ENSREG report on peer review of action plan on Belarusian nuclear power plant stress tests okayed

MINSK, 25 November (BelTA) – A plenary session of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) has been held. The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) attended the session as an observer via videoconference. Participants of the session discussed topical matters concerning nuclear safety regulation, including the ENSREG's report on a peer review of the national action plan prompted by stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The report was endorsed as a result of the discussion, BelTA learned from the Gosatomnadzor website.

According to the ENSREG report, the national action plan reflects all the ENSREG recommendations given as a result of the peer review of the national report on stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant in 2018. All the actions Gosatomnadzor and the operating company Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant have decided to take correspond to the essence of the recommendations ENSREG gave in 2018.

Out of the 22 recommendations formulated by the 2018 ENSREG report 17 recommendations have been fully implemented and can be considered fulfilled. Actions relating to five recommendations are being taken and correspond to the essence of the recommendations. The Belarusian regulatory authority and the nuclear power plant's operator implemented some actions faster than announced in the original plan.

ENSREG experts believe that serious progress has been achieved in fulfilling the national action plan. The openness and transparency of the Belarusian side were mentioned, including the publication of the national action plan on Gosatomnadzor's website and persistent coverage of various stages of the peer review by the regulatory authority.

Gosatomnadzor Head Olga Lugovskaya thanked the ENSREG team led by Petteri Tiippana for constructive and fruitful cooperation and collaboration at all stages of the peer review. Olga Lugovskaya noted that the national action plan was expanded in November 2021 taking into account results of realization of the plan's actions in 2019-2021 and results of interaction with ENSREG experts during a peer review of 2020-2021. She assured that all the actions specified by the action plan will be fulfilled on time and under the oversight of the Belarusian regulatory authority.

The European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) is an independent expert advisory group, which was established in 2007 upon the decision of the European Commission. The group includes senior officials from national regulatory authorities on nuclear safety, radioactive waste safety, and radiation protection as well as individuals from European Union countries with competences in these fields. Representatives of the European Commission are also part of the group. Belarus represented by Gosatomnadzor was invited by ENSREG to become an observer in 2018.

Stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant were carried out in 2016-2018 according to the European Union procedure and included three stages: self-evaluation of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, a national evaluation, and a peer review by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG). Gosatomnadzor and parties concerned put together the relevant action plan in 2019.