Belarus, Russia to exchange information about nuclear safety, radioactive waste

Belarus and Russia will exchange information about nuclear safety, radioactive waste and transportation of radioactive substances, both routinely and in the event of a risk of radioactive emissions. This is envisaged by the Belarus-Russia intergovernmental agreement on notification about nuclear accidents and exchange of information about nuclear and radiation safety, BelTA learnt from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor). The agreement has been approved by the Council of Ministers’ resolution.

“The information will be exchanged free of charge. The agencies responsible for the implementation of the agreement are the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus and the Russian state corporation Rosatom,” Gosatomnadzor informed.

This is a framework agreement, which means that the two countries need to flesh it out. Specialists of Belarus and Russia will determine the communication channels, forms, procedures and regulations of information exchange.

According to Spokesman for the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus Vitaly Novitsky, the agreement is part of the Belarus-Russia cooperation in implementing Belarus’ first nuclear energy program.

The Belarus-Russia cooperation in the nuclear field is multi-faceted. It includes cooperation between Belarusian companies and Russian nuclear technologies suppliers, as well as interaction between the governments, financial institutions, nuclear and radiation safety watchdogs. Examples of efficient cooperation between the regulating agencies of the two countries include the first joint comprehensive inspection of the construction of the first block of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP). Taking part in the inspection were representatives of Belarusian nuclear watchdogs and Russia’s Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor). Russian specialists help train their Belarusian counterparts and provide assistance in supervising the acceptance of Russia-made equipment for the BelNPP.

The legal framework of the Belarus-Russia cooperation in nuclear energy includes another five documents. Among them are intergovernmental cooperation agreements on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes dated 28 May 2009, the agreement on cooperation in constructing the Belarusian nuclear power plant dated 15 March 2011, the agreement on the provision of the state export loan to the Belarusian government to build the BelNPP dated 25 November 2011.