Events

VIENNA, 27 September (BelTA) – Belarus plans to invite the IAEA’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission to assess the third phase of its nuclear power program, Belarus’ Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk said at the plenary session of the IAEA's 60^th General Conference in Vienna, BelTA has learned.

“Being a country that launched its national nuclear power program and started the construction of its first nuclear power plant, Belarus emphasizes the importance of further dialogue and improvement of IAEA services and instruments in the nuclear power sector, including those aimed at assisting the countries, including through the IAEA INIR missions,” noted Mikhail Mikhadyuk.

In his words, the IAEA approach to introducing nuclear power programs described in its Milestones document proved effective. Belarus welcomes the agency’s efforts to further optimize and improve the approach taking into account the experience gained in cooperation with the member states. “We express our interest in joint work with the IAEA Secretariat on holding the INIR mission on the third phase of Belarus’ nuclear power program,” said the deputy minister.

Belarus welcomes the agency’s large-scale and diverse activity in promoting research and implementation of nuclear and radiation technologies in medicine, industry, agriculture and other sectors.

One of the key areas of successful implementation of nuclear power programs is the training of competent human resources. In recent years Belarus has been actively cooperating with the agency in the area, including under the IAEA Technical Cooperation Program, which projects help enhance the efficiency of training specialists for the future nuclear power plant.

Over the past year Belarus welcomed a number of IAEA missions, including the one on the operator competence development, the creation of an integrated system to train specialists for the BelNPP, including full-scale and analytical simulators and education materials. The IAEA PC-based nuclear power plant simulators and also a module software training system developed as part of the IAEA technical cooperation projects play an important role in training NPP personnel. We are ready to share our experience with all the stakeholders,” the deputy minister added.

With the IAEA General Conference holding its 60^th session Mikhail Mikhadyuk took note of the agency’s achievements. “The IAEA has become the world’s universal center that coordinates the international nuclear power cooperation and ensures nuclear security, plays a unique role in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and also in counteracting nuclear terrorism threats. Cooperating within the framework of this organization the IAEA member states have achieved considerable progress in the balanced implementation of three major areas of its activity: guarantees, assistance to peaceful use of nuclear technologies and their safe application,” said the deputy minister. Belarus is also satisfied with the efficient cooperation with the Department of Technical Cooperation of the IAEA Secretariat.