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The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, in accordance with the Constitution and the Law on Nuclear Energy, and taking into account the proposal of the Prime Minister, signed a decree appointing Michail Demčenko as the Head of the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) for a new six-year term of office starting on 30 June 2024.

On 1 July, during a visit to VATESI, Mr Jarek Niewierowicz, Senior Adviser to the President of the Republic, Head of the Environment and Infrastructure Group, and Mr Tomas Lukoševičius, Adviser to the President of the Republic, handed over to Mr Demčenko the decree signed by the President of the Republic, congratulated him on the beginning of his new term of office and wished him and the entire VATESI team success in their work.

Working in the field of nuclear power since 1981, M. Demčenka has extensive expert and managerial experience in the commissioning and operation of Ignalina NPP Units 1 and 2, in the organisation and directly carrying out of the review of safety justification documents for nuclear facilities, in the drafting and implementation of the laws and other legal acts regulating the assurance and supervision of safety in this area.

During his leadership of VATESI, the operation of the Unit 2 of Ignalina NPP was safely completed, and the dismantling and decontamination of the plant's facilities no longer required for the management of nuclear fuel and radioactive waste began and are safely carried out, and the licensing and commissioning of new facilities for the management of radioactive waste was completed. Additional comprehensive risk and safety assessment of nuclear fuel management facilities (stress tests) has been carried out in accordance with the methodology adopted by the European Union countries. Lithuania's regulatory and supervisory system for nuclear, radiation and physical safety has received high evaluation from the IAEA's Integrated Regulatory Review and International Physical Protection Advisory services (IRRS and IPPAS missions).


Curriculum Vitae of the Head of VATESI