Lithuania to establish alarm system close to Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant
By Zakhar Shcharbakow, BelaPAN
8 March 2017, 13:56
The Lithuanian authorities plan to build a network of sirens in and around Vilnius to alert residents to possible accidents at the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, Juris Targonskas, deputy head of the fire safety and rescue department at the Lithuanian interior ministry, told the BNS news agency.
According to Mr. Targonskas, the sirens will be installed in 150 localities in Vilnius and in the Vilnius, Sirvintos and Salcininkai districts all within 50 kilometers of the nuclear power plant. The devices will go off in the event of nuclear or any other accident at the plant. “When the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant was still in operation, we had an alarm system around it too,” he said. “Given that the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant will be close to the [Lithuanian] border, the impact area will include the territory of Lithuania, so we are preparing to warn local residents.”
The project is estimated at €3 million.
The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant is currently under construction in the Astravets district, Hrodna region, some 10 miles from the Lithuanian border. Its two reactors are to have a total generating capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. The first reactor is expected to be put into operation in 2019 and the other in July 2020.
AtomStroyExport, a subsidiary company of Russia`s Nuclear Energy State Corporation, is to bear full responsibility for the project as the prime contractor.
The first shipment of nuclear fuel is expected to be delivered to the plant by Russia in late 2018.
Vilnius has fiercely criticized the project and accused the Belarusian government of violating the UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention).
Minsk has shrugged off the criticism and described the plant as completely safe.
8 March 2017, 13:56
According to Mr. Targonskas, the sirens will be installed in 150 localities in Vilnius and in the Vilnius, Sirvintos and Salcininkai districts all within 50 kilometers of the nuclear power plant. The devices will go off in the event of nuclear or any other accident at the plant. “When the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant was still in operation, we had an alarm system around it too,” he said. “Given that the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant will be close to the [Lithuanian] border, the impact area will include the territory of Lithuania, so we are preparing to warn local residents.”
The project is estimated at €3 million.
The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant is currently under construction in the Astravets district, Hrodna region, some 10 miles from the Lithuanian border. Its two reactors are to have a total generating capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. The first reactor is expected to be put into operation in 2019 and the other in July 2020.
AtomStroyExport, a subsidiary company of Russia`s Nuclear Energy State Corporation, is to bear full responsibility for the project as the prime contractor.
The first shipment of nuclear fuel is expected to be delivered to the plant by Russia in late 2018.
Vilnius has fiercely criticized the project and accused the Belarusian government of violating the UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention).
Minsk has shrugged off the criticism and described the plant as completely safe.
