IAEA Conducts Scheduled Inspections at Belarusian NPP and Sosny Institute

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is conducting scheduled inspections at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the Joint Institute for Power and Nuclear Research – Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (JIPNR), BelTA reports, citing Gosatomnadzor.

"Belarus, in accordance with its agreement on the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), is hosting regular scheduled IAEA inspections. Gosatomnadzor is organizing and supporting the inspections. On June 23, IAEA inspectors will conduct an inspection at the Belarusian NPP, and on June 24, at the Sosny Institute. The planned activities include a physical inventory of nuclear material, maintenance of IAEA containment and surveillance systems, and a review of reporting documentation," Gosatomnadzor has informed.

The agreement between Belarus and the IAEA on the application of safeguards in connection with the NPT was concluded on April 14, 1995. In our country, the competent authority for the state safeguards system is the Ministry of Emergency Situations, represented by Gosatomnadzor, which is responsible, among other things, for ensuring the conduct and support of IAEA inspections.

IAEA safeguards are an integral part of the international security system and constitute a set of technical measures applied to nuclear facilities and nuclear material used by states. The IAEA seeks to independently verify compliance with a state's legal obligation to ensure that nuclear facilities are not misused and that nuclear material is not diverted from peaceful uses to the production of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. States agree to the application of these measures by concluding safeguards agreements.