The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has officially published the first international standard for electron linear accelerators used in radiation processing, led by China.

The standard is designated IEC 63589-1:2026 Linear accelerator - Electron linear accelerator for radiation processing - Part 1: General requirements and test methods.

Completed one year ahead of schedule, the standard marks China's transition from equipment development to international standard-setting in the field of irradiation accelerators.

The standard was jointly led by the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) and the Institute of Nuclear Industry Standardization under China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), with an international working group, comprising industry experts from various countries.

Previously, the global irradiation accelerator industry lacked unified standards for product designs, acceptance testing and international trade, creating significant technical barriers.

The new standard is expected to help harmonize the development, manufacturing, and testing of electron linear accelerators for radiation processing.

It's also expected to boost China's role in civilian non-power nuclear technology and irradiation equipment, reduce certification costs for Chinese products entering international markets and support the global expansion of high-end, domestically developed accelerators.