ENSREG experts see progress in implementing national action plan on BelNPP stress tests

<p> MINSK, Sep 2 - PrimePress. Experts of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) have admitted progress made by Belarus in implementing the national action plan on stress tests at the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP, Astravyets, Grodno Oblast), said ENSREG Leader Petteri Tiippana. </p> <p>   </p> <p> The expert group lead by Petteri Tiippana, Director General of the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), visited the technological facilities of the Belarusian nuclear power plant in the period from Aug 31 till Sep 2. The experts have evaluated progress in fulfilling the national action plan taking into account the recommendations ENSREG gave in 2018. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Petteri Tiippana said (according to a video posted on the telegram channel of the Ministry of Energy of Belarus): “One can already say that in the last three years progress was achieved both by the regulatory authority Gosatomnadzor and by the operating company BelNPP with regard to the improvement of the national action plan on stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. Previously, in 2018 we already prepared a report with recommendations. We see that substantial progress has been secured in realizing the suggested measures.” </p> <p>   </p> <p> Following the visit to the BelNPP site, the experts will get down to preparing the final version of their report, which will be discussed with the Belarusian side, said Tiippana. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “For now I can say we've seen what we'd intended to. We've held all the necessary discussions with Belarusian specialists and more than that. We've also studied the necessary documentation. Respectively we believe the current mission is a success,” said Petteri Tiippana. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In 2018, Belarus voluntarily conducted stress tests on the Astravyets nuclear plant following EU-recommended procedures. Based on the results of the stress tests, experts offered a number of recommendations that address safety stocks beyond the requirements established by regulations and safety standards. After the stress tests conducted in 2017-2018, Belarus worked out a National Action Plan in 2019, which outlined 23 measures to be taken from 2019 to 2025. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, as of February 2021, Belarus had partially implemented only eight out of the 29 recommendations based the stress tests analysis. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In June 2021 the European Commission issued a statement saying they found it regrettable that Belarus had decided to start the commercial operation of the Astravyets nuclear power plant, without addressing all the safety recommendations contained in the 2018 EU stress test report. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Belarus’ first nuclear power plant in Ostrovets (a town in the Grodno Oblast also referred to as Astravyets) will have two units with a combined capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. The AES-2006 Russian standard design of (generation 3+) was chosen for its construction. Rosatom’s division Atomstroyexport acts as the general contractor for the NPP construction. The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant RUE is the project customer and the future operator of the NPP. The ceremony of the official launch of the NPP took place in early November 2020. The first power unit of the NPP is expected to be put into commercial operation in 2021, the second power unit – in 2022. End </p>

2021-09-03

Primepress