Belarus' nuclear regulatory infrastructure established with Russia's support

MINSK, 24 October (BelTA) – The nuclear regulatory infrastructure in Belarus was established with Russia's support, BelTA learned from Head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Olga Lugovskaya.

The official said: “Our Russian colleagues played the key role in providing assistance with the development of the infrastructure. We very tightly cooperated with [the Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service of Russia] Rostechnadzor. It is a regulatory body in the Russian Federation. Methods, tools of oversight, approaches to licensing, safety evaluation by experts – all these systems were established with huge support from our Russian colleagues. Rosatom also provided a lot of support. They are developers, designers and they understand how the Belarusian nuclear power plant design works. We had very strong support with design matters. The understanding of main technological approaches, processes, procedures and evaluations of safety was achieved thanks to aid of the Russian colleagues, who were working at the Belarusian site.”

On 24 October the Emergencies Ministry granted the license for commercial operation of the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The Emergencies Ministry made sure that the limits and conditions of safe operation specified by the nuclear power plant design are confirmed and well-warranted while decisions incorporated into operational documents and accident prevention documents meet safety requirements. The power-generating unit and its safeguards perform their functions.

The readiness of all the safety systems as well as the buildings where they are housed was inspected. Including recordkeeping and control of nuclear materials, radioactive waste, and sources of ionizing radiation. All the measures were taken to ensure the physical protection of the nuclear power plant.

Apart from that, knowledge of executive personnel and operational personnel was evaluated and personal permits to perform operations were issued. Safety requirements represent an overriding priority. And the enterprise management system takes it into account. Accident prevention exercises have been held. All the necessary management and internal control bodies have been created and operate. The ability of the nuclear power plant to interact with state administration bodies and organizations across the republic as well as with the relevant organizations of the Russian Federation was also checked.