Belarus inspects Ostrovets plant ahead of fuel loading

Thursday, 20 February 2020

The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) has begun a 30-day inspection of the nuclear power plant under construction in Belarus to assess its readiness to take delivery of fuel. The regulator will also check operator BelNPP's managerial and technical alignment with legislative standards, including those concerning nuclear and radiation safety.

Belarus inspects Ostrovets plant ahead of fuel loading — The inspection is being conducted by a specially formed working group (Image: Gosatomnadzor)

The plant under construction near Ostrovets in the Grodno region consists of two VVER-1200 reactors that are scheduled for commissioning this year and next.

ASE, the engineering arm of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, is the general designer and main contractor of the project to build what will be Belarus's first nuclear power plant.

An intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Belarus specifically on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus was signed in March 2011.