Russia, Belarus sign agreement on management of spent nuclear fuel

SOCHI. Nov 21 (Interfax) -Russia and Belarus have agreed on the management of spent nuclear fuel, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said.

The document was signed in Sochi, where Atomexpo 2022 is taking place.

"The draft agreement contains specific provisions that will regulate the mutual obligations of the Russian and Belarusian sides in the management of spent nuclear fuel from the reactors of the Belarusian NPP," Rosatom said.

Belarus is completing the construction of the NPP near the town of Ostrovets in the Grodno region under the Russian VVER-1200 design. It will consist of two power units with capacity of 1.2 GW each. JSC ASE, Rosatom's engineering division, is the general contractor for the construction of the NPP. A Russian government loan of $10 billion was attracted in order to finance the construction of the NPP.

Earlier reports said Russia and Belarus were preparing to sign a draft agreement on cooperation in the management of spent nuclear fuel, in accordance with which Russia will take delivery of irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies from Belarus for their temporary technological storage and subsequent processing, after which radioactive waste will be returned to Belarus.

The Belarusian government at the beginning of October said it planned to approve a three-stage strategy for the management of radioactive waste for the period to 2100. The country plans to create a national operator for the management of radioactive waste, which will carry out centralized collection and transportation, design, construction and operation of a disposal facility. It also provides for the creation of an innovative cluster for radioactive waste management, which will include scientific and educational institutions, research laboratories, scientific and practical centers and specialized organizations.