MINSK, 15 February (BelTA) - A mission of the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) to Belarus is scheduled for May-June 2021, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) told BelTA.
On 9-10 February, ENSREG experts paid a two-day visit to the Belarusian nuclear power plant as part of the peer review of the national plan of action on the results of BelNPP stress tests. ENSREG experts will prepare a preliminary version of the peer review report based on the results of the visit and preceding events. An additional 1.5-week ENSREG mission to Belarus is planned tentatively in May-June 2021. The dates of the additional visit will be determined later, taking into account the improvement of the epidemiological situation. Upon completion of this mission, the final version of the ENSREG report on the peer review of the national plan will be prepared and presented to the media and the public.
During the visit on 9-10 February, the European experts were shown the facilities, systems and equipment of the Belarusian NPP that are important in terms of the plant's resistance to external natural influences and implementation of the national plan. They were given an opportunity to study relevant documentation, discuss their observations regarding the implementation of the national plan and consideration of ENSREG recommendations with representatives of Gosatomnadzor, Belarusian nuclear power plant, the ASE group of designers, and other stakeholders.
Stress tests of the Belarusian nuclear power plant were conducted in 2016-2018. They included three stages: self-assessment of the BelNPP, national assessment, and ENSREG partner verification. The national plan was developed taking into account the results of all three stages. In 2020, Belarus expressed its willingness to conduct an ENSREG peer review of the national plan. A number of peer review activities had already been completed by the time of the visit. The national plan was reviewed by ENSREG experts, who generated 150 questions. A total of 95 questions were also received from Austria and Lithuania. Belarus prepared and sent the answers to ENSREG. A number of expert consultations were held in the format of video conferences.
