Фото: Johannes Daleng, unsplash.com
A repository for radioactive waste from the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2030 and ready to receive its first waste containers by 2031. This was stated by Mikhail Kisialou, director of the state enterprise Belarusian Organization for Radioactive Waste Management, BelTA reported.
“This schedule is achievable. We plan to proceed through the entire process in a calm and orderly manner and achieve the desired result by the required date. Safety considerations are paramount. At the current stage, as part of the environmental impact assessment process, we are carefully examining this issue and, above all, evaluating the safety of geological formations when analyzing potential sites. The data obtained will be used in the design process,” he said.
According to Kisialou, an environmental impact assessment report is being prepared this year. Public hearings are expected to begin in the autumn, followed by a state environmental review at the end of the year. A report to the government commission responsible for selecting the preferred site is planned for the first quarter of 2027. Once the location is chosen, work will begin on the architectural design, followed by a construction review and the start of building works.
Three potential sites are currently under consideration: in the Astravets District of the Hrodna Region near the Belarusian NPP, in the Mstsislau District of the Mahilyow Region, and in the Khoiniki District of the Homiel Region near the Polesia State Radiation and Ecological Reserve.