Two IAEA missions plan to come to Belarus in 2021
<p> MINSK, Feb 22, PrimePress. Two missions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plan to work Belarus in 2021, first deputy head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Leonid Dedul told reporters on February 22, 2021. </p> <p> </p> <p> “The next international inspection is scheduled for June-July 2021. This will be the IAEA International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission. The IAEA mission to assess the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety will arrive in Belarus at the end of the year provided that the epidemiological situation has improved,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> On February 11, 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution, demanding to suspend the Belarusian nuclear power plant and stated concern about its safety. According to the resolution, the NPP began generating electricity on November 3, 2020 despite numerous safety problems and without evidence that the recommendations of the 2018 European Union expert assessment and the International Atomic Energy Agency had been implemented. </p> <p> </p> <p> The European Parliament is concerned that Belarus and Russia’s geopolitical considerations underlie the Belarusian NPP project, and that its construction and future operation would pose a threat to the EU and its member states in terms of safety, health and environmental protection. The EP is also concerned about the hasty commissioning of the NPP, which does not meet international environmental and nuclear safety standards, including the IAEA recommendations. </p> <p> </p> <p> The European Parliament deplores the continuing lack of transparency and official information regarding the periodic emergency shutdowns of the reactor and equipment failures during the NPP commissioning phase in 2020, as well as eight incidents during the construction phase. </p> <p> </p> <p> The most recent scheduled shutdown of the Belarusian NPP took place on February 20, 2021. </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. According to presidential decree No.447 of November 30, 2020, the first power unit of the NPP will be put into commercial operation in 2021, the second power unit – in the first half of 2022. End </p>
2021-02-23
Primepress
Two IAEA missions plan to come to Belarus in 2021
MINSK, Feb 22, PrimePress. Two missions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plan to work Belarus in 2021, first deputy head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Leonid Dedul told reporters on February 22, 2021.
“The next international inspection is scheduled for June-July 2021. This will be the IAEA International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission. The IAEA mission to assess the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety will arrive in Belarus at the end of the year provided that the epidemiological situation has improved,” he said.
On February 11, 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution, demanding to suspend the Belarusian nuclear power plant and stated concern about its safety. According to the resolution, the NPP began generating electricity on November 3, 2020 despite numerous safety problems and without evidence that the recommendations of the 2018 European Union expert assessment and the International Atomic Energy Agency had been implemented.
The European Parliament is concerned that Belarus and Russia’s geopolitical considerations underlie the Belarusian NPP project, and that its construction and future operation would pose a threat to the EU and its member states in terms of safety, health and environmental protection. The EP is also concerned about the hasty commissioning of the NPP, which does not meet international environmental and nuclear safety standards, including the IAEA recommendations.
The European Parliament deplores the continuing lack of transparency and official information regarding the periodic emergency shutdowns of the reactor and equipment failures during the NPP commissioning phase in 2020, as well as eight incidents during the construction phase.
The most recent scheduled shutdown of the Belarusian NPP took place on February 20, 2021.
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. According to presidential decree No.447 of November 30, 2020, the first power unit of the NPP will be put into commercial operation in 2021, the second power unit – in the first half of 2022. End