Safe handling of radioactive waste at Belarusian nuclear power plant reaffirmed

MINSK, 8 September (BelTA) – The Belarusian nuclear power plant safely handles radioactive waste and has taken measures to minimize the amount of radioactive waste, BelTA learned from Deputy Director General of the Belarusian national electric company Belenergo Sergei Bobovich during the public hearings held prior to granting the license to operate the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

Sergei Bobovich said: “Strategic approaches to handling radioactive waste have been determined in Belarus. The nuclear power plant ensures safe handling of all the radioactive waste generated in the course of the nuclear power plant's operation. The Belarusian nuclear power plant has organized and implements industrial and technological processes aimed at minimizing the amount of radioactive waste and at forming the packaging that meets the criteria of acceptable safety, lengthy storage, and consequent burial.”

As for spent nuclear fuel of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, the strategy identifies recycling the spent fuel in Russia and bringing back the resulting waste to Belarus as the preferable option. On 21 November 2022 Belarus and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in this field. Authorized bodies in the two countries have been appointed.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant uses the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. It is an evolutionary nuclear power plant design with third-generation water-moderated reactors. Such designs boast improved technical and economic parameters. A unique combination of active and passive safeguards is their key feature.