IAEA issues report following PreOSART mission to Belarus

MINSK, 19 May (BelTA) - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published a report describing the results of the pre-operational safety review mission PreOSART conducted at the Belarusian nuclear power plant on 5-22 August 2019, BelTA learned from the press service of the Energy Ministry of Belarus.

This Pre-Operational OSART mission reviewed eleven areas: Leadership and Management for Safety; Training and Qualification; Operations; Maintenance; Technical Support; Operating Experience Feedback; Radiation Protection; Chemistry; Emergency Preparedness and Response; Accident Management and Commissioning.

The mission was composed of experts from Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic and the United States of America, together with the IAEA staff members and observers from Republic of Korea and United Arab Emirates. The collective nuclear power experience of the team was approximately 350 years.

The team identified 19 issues resulting in 11 recommendations, and 8 suggestions. 4 good practices were also identified.

The team noted a reliable alarm system that not only sounds the alarm but can also be used by the plant to give verbal information and instructions to the population in case of radiological and other emergencies and also the creation of an emergency shelter for 60 people in the plant Fire Department which has the same level of radiological protection as the shelter for plant personnel. There is an integrated panel in the main control room, specially designed for the management and control of equipment, located at the plant site, necessary during emergencies.

The team recommended that the plant managers should enhance monitoring and supervision of the commissioning programme to ensure adequate plant readiness for safe operation. The operator should enhance its Foreign Material Exclusion programme to prevent foreign objects from being introduced into plant systems and components important to safety. The operator has beemn also recommended to implement an operating experience feedback programme.

Belarusian NPP management expressed their commitment to address the issues identified and invited a follow up visit in about eighteen months to review the progress.