State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) has published Annual Report 2014. In this report you can find information about VATESI activities related with nuclear and radiation safety also physical security issues in Lithuania.
Main areas of activity
In 2014 the efforts of VATESI specialists were focused on several areas. First, the supervision of nuclear and radiation safety and physical security of Ignalina NPP units, which are under decommissioning. Second, the supervision of nuclear, radiation safety and physical security of building and operation of new radioactive waste management and other nuclear facilities. A great deal of time and effort was focused on the evaluation of documents justifying the safety of design modifications of the Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility of Ignalina NPP. The Site Evaluation Report of a construction site of a new nuclear power plant was approved. VATESI also improved quality of their activities in order to correspond to the requirements of quality management standard LST EN ISO 9001:2008 and made preparations for the IAEA’s Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission for nuclear and radiation safety regulation activities that will take place in Lithuania in 2016.
Issued licences and permits
In 2014 VATESI supervised 11 licences and permits issued for activities in the nuclear energy area, and 3 licences issued for activities with sources of ionising radiation in the nuclear energy area, approved amendments of 5 licence annexes.
Supervision of economic entities
In 2014, VATESI specialists inspected economic entities 42 times. It is important to note that no violations or inconsistencies were found that could have directly caused excessive occupational exposure doses, deterioration of barriers confining radionuclides or suppressing ionising radiation, degradation of characteristics of devices important to safety, activity of radionuclides released to the environment that exceed the limit values set forth in the Plan of Radionuclides Released to the Environment, or non-compliance with related safe operation conditions. Economic entities eliminated other reported violations within the time set forth in the binding prescriptions submitted to them.
Unusual events
In 2014, 2 unusual events were registered at Ignalina NPP. During these events the level of occupational exposure and contamination of the premises with radionuclides were within the permissible limits, and no radionuclides were released to the environment. The low number of unusual events that had no impact on safety indicates that nuclear safety in Ignalina NPP is properly ensured.
International cooperation
In 2014 VATESI updated the National Action Plan for Lithuania, drafted its implementation report and submitted it to the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG). At the Sixth Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety we presented safety improvement measures already implemented at Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, based on the experience of the accident in Japan. We also informed other countries on the progress of dismantling and decontamination of equipment in Units 1 and 2, and responded to questions on plans of processing and storage of radioactive waste. In order to improve competencies of VATESI specialists in the area of supervision of new nuclear technologies, we have signed a memorandum with NRA, the Japanese nuclear safety regulator, on exchange of relevant information and experience.
