IAEA mission to examine Belarusian nuclear power plant location

Belarus will invite a mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to examine the location of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from Iya Malkina, First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister of Belarus, at a press conference on 9 June.

“We can invite three missions like that before the power plant becomes operational. If necessary, we can invite a fourth one,” said the official.

The sixth session of the conference of the parties to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context took place in Geneva on 2-5 June. The invitation of an IAEA mission was added to the resolution of the conference following the relevant proposal of the Lithuanian side and was backed by the European Union, explained the First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister of Belarus. She added that the proposal was a recommendation of Belarus regarding the implementation of the Espoo Convention.

The IAEA mission is expected to assess the natural phenomena that can influence the construction site and the nuclear power plant’s durability reserves in view of such impact.

The official said that Belarus has been in touch with the IAEA secretariat for the sake of organizing the mission’s visit for about two months already. However, preparations for the visit are quite complicated. First of all, the analysis will cost dozens of thousands of U.S. dollars for Belarus. The IAEA mission will need documents in English. Hundreds of pages of all kinds of legislation, technical standards, reports, and design documents will have to be translated into English.

Over the last three years such missions like the one suggested by Lithuania have been to only 19 countries. “It means there is a certain queue. If we send the invitation tomorrow, the mission is unlikely to be able to visit Belarus the day after tomorrow,” noted Iya Malkina.

“I would like to emphasize that Belarus is indeed ready to cooperate with Lithuania in matters concerning nuclear safety and environmental protection,” said the official. “We have been trying to get the dialogue off the ground for several years now, including taking into account the fact that the Ignalina nuclear power plant is being decommissioned within kilometers of the Belarusian-Lithuanian border and there are plans to build a new nuclear power plant in Visaginas”.