Public hearings ahead of BelNPP's second unit's operating license scheduled for August

MINSK, 23 June (BelTA) – Public hearings will take place in August before the regulatory authority will grant the license to operate the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor).

According to the source, Gosatomnadzor has started preparing public hearings before granting the license to operate the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The public hearings are supposed to take place in the second half of August 2023. The specific date will be determined later on.

The public hearings are supposed to inform the general public about progress and results of the safety expert evaluation and conformance evaluation arranged by Gosatomnadzor to evaluate the applicant's compliance with requirements of the license in the course of making decisions affecting nuclear and radiation safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

Participants of the public hearings are expected to discuss technical and organizational aspects that are crucial to the safe operation of the Belarusian nuclear power plant as a whole entity with two units over the course of 60 years. Infrastructure matters will be raised as well: the development of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant as the nuclear power plant's operating organization, the development of infrastructure for managing radioactive waste and spent fuel, accident preparedness and response. Apart from that, the Belarusian nuclear power plant's interaction with organizations of the country that supplies the technologies (Russia) after the commissioning of the nuclear power plant will be reviewed as well as a strategy for interaction between the operating organization and foreign and international organizations in safety matters.

Gosatomnadzor's obligation to arrange public hearings when it makes important regulatory decisions concerning the Belarusian nuclear power plant such as the granting of a license is stipulated by Belarus president decree No.62 of 16 February 2015. The procedure for preparing and carrying out public hearings is stipulated by the Council of Ministers' resolution No.258 of 24 April 2019.