The population of Belarus will promptly receive objective data on the radiation situation in the BelNPP zone. This was announced today during an online conference on the BELTA website by Olga Zhukova, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Head of the Research Department for Radiation and Environmental Monitoring of the Republican Centre for Hydrometeorology, Control of Radioactive Contamination and Environmental Monitoring.
The population of Belarus will promptly receive objective data on the radiation situation in the BelNPP zone. This was announced today during an online conference on the BELTA website by Olga Zhukova, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Head of the Research Department for Radiation and Environmental Monitoring of the Republican Centre for Hydrometeorology, Control of Radioactive Contamination and Environmental Monitoring.
"An automated radiation monitoring system (ARMS) is being created in Belarus around the nuclear power plant. This will ensure the population is informed with objective data on the radiation situation, enhance safety of residence, and reduce various phobias associated with the construction of the NPP," emphasized Olga Zhukova. This information will be available on the websites of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, the Hydrometeorological Centre, as well as in the mass media.
The system provides for the collection and processing of data on gamma radiation dose rate (DR) levels and meteorological data. Continuous radiation monitoring of the environment is carried out, and the public is informed about the radiation status of the NPP and its surrounding area. "During the project implementation, a basic set of the automated system for monitoring the environmental radiation situation in the vicinity of the Belarusian NPP was developed. The system's equipment consists of three automatic dose rate measurement stations (DRMS) and is located in the settlements of Gervyaty, Mikhalishki, and Trokeniki. At the locations of the DRMS equipment, information display boards are planned, which will show the current radiation background level at a local point, and a large-format display board with the same functions will be installed in Ostrovets," explained the specialist.
According to Olga Zhukova, the ASKRO complex is planned to be expanded and retrofitted with new-generation spectrometric sensors that allow measuring the isotopic composition of gamma-emitting radionuclides. The modern technology being developed for ASKRO creation will further address the task of establishing a Unified State Automated System for Radiation Monitoring of the country's territory. "The operation of ASKRO during the construction of the NPP will allow accumulating statistics on changes in parameters characterizing the state of the radiation environment in the NPP's influence zone before its commissioning," she emphasized.
In 2010-2012, the A.N. Sevchenko Institute of Applied Physical Problems of Belarusian State University carried out experimental design work on the development of a basic automated system complex for monitoring the radiation environment in the NPP observation zone. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection acted as the customer for the pilot project.
The Belarusian NPP is a project for the construction of a nuclear power plant of the AES-2006 type, which is being implemented 18 km from Ostrovets (Grodno Region). The Belarusian NPP will consist of two power units with a total capacity of up to 2400 (2x1200) MW. The general designer and general contractor is the unified Russian company OJSC "NIAEP" - CJSC "ASE". In accordance with the general contract for the construction of the plant, the first power unit is planned to be commissioned in 2018, and the second in 2020.
News of Belarus (BELTA)