Belarus prepares Nuclear Safety Convention implementation report

The sixth national report of the Republic of Belarus on implementing the Nuclear Safety Convention has been prepared, BelTA learned from representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

In line with requirements of the Convention states, which are parties to the Convention, regularly prepare national reports, which are in essence planned analysis reports. The regular national report on the fulfillment of international obligations by the Republic of Belarus has been prepared in association with specialists of authorized government agencies and organizations. The national report for 2013 is the final one from the point of view of the country’s entering the phase of active measures to implement the program for building Belarus’ first nuclear power plant, said the source.

At the national level Belarus takes all the measures to observe fundamental nuclear safety principles at all stages of the life cycle of the nuclear power plant, which is being built. For the sake of effective control during the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant the government has set up a working group to coordinate the implementation of state oversight over the construction of the nuclear station.

Article after article the report reflects efforts of the government to implement the Convention. The report also marks the main milestones in developing an infrastructure to regulate nuclear and radiation safety in Belarus. Close attention is paid to changes in the legislation and regulations relevant for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety in using nuclear energy. The report reflects the work and measures to train personnel, ensure safety priority, enable radiation protection, and organize an emergency response system and so on. Belarus’ existing nuclear safety system continues improving, said representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

For the sake of preparing the national report materials of the IAEA complex mission carried out by the Agency in 2012 to assess the development of the national nuclear energy industry infrastructure were used.

Belarus is one of the founding members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Belarus ratified the Nuclear Safety Convention in 1999. Five national reports were prepared for regular convention review meetings that took place in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011. One extraordinary report was prepared in 2012. It was dedicated to learning from the example of the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima 1.

In line with the IAEA schedule national reports are published on the Agency’s dedicated website. In line with article 20 of the Convention every party country can discuss national reports of other countries, ask questions to a reasonable extent. Answers have to be prepared before the next convention implementation review meeting, BelTA has been told. The next review meeting will take place in Vienna in spring 2014.

Belarus intends to build a nuclear power plant that will have two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each) at the Ostrovets site in Grodno Oblast. The Russian design AES-2006 has been chosen to build the power plant. It is 100% compliant with international norms and IAEA recommendations. The timeline for building the Belarusian nuclear power plant is specified by the general contract. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in November 2018, with the second one expected to go online in July 2020.