Complex inspection of Belarusian nuclear station construction to begin on 27 October

A complex inspection of the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant involving Russian specialists will take place on 27 October – 6 November, BelTA learned from the Public Relations Office of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry.

The inspection will look into measures meant to ensure the safe construction of the second power-generating unit, in particular, the foundations of the buildings and structures, and the first power-generating unit. The nuclear power plant is a technically complicated installation, therefore, its construction oversight is complex and includes the verification of safety practices in various fields — nuclear and radiation, industrial, fire safety, and environmental ones. The inspection will cover several areas concerning the fulfillment of license requirements and conditions by the enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant and the observance of the relevant legislation during the construction of the nuclear power plant.

The comprehensive inspection will involve representatives of government agencies and their structural units, which are in charge of overseeing the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The number will include representatives of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department and the Safe Industrial Practices Department of the Emergencies Ministry, and the State Standardization Committee. “Apart from Belarusian specialists experienced Russian colleagues — representatives of the FSUE VO Safety — will take part in the inspection as advisors,” noted the press service.

So far this year the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry has organized and carried out six inspections in the form of constant oversight over the measures meant to ensure the safe construction of the first and second power-generating units of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The six inspections included one complex inspection. The inspections resulted in recommendations and instructions that the inspected organizations had to fulfill.

BelTA reported earlier that a structural division of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry will be permanently deployed at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant by the end of 2014.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near the town of Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast using the design AES-2006 developed by the Saint Petersburg-based R&D company Atomenergoproject. The Belarusian nuclear power plant will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The Russian merged company OAO NIAEP – ZAO ASE is the general designer and the general contractor of the project. In line with the general contract for building the nuclear power plant the first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018, with the second one to go online in 2020.