Thorny road towards building research reactor in Belarus

MINSK, 28 December (BelTA) – The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Russian state corporation Rosatom are discussing the construction of a research reactor at premises of the Joint Energy and Nuclear Research Institute Sosny. The institute's Deputy Director General for Science Tamara Korbut mentioned it in BelTA's press center.

Tamara Korbut said: “Nuclear technologies find non-energy applications increasingly often. One of the promising fields is research reactors, which are used to train and educate personnel, produce isotopes, for neutron activation analysis, in matters relating to materials science. Isotopes made in a research rector can be used to diagnose and treat oncological diseases. The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the state corporation Rosatom are discussing the construction of a research reactor at premises of the Joint Energy and Nuclear Research Institute Sosny.”

The relevant cooperation memorandum has been signed. The main technical requirements for a center based on a multipurpose research reactor have been worked out. “The road from a promising project to practical implementation is rather complicated. It requires serious funding and active participation of top-notch specialists and experts from Belarus and Russia,” the official noted.