Radioactive waste of Astravets NPP to be buried in Belarus, not Russia


Radioactive waste of the nuclear power plant in Astravets will be stored in the territory of Belarus. A proper storage facility is being developed, the Belarusian Energy Ministry says.

According to the ministry, he project to store radioactive waste (apart from high-level radioactive waste) is in the blueprint phase. Interestingly, state-run media reported earlier that the waste would be stored in Russia.

“Research which is needed for the construction of the facility is being carried out; we are also developing recommendations for the creation of a unified system of protective barriers of to ensure the safe storage of radioactive waste. The facility will isolate radioactive waste of the NPP and prevent their negative impact on the environment,” the document reads.

The NPP first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2019, the second one – in 2020. The construction of two nuclear reactors is provided in the agreement reached by Belarus and Russia, the reactors being supplied by Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of the Russian state corporation Rosatom and the general contractor at the Belarusian NPP construction. The project faced opposition at home and abroad on both safety and political grounds.

Lithuania is the main critic of the idea of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, which is only 20 km from the border and 50 km from Vilnius. Minsk rejects Lithuania’s claims, arguing that nuclear power plants will have high safety standards. Vilnius asked Brussels for involvement of the European Union in the matter.

On 8 April 2016, there was a collapse of the structural frame of the would-be nuclear service building at Astravets NPP, of which Belsat.eu was informed in early May.

At first, the authorities denied our report saying that there had not been any incidents at the construction site. State-run mass media remained silent as well. After the publication Lithuania summoned Belarus’ ambassador and handed him a diplomatic note demanding explanation over the incident.

As reported earlier, during installation the enclosure of the future reactor fell from the height of 2 – 4 meters at the construction site of the Belarusian NPP in Astravets.

belsat.eu

TWITTER