NGOs from Lithuania, Russia to monitor environmental impact of Belarus’ NPP
NGOs from Lithuania, Russia to monitor environmental impact of Belarus’ NPP
Environmental organizations from Lithuania and Russia have joined the public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusians nuclear power plant. The Belarusian public association Environmental Initiative concluded a cooperation agreement with two foreign NGOs – the Institute for Regional Development and Democracy (Lithuania) and the Interregional Public Environmental Movement Oka (Russia) during a roundtable session to present the project “Public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian NPP”, BelTA has learnt.
The participants of the roundtable session noted that the concluded agreements envisage an active participation of the Lithuanian and Russian NGOs in the project. In particular, the partner organizations will share best practices in environmental monitoring of nuclear energy installations and carry out joint examination of the radiation level near the nuclear power plant in Ostrovets.
According to head of the Environmental Initiative organization Yuri Solovyov, the IAEA and other reputable organizations admitted that the design of the Belarusian NPP developed by the Russian company Atomenergoproekt is among the world’s safest. “Therefore, one of our major objectives today is to conduct the public monitoring of the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and to implement all the safety measures stipulated by the design estimates,” he emphasized.
The participation of foreign environmentalists in the public monitoring brings this process onto the international level. It will help ensure an independent public control over the environmental impact of the Belarusian NPP, Yuri Solovyov said.
“Besides, the cooperation with international non-governmental organizations in this field confirms that in Belarus the public is able to get the necessary information about the measures to ensure environmental safety during construction and operation of nuclear energy facilities,” he said.
On 14-18 October volunteers of not-for-profit organizations together with specialists of the National Center for Radiation Control and Environmental Monitoring of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection tested soil, air and water in the area of the Ostrovets NPP.
They selected and tested the soil and air samples for Caesium-137 and Strontium-90 and measured gamma-radiation in Ostrovets and the villages of Gozy and Trokeniki, Ostrovets District, and on the NPP construction site.
The information about the results of the public monitoring will be available by mid-November, will be distributed using mass media and discussed at roundtable sessions and seminars that are to be held during the project implementation in Belarus, Lithuania and Russia.
The data that will be obtained during the tests will allow exercising public control over the environmental safety of the NPP and will become the basis for an independent monitoring of the impact of the nuclear power plant on the environment and human health.
Tight cooperation between public, Russian nuclear industry
The Russian nuclear industry shows a great degree of openness and successfully cooperates with public organizations. The fact was emphasized by Alan Khasiyev, president of the interregional public environmental movement Oka (Russia), in Minsk on 5 November during the roundtable session held to present the project for enabling the public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA has learned.
“In Russia the general public can get up-to-date and full information about all the stages — the construction of a nuclear power plant, its operation, the processing of nuclear waste and the restoration of the site to the initial state. It is also important that today Minsk is hosting a roundtable session, during which experts and ecologists from Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia will be able to discuss topical matters concerning the monitoring of the environmental impact of nuclear power plants and will be able to share experience and sketch out plans for the future. Today we have signed an agreement on strategic cooperation with Belarusian colleagues and the work will be systematic. We are going to use mass media to cover all the projects of ours as openly and as widely as possible. Openness and transparency are the way to success,” said the Russian ecologist.
Alan Khasiyev told media that the ecological movement Oka was started in 1989. Since then it has put serious efforts into conducting its own ecological researches using its own specialists and professional equipment. “We have used these principles as the foundation for monitoring Russian nuclear power plants. We have managed to examine ecological aspects of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant, the Balakovo nuclear power plant, and the Leningrad nuclear power plant. Apart from that, we work hard to monitor power-generating units under construction and other nuclear industry installations of Russia. We make conclusions, submit proposals to the authorities and the general public. We suggest the same principles of work for all the ecological organizations. Instead of relying on the Internet, gossip and speculations it is necessary to rely exclusively on one’s own research. It is the view we uphold and have brought to Belarus,” stressed Alan Khasiyev.
He also added that the ecological movement Oka cooperates with ecological organizations in Europe and Asia, in the countries where nuclear power plants are being built or will be built. “We believe that cooperation with municipal authorities, with the public is an important step in promoting any innovative project, including in the nuclear energy industry. The energy industry by itself and its accessibility determine the level and quality of life in any country. No country can be developed effectively without cheap energy. The Russian nuclear industry offers both reliable technologies and inexpensive energy,” said Alan Khasiyev.
During the roundtable session held in Minsk to present the project for enabling the public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant the Belarusian public association Ecological Initiative signed agreements on cooperation with the Institute for Regional Development and Democracy (Lithuania) and the interregional public ecological movement Oka (Russia). The agreements envisage active involvement of the Lithuanian and Russian NGOs in this project. In particular, the partners will share experience in the field of ecological monitoring of nuclear installations regularly and will carry out joint practical measures to measure radiation levels in the environment around the nuclear power plant, which is being built in Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast.
Entire public monitoring system over NPP construction in place in Belarus
Belarus and Russia are about to start the major phase of the NPP construction in Belarus, Advisor at ZAO Rusatom Overseas’ Office Ivan Yurkin told BelTA on the sidelines of the roundtable session to present the project “Public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian NPP”. He reminded that Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 499 “Concerning the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant” on 2 November.
“We are about the get down to the major construction phase. A nuclear power plant will be built in Belarus using the most advanced technologies. Russian reactors have already gained a positive reputation around the world. At this current stage Russia is totally satisfied with cooperation with Belarusian partners on the NPP construction project. All the issues are resolved fast and are approached in a comprehensive way. In my view, Belarus has created an adequate system of measures to enable public monitoring of the NPP construction, which is very important,” Ivan Yurkin said.
He noted that all the matters related to the construction of the NPP are supervised by the IAEA. “It is not that easy to make any decisions on nuclear power plants. The IAEA experts have already visited Belarus and new meetings with representatives of this agency will be held soon,” Ivan Yurkin said.
Belarus plans to use the Russian nuclear power plant design AES-2006, which features a water-cooled power reactor VVER-1200, to build a nuclear power plant at the Ostrovets site in Grodno Oblast. The timeline for building the Belarusian nuclear power plant is specified by the general contract. The first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in November 2018.
Belarus planning to involve French and Finnish ecologists to NPP public monitoring project
Belarusian ecologists are planning to involve representatives of the public organizations of France and Finland to the public monitoring of the NPP environmental impact in Belarus, the head of the Belarusian public association "Ecological Initiative" Yuri Solovyov said during the roundtable discussion dedicated to the presentation of the project "Public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant”, BelTA has learnt.
“We are in negotiations with the French and Finnish partners who are trendsetters in the field of environmental monitoring. I would emphasize that in our work we use the best practices and the latest techniques. We want the information on the results of sampling and analysis to be objective. In Belarus this issue is being handled by one of the country’s major scientific institutions -the Republican Center of Radiation Control and Monitoring at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. Yet we will enlist the additional help of foreign colleagues: the results of analyses will be separately verified by independent foreign laboratories to eliminate any speculation that the tests do not correspond to the intenraitonal standards. Thus, all the information will be absolutely objective and reliable,” Yuri Solovyov said.
According to him, the implementation of the public monitoring project in cooperation with international environmental organizations demonstrates that Belarus has created real conditions for the society to get complete information on the NPP construction, on the security measures, the impact on human health and the environment. "This information will be available for all," said the ecologist.
“Ensuring independent public control over the compliance with security measures during the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant is an important factor for the development of nuclear energy in any country. Projects to monitor the impact of a nuclear power plant on human health and the environment by environmental organizations have been successfully implemented in many countries, including France, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine. For Belarus, the country most affected by the Chernobyl accident, the public participation in the monitoring process is very important. We need to form an adequate public attitude toward the development of nuclear energy in the country,” said Yuri Solovyov
He noted that among the goals is to conduct a comprehensive radiation survey of the environment (soil, air, water) in the vicinity of the NPP construction site, to inform the public of the results of the monitoring, the problems identified and steps taken to address them, strengthen the international cooperation in the monitoring of the plant’s environment impact.
“Our task is to create an information databank which is necessary for regular independent monitoring of the impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant on the environment after its commissioning, and to develop a system of public control over the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant in Belarus. We intend to conduct annual monitoring, to carefully monitor fluctuations in indicators, and if there are any deviations from the standards established in Belarus, we will communicate the information to all stakeholders,” said Yuri Solovyov.
To date, the environmental monitoring project involves the Belarusian environmental organizations "Ecological Initiative", "Development – the 21st Century", "Green Economy", "Intellect. Information. Progress ", and also the non-governmental organization "Institute of Regional Development and Democracy" (Lithuania), the interregional public ecological movement "Oka" (Russia), the Republican Center of Radiation Control and Monitoring of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Protection of Belarus.
Close watch over safety parameters of Belarusian nuclear station
Belarusian and foreign ecologists are working together to launch a program for the permanent monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The information was released by Yuri Solovyev, head of the Belarusian public association Ecological Initiative, during the roundtable session held in Minsk on 5 November to present the project for enabling the public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA has learned.
“We are creating a database that will list parameters of radiation surveys of environment components – air, water, and soil — in populated communities located in the area of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The database will allow easily tracking the impact of the power plant during construction and after commissioning. If any deviations from declared safety parameters are detected, we will be ready to promptly alert both the state and the public for the sake of taking necessary measures,” stressed the ecologist.
“It is very important for us that we have signed an agreement on cooperation with Lithuanian and Russian colleagues today. It will advance our monitoring project from the national level to the international one. It will allow us to deliver objective information about what is going on at the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant via our partners to the neighboring countries. And they truly care about the matter. Apart from that, we will be able to take part in the program for monitoring installations located in Russia and Lithuania. In particular, those include the Ignalina nuclear power plant, which has to be fully dismantled and decommissioned as from 2029, and the nuclear power plants, which are being built in Russia. Everyone has to understand that we live on the same planet instead of some vacuum: it is important to track the situation in neighboring countries,” said Yuri Solovyev.
Lithuanian public takes an interest in Belarus’ NPP project
The Lithuanian public takes an interest in the project to construct the Belarusian nuclear power plant, Director of the Lithuanian Institute for Regional Development and Democracy Virginijus Smigelskas has told BelTA. The Lithuanian institute was invited by the Belarusian public association Environmental Initiative to take part in a roundtable session to present the project “Public monitoring of thez environmental impact of the Belarusian NPP”.
“Lithuanians, just like Belarusians, would like to know more about nuclear energy, environmental matters and safety. The Belarusian NPP will be located not far from Vilnius; therefore we do care what is going on in Belarus. We cannot ignore it. Our institute has been collaborating with Environmental Initiative for three years already and we have recently signed a new cooperation agreement. In my view, it is important that the public and NGOs of the two countries communicate and share information, including on the nuclear energy project. It is wonderful that NGOs communicate and maintain a dialogue, that there is understanding and great relations,” Virginijus Smigelskas said.
Leading researcher at the United Energy and Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Viktor Dashkevich noted that the safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant should be the common objective of scientists, environmentalists, developers and the construction sector. “Absolute safety is our common goal. It is great that Belarus has such an organization as Environmental Initiative that seeks to unite the efforts of all who are directly or indirectly involved in the Belarusian NPP project,” he said.
Viktor Dashkevich added that it often happens that environmental movements that used to be staunch opponents of the NPP construction and operation are now changing their mind. “Environmentalists are realizing that nuclear energy is an established industry. Nuclear power plants operate around the world boosting economic, social and industrial development of states. Therefore, environmental organizations come to support the dialogue with the scientists and nuclear energy specialists in a bid to make sure that nuclear energy is safe and open for the public and to be able to resolve all issues via discussions,” the scientist said.
Belarusian nuclear station design reaffirmed as safe
The design suggested for the Belarusian nuclear power plant is safe. The opinion was voiced by Alan Khasiyev, president of the interregional public ecological movement Oka (Russia), during the roundtable session held in Minsk on 5 November to present the project that will enable the public monitoring of the environmental impact of the Belarusian nuclear power plant’s construction, BelTA has learned.
“We can evaluate the safety of the Belarusian nuclear power plant using Russia’s second Leningrad nuclear power plant as an example: the two nuclear power plants have similar parameters, which, by the way, have been acknowledged at the international level. The second Leningrad nuclear power plant is the first nuclear power plant in the AES-2006 series. It uses a VVER-1200 reactor. It is located about 80km away from Saint Petersburg. The facility is the result of the evolution of the most popular type of nuclear power plants and hence the most technically perfect type — a nuclear power plant with a water-cooled energy reactor. Such reactors use light (common) water as the heat transfer fluid and the neutron moderator. The Tianwan nuclear power plant in China is the closest analog. It was built using the Russian design and was commissioned in 2007. Leading experts believe that the Tianwan nuclear power plant is one of the most advanced and safely operating nuclear power plants in the world,” stressed Alan Khasiyev.
The ecologist also remarked that in addition to high output the VVER-1200 reactor boasts improved nuclear safety parameters.
“In comparison with VVER-1000 reactors the VVER-1200 ones boast a longer guaranteed service life – 60 years. Thanks to compact systems the power plant’s sanitary protection zone is several times smaller and is comparable to the industrial site of an enterprise. VVER-1200 reactors boast quadruple protection against the release of radioactive products in an emergency. Keep in mind that the safeguards are triggered automatically. They represent a combination of active systems involving the launch of externally powered pumps as well as passive systems, which do not require external electricity but use the energy they have accumulated on their own,” said the expert.
In his words, a passive heat removal system is another engineering idea implemented by the VVER-1200 reactor design. “The system can safely remove heat without any CO2 content into the atmosphere, which is virtually a bottomless heat absorber. An original novelty of the reactor is the fact that all the hardware and radioactive substances will be concentrated under a dual, absolutely hermetic reinforced-concrete shell. If an emergency happens, all the pollution will stay inside, isolated from the rest of the world. The dual shell is also an antiterrorism measure that can survive a plane crash. A core catcher is available in case of an emergency,” explained the expert.
Alan Khasiyev underlined that the construction of the second Leningrad nuclear power plant is constantly in the center of attention of ecologists. Ecologists have taken part in public debates regarding the construction of new power-generating units for the station many times and know the station’s peculiarities well. “Researches have indicated that the design and operational parameters of Russian cooling towers guarantee the safety of the environment,” he added.
The ecological movement Oka has been exercising public oversight over the construction of the second Leningrad nuclear power plant with VVER-1200 reactors since 2011.