State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) has published Annual Report 2016. In this report you can find information about VATESI activities related with nuclear and radiation safety also physical security regulation in Lithuania.
Key events and main areas of activity
In 2016 VATESI activities featured two important events. VATESI issued a license to the State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant to operate the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility. It means, that the spent nuclear fuel will be finally retrieved from Ignalina NPP power units, and that unnecessary unit equipment can be dismantled and decontaminated in a safer and speedier way.
Another important step was that having acquired abundant experience and developed a modern integrated management system during the 25 year of its activities, VATESI proved to be a nuclear safety regulator compliant with key international requirements. This was confirmed by the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission that took place in Lithuania in 2016. Experts of 16 states positively rated Lithuania for the active stance in the strengthening of nuclear safety on the global scale, for the transparency and openness in cooperation with international experts and participation in international support programmes.
Safety is the main concern of VATESI. Therefore efforts of VATESI specialists were focused on the supervision of nuclear and radiation safety and physical security of Ignalina NPP’s shut-down units, safety supervision of the decommissioning activities, licensing of other existing and new nuclear facilities and the supervision of nuclear, radiation safety and physical security of their construction and operation, and supervision of accounting and control of nuclear material.
Issued licenses and permits
In 2016 VATESI issued 2 licenses for activities in the nuclear safety area, and amended terms of validity of 1 more license. 2 licenses were terminated due to the end of the licensed activities. Moreover, 1 license and 1 temporary permit were issued for activities with sources of ionising radiation in the nuclear energy area. Last year VATESI supervised activities under 12 licenses and permits issued by it for activities in the nuclear safety area, and 15 licenses and interim permits issued for activities with sources of ionising radiation in the nuclear energy area.
Supervision of economic entities
In 2016 VATESI specialists inspected economic entities 48 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
3 unusual events were registered at Ignalina NPP in 2016 (in 2015 – 1 event). 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 2016 VATESI joined the European and Central Asian Safety Network (hereinafter – EuCAS). IAEA provides the Secretariat to this network. The purpose of EuCAS is to strengthen nuclear and radiation safety framework by facilitating experience, knowledge and best practice exchange between member States, and forming a general understanding when addressing topical safety issues in the region.
Standing Lithuania’s safety interests in international organisations
Special attention in various international forums and meetings was given to the neighbouring state of Belarus that is building a nuclear power plant on Ostrovets site, only 40 km away from Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. In various international formats questions were raised on the site selection and evaluation without taking into account potential impact on public and environmental, unfinished consultations with Lithuania, non-compliance of the design of the nuclear power plant under construction with important modern requirements, and ensuring an adequate level of safety culture in all the organisations engaged in the implementation of the new power plant project.
VATESI Annual Report 2016
