-site observation and validation of preliminary assessments.

The IAEA team reviewed critical documentation, including the site selection report, site screening methodology, siting criteria, and hazard analysis data. According to Kazuyuki Nagasawa, the SEED mission team leader and Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA, “CEL independently developed exclusion criteria to identify low-risk areas, which is a commendable approach to minimize external hazards early in the site selection process.”

Capacity Building and Future Steps

As part of the review mission, the IAEA also organized a SEED Capacity Building Workshop to help national experts strengthen their understanding of site evaluation processes. Discussions centered on site characterization—the next phase in the nuclear project development pipeline—and included guidance on how to assess hazards such as seismic activity, flooding, and volcanic threats.

The SEED mission team provided several recommendations aimed at optimizing the site selection methodology. These recommendations emphasized the importance of balancing geological and environmental risks with technical design specifications and administrative safeguards from the earliest stages of the planning process. The goal is to prevent delays or rejections during later project stages.

OIPEN and CEL are expected to continue working closely with the IAEA as they advance toward site characterization, in accordance with the IAEA’s Specific Safety Guide on Site Survey and Site Selection for Nuclear Installations, as well as additional safety guides related to external hazard assessment.

The final SEED mission report will be submitted to the Government of El Salvador within three months, providing detailed feedback and strategic recommendations to guide the next steps in the nuclear project.

About SEED Missions

The IAEA’s Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) missions are specialized expert missions designed to support countries in the safe development of nuclear power infrastructure. These missions offer technical assessments at various stages of NPP planning—ranging from site selection and hazard assessments to the design of critical safety systems. SEED missions ensure that siting processes and engineering decisions appropriately address both external hazards (like earthquakes and floods) and internal technical risks.

For El Salvador, this SEED mission represents the first-ever formal review of its nuclear energy plans and signals a growing commitment to aligning national infrastructure development with internationally recognized safety and sustainability standards.

As global demand for clean energy grows and the urgency of climate action accelerates, El Salvador’s nuclear ambitions may not only reshape its domestic energy future but also position the country as a regional leader in sustainable power generation.