Belarus is moving to the next strategic stage of developing its nuclear infrastructure. As early as next year, the country plans to ensure the development of the architectural project for a radioactive waste disposal site (RADW), as well as conducting all necessary state expert reviews.

Details of the large-scale project were shared by Nikolai Mikhailov, deputy director of the Department of Nuclear Energy of the Ministry of Energy, at the Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum.

Three contenders: where will the object be located?

One of the main questions concerning the public is the exact location of the future republican disposal site. At present, three alternative sites in different regions of the country are being considered for the placement of this complex engineering object:

• Khomyk District (Gomel Region)
• Ostrovets District (Grodno Region)
• Mstislavsky District (Mogilev Region)

The final decision has not yet been made. The selection of a specific location will be made by a specially created state commission at the government level of the Republic of Belarus. This will happen only after the OVOS (environmental impact assessment) procedure is fully completed.

The detailed implementation schedule of the project is laid out in detail. Between 2028 and 2030, specialists will need to develop the construction project, after which construction will begin, followed by commissioning and ongoing maintenance of the facility.

Multi-barrier protection: close partnership with Russia

The creation of infrastructure for the long-term and safe storage of radioactive waste is being carried out in close interaction with Russian colleagues from the state corporation "Rosatom". In particular, the Belarusian enterprise "BelRAO" has concluded several agreements with JSC "TVEL" and the Russian Federal Nuclear Company (NRC) for the handling of radioactive waste.

Russian partners