Evaluation of safety parameters of second unit of Belarusian nuclear power plant explained

MINSK, 8 September (BelTA) – Head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Olga Lugovskaya explained how the expert evaluation of the safety of the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant had been organized during the public hearings held before granting the license to operate the second unit of the nuclear power plant, BelTA has learned.

Olga Lugovskaya said: “Infrastructure has been created in the country as well as the legal and regulatory framework for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety. Belarus is included into the common global safety regime.”

The purpose of the public hearings is to raise the public's awareness about progress and results of the expert evaluation and conformance evaluation of the applicant (the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant) for compliance with license requirements and terms as part of the process to prepare the decision on granting the license to operate the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Before the license to operate a unit is granted, experts evaluate safety-substantiating documents and how the design was actually implemented at the site of the nuclear power plant. Technical and organizational readiness is also verified.

The Gosatomnadzor head remarked that conclusions of the experts had been analyzed. The experts confirmed that the implemented organizational and technical solutions are safe. “We've made sure that the designed limits and conditions of safe operation are confirmed and justified. The decisions implemented in operational documents and accident prevention documents also meet safety requirements,” she said.

All the systems of crucial importance for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety were inspected as well as the buildings where these systems are located. The system for keeping records and controlling the handling of nuclear materials, radioactive waste, and sources of ionizing radiation was checked. “We've made sure that all the necessary measures to ensure the physical safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant have been taken. The enterprise's management system takes into account the unconditional priority of safety requirements. The sufficiency of the measures stipulated by accident preparedness was confirmed during accident preparedness exercises. All the management structures and internal control structures specified by requirements have been created and operate,” Olga Lugovskaya stressed.

In her words, it will be necessary to complete checking the operating organization's readiness for substage G2 – checking the ability of equipment of the second unit to operate at nominal power for 15 days after the permit to transition to this substage is granted. Results of trials within the framework of this work will also be taken into account by Gosatomnadzor.

“Taking into account the conclusions that have been voiced, we have no critical remarks about granting the license. Now it is necessary to address the abovementioned aspects and form conditions for the license to come into effect,” Olga Lugovskaya concluded.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant uses the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. It is an evolutionary nuclear power plant design with third-generation water-moderated reactors. Such designs boast improved technical and economic parameters. A unique combination of active and passive safeguards is their key feature.