Incident reported at Belarus nuclear plant
Nuclear plant in Astravyets suffered a technical incident that put the facility out of operation, according to sources of the independent media outlet TUT.by.
Image source: LRT
Belarus, Astravyets: Belarus’ nuclear plant in Astravyets, some 50 km from Vilnius, suffered a technical incident that put the facility out of operation, according to sources of the country’s independent media outlet TUT.by.
Lithuania’s transmission system operator, Litgrid, confirmed that the plant has been out of operation since Sunday midday. The nuclear plant started producing electricity on 3 November, just five days before the incident.
Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko took part in the opening of the plant on 6 November, where he said the launch of the Astravyets NPP was as “ordinary” as building a metro.
According to sources at TUT.by, several voltage-measuring transformers outside of the nuclear reactor exploded during the incident.
On 9 November, the Belarusian Energy Ministry said that “a need to replace the measuring equipment arose” during testing.
The radiation levels in Lithuania are normal, according to Ramunė Stasiūnaitienė from the country’s Radiation Protection Centre.
“Residents have no reason to be concerned or take their iodide tablets,” she stated.
Lithuania’s State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) said the plant is still undergoing testing. However, “we have also received no information about the next steps to launch the plant”, said VATESI in a written comment.
Lithuania has been one of the most ardent critics of the nuclear plant built by the Russian state atomic corporation Rosatom and funded by a loan from the Kremlin.
Vilnius says the plant is unsafe and was built in breach of international safety standards. Minsk denies all allegations.
To prepare for the launch of the plant, Lithuania has staged evacuation drills in the border areas, located less than 20 km from the nuclear plant. The country has also ceased all electricity trade with Belarus, a move that Moscow called “discriminatory”.
The Baltic states are gearing up to switch from the Russian-controlled BRELL electricity grid that also includes Belarus, and synchronise with the continental European system by 2025.
Source: Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija