Belarus invites IAEA to observe radiation emergency response exercise

Belarus has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to observe a radiation emergency response exercise, which will take place in the country on 18-19 October. The invitation was extended as a Belarusian delegation met with IAEA Deputy Director General Juan Carlos Lentijo on the sidelines of the 61st session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, BelTA has learned.

The sides discussed Belarus-IAEA cooperation in assisting with reaching the highest possible safety standards in the course of construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. In particular, Belarus welcomed an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission in October 2016. Olga Lugovskaya, Head of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry, informed the IAEA official about how the mission’s recommendations and proposals are being fulfilled.

Belarus is now getting ready to welcome the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Emergency Preparedness Review Service (EPREV) mission. As part of the preparations the Emergencies Ministry will arrange a nationwide staff exercise on 18-19 October 2017 to practice responding to a radiation emergency. The Belarusian side invited the agency to send an observer to watch the exercise.

Juan Carlos Lentijo was informed about the ongoing work on the stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The stress tests will play a major role in evaluating the nuclear power plant’s safety when the license to operate the facility will have to be issued.

The Belarusian side outlined the measures being taken to ensure the transparency of the nuclear power plant project. Reports about the review missions Belarus has welcomed and the country report after the Review Conference of the Parties to the Nuclear Safety Convention are freely available to the general public via the World Wide Web.