Ask Experts: Raising Public Awareness About Nuclear Energy

Yuri Solovyov, Chairman of the Board of the Belarusian Public Association Ecological Initiative

Tatyana Shlyk, Head of the Nuclear Energy Information Center (Minsk)

Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant

Nearly 2,000 people visit BelNPP information center in Ostrovets on monthly basis

The information center of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) which is being built in Ostrovets is visited by about 2,000 people per month, head of the Information and PR Department of the state company Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant Eduard Svirid told an online conference hosted by BelTA on 1 December.

“Every month our center in Ostrovets is visited by nearly 2,000 people. The center has already been visited by more than 9,000 people. These are curious and open people, who do not live their life with only once acquired knowledge,” he said.

In turn, head of the Minsk nuclear energy information center Tatiana Shlyk said that the center is visited by over 1,500 people on a monthly basis. “Keeping in mind the fact that we attach great importance to the popularization of technical education among the rising generation, our main visitors are students of Belarusian educational establishments. Guests of our capital also show a big interest in nuclear energy,” she stressed.

According to experts, visitors are often interested in the issues relating to the safety of nuclear power plants and nuclear waste management.

The information center in Ostrovets was opened in 2009. The center runs a permanent exhibition dedicated to the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. A new exhibition has been recently opened at the new youth center. Both information centers are open to all, and make use of all available forms of telecommunication: from phone and email to Skype and social networks.

The nuclear energy information center in Minsk was launched in April 2015. It provides all kind of information relating to the nuclear industry: from the number of nuclear power plants in the world to the principle of operation of a nuclear plant. The information center makes an emphasis on new and original ways of presenting the information.

Interest of Belarusians in nuclear energy growing

Interest of Belarusians in nuclear energy is growing, Tatyana Shlyk, the head of nuclear energy information center (Minsk), said during an online press conference at BelTA.

"In my opinion, we have a lot of work to do because the interest of Belarusians in nuclear energy is growing. We have many repeated visitors, which suggests that people are not indifferent to this topic and still have questions they want answered,” said Tatyana Shlyk.

According to Yuri Solovyov, the chairman of the board of the Belarusian public association "Ecological Initiative", when visiting the information centers people get clear, concise, intelligible information on the most sensitive issues they are concerned with. "As a result, most of the visitors get rid of the unfounded phobias and stereotypes in relation to nuclear energy", Yuri Solovyov said.

The head of information and public relations at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant Eduard Svirid also pointed to the importance of raising the awareness of people. "After visiting the centers, people's attitudes towards nuclear power is changing in the strongest possible terms," he said.

Eduard Svirid thinks that the willingness of people to get necessary information is also important. "One who seeks information, who reads up and analyses will always be well informed. Those who do not seek new knowledge will always complain about the lack of information,” Eduard Svirid said.

The nuclear energy information center in Minsk was launched in April 2015. It provides all kind of information relating to the nuclear industry: from the number of nuclear power plants in the world to the principle of operation of a nuclear plant. The information center makes an emphasis on new and original ways of presenting the information.

The information center in Ostrovets was opened in 2009. The center runs a permanent exhibition dedicated to the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. A new exhibition has been recently opened at the new youth center. Both information centers are open to all, and make use of all available forms of telecommunication: from phone and email to Skype and social networks.

Solovyov: BelNPP is environmentally safe

The Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) which is currently being built in the country is environmentally safe, Yuri Solovyov, the chairman of the board of the Belarusian public association "Ecological Initiative", said during an online press conference at BelTA.

"I can say that the ongoing environmental monitoring shows that the Belarusian nuclear power plant is environmentally safe," he said.

Yuri Solovyov recalled that the public center for environmental safety of the NPP construction and operation was launched in Belarus in 2012. Its main task is to provide the public in Belarus and other countries with the information about nuclear energy and security during the construction of the NPP in Belarus.

For the third year the center has conducted public monitoring of the process of the construction of the nuclear power plant: environmental activists of non-governmental organizations get acquainted with the course of construction, measure the radiation levels at the NPP construction site and its surroundings, study the impact of the object under construction on the environment. The monitoring results are made available in open access, on the BelNPP website, in the media, and are communicated to the public during the public information activities of the center.

According to Yuri Solovyov, public monitoring will be continued after the nuclear power plant is put into operation. “We will compare the current radiation environmental data on the site with the data that will be received after the plant is commissioned. If any deviations are registered, the relevant information will be immediately passed on to the competent authorities and the public,” the ecologist said.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built 18km away from the town of Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The AES-2006 design developed by the Saint Petersburg-based R&D company Atomenergoproject was chosen for building Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in 2018, the second one in 2020.

BelNPP project has higher support among Ostrovets residents than across country

The recent survey held by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has showed that the Belarusian nuclear power plant project is getting a stronger support from residents of Ostrovets District than across the country, Head of the Information and PR Department of the state company Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant Eduard Svirid told an online conference hosted by BelTA on 1 December.

“It, among other things, is related to the fact that all the issues regarding the construction of the nuclear power plant are openly and regularly discussed with the public. The safety of the nuclear power plant is the issue number one. We explain and demonstrate it, including the choice of the construction site, the design of the plant and all stages of its construction,” he stressed.

According to Eduard Svirid, apart from the information center Ostrovets residents have other reliable information sources. Today over 1,000 residents of Ostrovets and Ostrovets District take part in the construction of the BelNPP. “Besides, specialists from other nuclear power plants have come to the town as well,” the expert added.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built 18km away from the town of Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). The AES-2006 design developed by the Saint Petersburg-based R&D company Atomenergoproject was chosen for building Belarus’ first nuclear power plant. The first power-generating unit of the nuclear power plant is scheduled for launch in 2018, the second one in 2020.

Fully operational training center of Belarusian nuclear power plant in early 2016

The training and education center of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is supposed to become fully operational in early 2016. The statement was made by Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, during the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 1 December.

According to Eduard Svirid, the training and education center of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be opened soon. “I expect that it will become fully operational at the beginning of the next year,” said the specialist.

Very serious, important, and expensive equipment is being installed in the center now. Eduard Svirid noted that a mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency visited the Belarusian nuclear power plant a short while ago for the sake of testing a full-scale simulator of the power plant.

The personnel training system of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is highly prioritized as a safety and security factor. “At present our specialists are going through on-the-job training at existing nuclear power plants abroad, including in similar training centers. Once ours is commissioned, they will be able to hone their nuclear power plant operation skills using the full-scale simulator. It will help prevent errors in the future,” stressed the Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is supposed to get an education and training center of its own several years before the power plant goes online. Eduard Svirid said that the training center’s full-scale simulator will be a 100% replica of the real nuclear power plant’s control desk. “It means that the top of the table will be the same color, the chairs will be the same, the phone will be exactly where it is on the live control desk. Even the ceiling should be exactly the way it is in the live nuclear power plant in order to let people feel as if they were at their workstations. If some button of the live control desk is designed to flash a different color as part of a repair process, the same button will act accordingly in the full-scale simulator,” explained the specialist.

Strong interest in radioactive waste treatment at Belarusian nuclear power plant

People, who come to visit the information center of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, are primarily interested in radioactive waste treatment. The statement was made by Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, during the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 1 December.

Eduard Svirid said: “At present the top questions include how radioactive waste will be handled, how much will be generated, where it will be buried.”

The specialist regretted the fact that those opposing the construction of the nuclear power plant often mislead the general public into believing that spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste are the same thing. “During the events we organize we emphasize that spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste are different things. Spent nuclear fuel in essence represents a raw material, virtually the entire periodic table. This is why spent nuclear fuel cannot be identified as waste. Spent nuclear fuel is processed to make new fuel, to extract additional materials, which are then used in the production sector, science, and so on,” explained Eduard Svirid.

The specialist explained that a nuclear power plant generates radioactive waste, too, but how much of it is generated is what matters. “One reactor generates roughly 0.5m3 of high-active waste per annum. As far as medium and low-active waste is concerned, one power-generating unit produces up to 60m3 per annum. Special facilities are used to process the waste to make it safe for storage. After that, the waste is stored on site as long as the power plant keeps working. Once the power plant is decommissioned, the waste is reburied,” said Eduard Svirid. The Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant underlined that the nuclear power plant’s radioactive waste storage facility is a high-tech installation where humidity, temperature, and personnel access is controlled for the sake of monitoring the ongoing processes.

Eduard Svirid said that questions concerning radioactive waste storage now prevail over those concerning the safety of the nuclear power plant. “In the past people lived with stereotypes, the so-called Chernobyl legacy, this is why they were naturally primarily concerned about safety. I don’t know whether we are to credit with the change or maybe television, BelTA or other mass media have done their part but with time we have managed to change the situation. People are no longer interested as much in the safety of the nuclear power plant because they know it well. They are now interested in whether we will be able to build the power plant the way it is supposed to be built,” he explained. Personnel of the nuclear power plant’s information center answer questions during tours of the construction site. As an example the specialist mentioned Teacher’s Day at Nuclear Power Plant. “With approval of the local education administration we’ve offered field trips to people. This option is available to any school in the country,” assured Eduard Svirid.

In turn, Tatiana Shlyk, Head of the Nuclear Energy Information Center, noted that visitors are primarily interested in how the nuclear power plant is designed. “We have educational models, they can study them closely. Citizens also ask how nuclear waste will be processed and buried. These questions are mostly asked by adults. Kids virtually never ask anything. We have a lot of interactive amusements, models, dummies, modern technologies to demonstrate. They don’t feel the need to ask. They feel the need to come once again, see things, learn something new,” she said.

BelNPP information center actively cooperates with Russian centers

The Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) information center actively cooperates with similar centers in Russia, Eduard Svirid, the head of information and public relations at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, said during an online press conference at BelTA.

"We actively cooperate with our Russian counterparts, especially with information centers of the Balakovo, Kalinin and leningrad nuclear power plants,” said Eduard Svirid. According to him, the parties exchange information, documentation, best practices. "They come to us, we go to them. That is a very extensive interaction ,” he stated.

For her part, Tatyana Shlyk, the head of nuclear energy information center (Minsk), said that they communicate with colleagues from Russian information centers on a monthly basis. The occupational-guidance science fair "Corporation of Knowledge" organized by the National Center for Innovation and Technical Art jointly with the independent non-profit organization "Nuclear Industry Information Center" (Moscow) will open on 1 December. "The program is designed for three full days. Every day will see different activities: workshops involving interactive and practical activities; lectures for high school seniors and students; panel discussions for a wide audience of scientists and specialists,” she explained. According to Tatyana Shlyk, events will be attended by well-known Russian scientists and popularizers of science, and representatives of the scientific community of Belarus.

“The main aim of the fair is to tell the citizens of the two countries about the latest developments in science and technology, encourage young people to engage in research activities, tell them what opportunities young scientists have in Belarus,” noted Tatyana Shlyk. Another task is to give vocational guidance to high school students and raise awareness of schools pupils, students and Minsk residents about nuclear industry.

Public access to live Belarusian nuclear power plant promised

The Belarusian nuclear power plant will stay open for tours once it is commissioned. The statement was made by Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, during the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 1 December.

According to the source, access to nuclear power plants is restricted for safety and security reasons. “Unwanted elements, terrorists, ill-wishers and so on are barred from entering nuclear power plants. But it does not mean that members of the general public will get the same treatment. We now offer tours of the nuclear power plant and are going to continue doing so after the power plant is commissioned,” noted Eduard Svirid.

In his words, tours allow citizens to see for themselves that it is a cutting-edge world-level facility. “Otherwise, however hard we may try to raise the awareness of the general public, however hard we may explain that the power plant is safe, that everything is under control, people would say we are telling fairy-tales. They would imagine all kinds of things happening instead,” he explained. Eduard Svirid is convinced that one tour of the power plant is enough to see that things are safely organized over there.

“We are going to continue offering tours of the power plant. It is our principled stance and it is the stance of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Showing how a nuclear power plant works is an international practice,” stated Eduard Svirid.

Asked about the possible organization of a live online feed of the Belarusian nuclear power plant’s operation, Eduard Svirid noted that there is nothing spectacular about the operation of a nuclear power plant. Apart from that, a live feed will not be possible due to security concerns. “Taking photos and making videos of live nuclear power plants is restricted. Sometimes personnel are forbidden to have mobile phones with cameras. It is a matter of security that needs to be understood and accepted. I think all of us are interested in it,” he summed up.

Outer shell of Belarusian nuclear power plant reactors designed to survive aircraft crash

The outer protective shell of reactors of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be able to survive the impact of a falling aircraft. The statement was made by Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, during the online conference hosted by the BelTA website on 1 December.

For instance, the double hermetically sealed protective shell has been built in case of an emergency involving the reactor’s vessel. “The internal protective shell is 1.8 meters thick. It is designed to protect you and me from the reactor if something happens to it. Then we have a gap 1.2 meters wide and the external protective shell, which is 0.8 meters thick. It is designed to protect the reactor from a possible external impact, for instance, terrorists intent on dropping an aircraft on top of the power plant. The shell is designed to withstand external explosions, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes,” said Eduard Svirid.

The specialist stressed that a number of barriers are available as part of the Belarusian nuclear power plant to prevent the propagation of radioactive elements into the environment. “Nuclear industry experts call it deep tiered protection of the environment against radiation,” explained Eduard Svirid.

The specialist reminded that the place to build the Belarusian nuclear power plant had been chosen most carefully. The location near the town of Ostrovets has been chosen because there are no factors that prohibit the construction of the nuclear power plant or make it complicated.

Visits to BelNPP included in tourist routes

Tour operators include visits to the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BelNPP) in their routes, Eduard Svirid, Head of the Information and Public Relations Department at the state enterprise Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, said during the online conference hosted by BelTA.

When asked whether the under-construction nuclear power plant is included in any tourist routes, Eduard Svirid said that tour operators are interested in the facility. He stressed that all visits are free of charge. “We do not collect and will not collect any fees for the visits to the NPP and the information center. Tour operators call us and say that a group of tourists will come,” he said.

Eduard Svirid added that the information center in Ostrovets can be visited at any convenient time without pre-notification and the harmonization of the date of the visit. “It is more difficult to organize a visit to the NPP. It is a high-security facility. Certain rules of the visit will be available on our website,” he emphasized.

“In general, the territory around the nuclear power plant In Ostrovets District will not be close to the public. In the past the so-called security zone, the sanitary zone, covered the territory at a distance of 5km, 2km or 1km from the nuclear power plant. At present it lies within the perimeter of the plant,” Eduard Svirid said. In his words, the power plant is surrounded by the fence, and the territory beyond this fence can be visited without any restrictions.

Head of the Information Center for Nuclear Energy Tatyana Shlyk said that the center can be also visited for free. “Tourism agencies of Borisov and Lida have learned about our center, called us and said that they would like to visit us as part of the excursion to Minsk. We are open on weekdays and on every third Saturday of the month. You are welcome. We did not have plans to establish cooperation with tourism agencies, but they learn about us and organize excursions,” she said.