MINSK, 27 September (BelTA) – Information about the radiation situation near the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be available in the Internet. The relevant statement was made by Belarusian First Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Iya Malkina during the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 27 September.
According to the source, an automated multilayer multifunctional system will be created under the aegis of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry to monitor the radiation situation within a 12.9km radius of the nuclear power plant and within a 30km radius and beyond. Information about the radiation situation will be available online.
The official noted that a basic complex of the radiation monitoring system is now operational in the Belarusian nuclear power plant observation area. The complex comprises three automatic monitoring stations located in Gervyaty, Mikhalishki, and Trokeniki.
The automatic monitoring stations collect data, crunch raw figures, and upload information every ten minutes. The information includes gamma-radiation intensity, gamma-radiation energy spectrum, and weather parameters. Another seven automatic monitoring stations are deployed outside the Belarusian nuclear power plant observation area and are now operating in a test mode.
Once fully operational, the automated multilayer multifunctional system can be used to promptly assess the scale of radioactive pollution for the sake of making managerial decisions. Plans have been made to transfer information about gamma-radiation intensity around the Belarusian nuclear power plant to the European center that collects information about the radiation situation in various areas.
Iya Malkina reminded that the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry has been monitoring the radiation and environmental situation around the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant since 2009 for the sake of evaluating the background state of the environment. Atmospheric air, snow layer, surface waters, bottom sediments, and soils are monitored as part of the effort.
