The head of the expert group of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Joseph Sandoval praised the efforts of the Belarusian authorities to ensure the safe operation of the nuclear power plant in the Grodno region.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of Belarus in its Telegram channel.

“I am very impressed with the importance that the Belarusian government attaches to the safety and reliability of the nuclear power plant.

Our role is to compare and evaluate the practices applied in Belarus against the international agreements we have and then provide the government with our recommendations, ”the press service of the Republic's Ministry of Energy quotes Sandoval.

Inspection of the BelNPP was carried out by the IAEA advisory mission on physical protection of nuclear facilities (IPPAS mission).

On June 30 and July 1, experts from Russia, the USA, France, Great Britain and Switzerland examined the facilities of the BelNPP and familiarized themselves with the documentation on the functioning of the plant's physical protection system.

The preliminary results of the inspection are expected to be ready by July 9th.

The objectives of the IPPAS mission include assessing different types of physical security and compiling an overview of information and computer security of nuclear power plants.

BelNPP is the largest joint economic project of Minsk and Moscow.

The station is being built according to the Rosatom project, and so far the first power unit has been commissioned.

In 2022, the second power unit will be launched, which will not only satisfy the domestic needs of Belarus, but also supply electricity for export.

“With special pride I would like to inform you that just the other day the first unit of the Belarusian NPP was put into commercial operation.

The second will start working in a year.

Undoubtedly, this is the most ambitious and successful Belarusian-Russian project of recent decades, ”Alexander Lukashenko said on July 1 at a plenary session of the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia.

Defense in depth

The BelNPP website reports that the principle of defense in depth is the basis for ensuring the plant's safety - the NPP has several barriers to the spread of ionizing radiation and radioactive substances.

The fuel pellet (prevents the release of fission products under the fuel element cladding), the fuel cell cladding (prevents fission products from entering the coolant of the main circulation circuit), the main circulation circuit (prevents the release of fission products under protective sealed shell).

  • BelNPP safety systems

  • © belaes.by

Also, the NPP has an integrated system of protective hermetic shells (containment), which excludes the release of fission products into the environment.

It is able to withstand an earthquake, an aircraft crash and external impact from a shock wave.

“As a result of a nuclear reaction, inert radioactive gases are formed inside the fuel pellet.

But the pill is designed in such a way as to prevent radiation from escaping from its shell.

If this happens, the radiation will be stopped by the shell of the fuel element, in which the fuel pellets are located, ”the materials of the BelNPP say.

According to the plant's specialists, if these safety measures prove to be insufficiently effective, then the radiation will be delayed by the reactor vessel and the main circulation loop, which contains both fuel pellets and fuel elements.

“And if we imagine a completely dramatic scenario, with the rupture of the main circulation pipeline or the reactor vessel, then the containment or the reactor building, which contains fuel pellets, fuel elements, and a reactor, will protect the environment and humans from radiation”, - emphasized on the website of the BelNPP. 

In an interview with RT, Deputy Director General of the Institute of National Energy Alexander Frolov said that the nuclear power plant in the Grodno region was built in accordance with all nuclear safety standards.

In his opinion, the IAEA representatives will prepare a positive conclusion based on the results of the inspection.

“It will be strange if the IAEA gives a negative assessment of the safety of the BelNPP.

I cannot recall a single case when the projects that the specialists of Rosatom are engaged in were subjected to any criticism in the professional community.

I have no doubts about the impartiality of Sandoval's statement and the conclusions that the IAEA will soon make, ”Frolov stressed.

Double standarts

Meanwhile, since the beginning of construction, the BelNPP project has been repeatedly criticized by foreign countries and organizations.

And on February 11, 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution in which the station in the Grodno region was named a geopolitical project of Moscow and Minsk.

MEPs argue that the nuclear power plant allegedly poses a threat to the safety, health and environmental protection of the EU member states.

The resolution stated that the BelNPP was allegedly built in a hurry and does not meet international standards, including the recommendations of the IAEA.

  • Meeting on verification of the BelNPP with the participation of the IAEA mission

  • © ???

In response, the Ministry of Energy of Belarus stated that the European Parliament did not have convincing arguments for criticism and accused the deputies of deliberately politicizing the project, which is being carried out with the technological assistance of Moscow.

“The resolution of the European Parliament on the BelNPP is of a purely politicized nature.

This is a vivid example of the application of double standards, far from an objective assessment and the real state of affairs, "- said in a statement by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic.

It is noteworthy that a few days before the adoption by the European Parliament of the resolution, experts from the European Group of Regulatory Bodies in the Field of Nuclear Safety (ENSREG) began their work at the BelNPP.

Based on the results of the inspection, they positively assessed the quality of the station's systems and equipment, which ensure the reliability of its operation.

The work of the BelNPP does not suit neighboring Lithuania either.

Under the pretext of the proximity of the facility to the capital of the state in Vilnius, the EU has repeatedly called on the EU to take measures to prevent the completion of the commissioning of all the plant's capacities in the Grodno region.

From the point of view of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, the European Union "is obliged to prevent electricity generated by producers from third countries from entering the market, which does not meet the highest standards in the field of nuclear safety and environmental protection."

Currently, Lithuania is negotiating with other Baltic republics with the aim of boycotting the BelNPP.

However, Latvia is opposed to radical measures, which fears interruptions in the supply of electricity through the territory of Belarus.

As Frolov explained, the Baltics, Belarus and Russia are still united by a common BRELL power system.

The agreement on its launch was signed back in 2001 and is still in effect.

Its rupture threatens with grave consequences for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which are heavily dependent on electricity imports, including from the Russian Federation and Belarus.

“After the closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant in 2009, Lithuania turned into an energy-deficient country.

Now she buys electricity from Russia, Belarus, Poland and Sweden.

I can explain the claims of Vilnius in relation to the BelNPP by attempts to play big politics and a kind of envy - Lithuania itself hatched plans to build a nuclear power plant, but no one gave it money for this, ”Frolov explained.

  • BelNPP control panel

  • Reuters

  • © Vasily Fedosenko

In a commentary to RT, Pyotr Petrovsky, an employee of the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, said that Lithuania's aggressive rhetoric was caused by Minsk's "image loss".

“Lithuania entered the EU with the hope of building its own nuclear power plant with European investments.

This project was intended to become an indicator of successful European integration.

However, Lithuania was left with nothing, and Belarus, which chose the Eurasian integration, received the latest nuclear power plant, ”explained Petrovsky.

In addition to Lithuania, another energy-deficient country, Ukraine, is extremely unhappy with the launch of the BelNPP.

In March 2021, Kiev and Vilnius at the level of the energy ministries reached an agreement to consolidate efforts in order to stop the completion of the station in the Grodno region.

At the same time, both states continue to purchase electricity from Russia and Belarus.

Ukraine is connected with Minsk and Moscow by a common energy system inherited from the USSR.

Now Kiev is hatching plans to leave it by 2023, joining the European system.

However, according to experts, for this, Ukraine needs a radical restructuring of the entire energy infrastructure and the installation of new expensive western equipment at nuclear power plants.

“Ukraine's attacks on BelNPP are explained by several factors.

The first is the general negative political rhetoric directed at Moscow and Minsk: Kiev is very concerned about the need to periodically import electricity from Russia and Belarus.

The second point is related to the interests of the owners of coal-fired power plants - the largest oligarch of Ukraine, Rinat Akhmetov, is not profitable for Ukraine to buy cheaper nuclear energy, ”says Frolov.

According to the analyst, in addition, the situation for Kiev is worsening due to the unfavorable state of the nuclear industry in the country, which needs a serious modernization of facilities.

In this regard, as predicted by Frolov, Ukraine is unlikely to be able to completely abandon external electricity supplies from its northern and eastern neighbors.

At the same time, the expert does not exclude that in the future, the BelNPP, which he is currently criticizing, may become an important source of energy for Kiev.

In turn, Pyotr Petrovsky is sure that the situation around the nuclear power plant in the Grodno region is deliberately politicized by a number of political players.

“Ukraine began to use negative rhetoric only after the aggravation of relations with Belarus in August 2020. Prior to that, Kiev did not express any "fears". Now they are trying to stifle the implementation of the BelNPP project and discredit in every possible way, ignoring the objective evidence that it meets all international standards and is a commercially demanded enterprise in the region, ”the expert summed up.