Safety described as unconditional priority of Belarusian nuclear power plant's operation

OSTROVETS, 3 November (BelTA) – Safety is an unconditional priority during operation of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich.

Viktor Karankevich said: “In line with demands of the head of state safety is a priority during the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and its consequent operation.”

In his words, Belarus has become the first foreign site where the Russian state corporation Rosatom has built a nuclear power plant with water-moderated (VVER) reactors of Generation 3+ with enhanced safety parameters.

The official noted that cooperation with Rosatom will be expanded not only in technical support, scientific support for the operation of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, management of radioactive waste but also in new fields such as additive technologies, nuclear medicine, digitization, equipment simulation design, creation of accumulation systems for the power engineering industry, and other fields.

According to the Energy Ministry, about 3,000 tests have been carried out over the course of the nuclear power plant's construction period to confirm its systems and equipment meet specified safety parameters.

The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) confirmed that nuclear and radiation safety requirements had been met and the license for commercial operation of the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was granted on 24 October 2023. The unit is now operating at nominal power levels. As much as 2.1 billion kWh of electricity has been generated since the unit was connected to the united power grid.

The compliance of the Belarusian nuclear power plant with the highest safety requirements has been repeatedly confirmed by international expert missions, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “We've hosted all the missions the International Atomic Energy Agency recommends [for beginner countries in 2012-2022] over the course of construction of the facility. We've even held a stress test. A lot of positive approaches, practices were noted within the framework of these missions. In other words, successful operation of our facility demonstrates that there are avenues the International Atomic Energy Agency can already use and recommend to other countries, which intend to build their first units and nuclear power plants,” Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich said.