Rosatom talks about prospects of research reactor cooperation with Belarus

SOCHI, 22 November (BelTA) – Director of OOO Rusatom Bel (Rosatom's country office in Belarus) Stanislav Levitsky has made a few comments about prospects of cooperation with Belarus in the sphere of research reactors, BelTA has learned.

Stanislav Levitsky said: “In my opinion, any country, which views itself as a nuclear industry flagship, needs a research reactor. The reactor we offer can be used to make medical isotopes and for materials science purposes. So far we've reconciled the concept with Belarusian colleagues from the joint energy and nuclear research institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.”

In his words, the sides now have to decide on the volumes. “It may not be entirely correct to make plans bearing in mind the comparatively modest forecasts concerning the development of Belarus' radio pharmaceutical industry. We should look at prospects of 10-20 years. We are constantly in touch with the Sosny institute. We are always ready to offer our solutions but we will move forward only in agreement with Belarusian colleagues,” Stanislav Levitsky stressed.

“A research reactor is a highly complicated piece of equipment, a highly technological one with high capital intensity. Since we understand that many of our partners from other countries want to do research, we have created the international consortium MBIR. It is a multipurpose fast-neutron reactor. It is superior to any analogs. Only one reactor with similar parameters is being designed in the West. Scientists from various countries work for the consortium. We are glad to invite colleagues from Belarus to work with us within the framework of this consortium,” Stanislav Levitsky remarked.