Belarus participates in preparation of CIS nuclear infrastructure development program

Belarus takes an active part in preparing a program on developing the national nuclear infrastructures of the CIS states. Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Natalya Danilenko mentioned it at a media briefing held in BelTA's press center to discuss new trends in the global nuclear safety regime for Belarus.

Speaking about interaction within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Natalya Danilenko remarked that Belarus takes an active part in preparing a program on developing the national nuclear infrastructures of the CIS member states and the action plan on realizing the program. “Why do we have to work out such a program right now? The thing is many countries, including those in the CIS space, would like to develop nuclear energy industry. It envisages not only a nuclear installation, which can be built by a supplier of nuclear technologies, but an entire nuclear radiation safety infrastructure, which the country has to create on its own. Naturally newcomer countries wonder how they should go about it. Of course, there are documents of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which clearly stipulate in detail what needs to be done. But knowing what needs to be done is different from knowing how it has to be done, this is why this program is being created,” the official said.

In her words, this program will cover various branches of development of nuclear infrastructure relating to the evaluation of national needs, relating to various matters concerning nuclear radiation safety, the development of the legal base, the development of workforce capacity, and the sharing of the best practices. “An expert group has been set up to work out the program. It includes representatives of the Belarusian regulatory body. Several videoconference sessions have already been held,” she noted.

“We closely follow all the new initiatives concerning our field of work in the CIS space. Within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States a base institution has been established for matters concerning the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The Belarusian regulatory body actively cooperates with it,” Natalya Danilenko added.