Gosatomnadzor plans to complete examination of BelNPP license applications in 2018

MINSK, 9 February (BelTA) – The examination of the license applications to operate Unit 1 of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be completed in 2018, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) on 8 February.

Licensing procedures for the operation of unit 1 of the Belarusian nuclear power plant were launched on 20 October 2017. In accordance with the current legislation, the examination of license applications can take up to one year.

Work continues on the development of a system of situational crisis centers for the nuclear industry and Gosatomnadzor's information and analysis center. The documents regulating its work have been drafted and approved; the resources to finance the acquisition of the equipment for the center have been earmarked.

Belarus continues working on the technical support system of the regulatory body in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. The Belarusian president issued Decree No. 361 on 5 October 2017 to set up the state scientific technical institution “The center for nuclear and radiation safety” at the Emergencies Ministry to coordinate scientific and technical support in this area, and expert support of the oversight and licensing activities.

In 2017 Belarus fulfilled the international obligations in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. The country presented the 7th national report on the implementation of the Convention on Nuclear Safety. It also prepared the 6th national report on the implementation of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management and drew up a national plan of action to fulfill the recommendations issued following the IAEA's Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission in 2016.

The country continues to develop international cooperation. In addition to the existing bilateral agreements and the participation in various international associations, the Emergencies Ministry signed a memorandum on cooperation with the Slovakian Nuclear Regulatory Authority in April 2017. The cooperation with the Russian regulatory body Rostekhnadzor is the most active.

In the short term Gosatomnadzor will be working to implement a set of regulatory measures to ensure the preparedness for the importation of fresh nuclear fuel for the Belarusian NPP, to complete the examination of the license applications, including the documents on the safety and oversight at the stage of the preparations for the BelNPP launch. Another short-term goal is to launch Gosatomnadzor's information and analysis center so that the regulatory body could implement its powers in ensuring the assessment, analysis and forecasting of the technological state of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.