Nuclear and radiation safety

The Republic of Belarus decided to implement the first nuclear energy program in 2007, at the same time the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Ministry for Emergency Situations (Gosatomnadzor) as the national regulator in the field of nuclear and radiation safety was established.

In addition to Gosatomnadzor a number of other governmental agencies and organizations are involved in ensuring nuclear and radiation safety.

The system of nuclear and radiation safety in the Republic of Belarus is characterized by:

centralized state policy;
unconditional compliance with the requirements of the IAEA to ensure nuclear and radiation safety;
licensing of activities related to the use of atomic energy and the circulation of ionizing radiation sources;
strict control and accounting of nuclear materials and ionizing radiation sources;
independence of state regulation, control and supervision in nuclear and radiation safety from state administration in the field of the use of atomic energy, ionizing radiation sources.

Activities on the use of atomic energy in the Republic of Belarus are based on the principles of:

priority of protecting the life and health of living and future generations of citizens, environmental protection over all other aspects of activities on the use of atomic energy;
ensuring the excess of benefits for citizens and society from the use of atomic energy over the harm that may be caused by activities for the use of atomic energy;
ensuring nuclear and radiation safety;
compensation for damage caused by the harmful effects of ionizing radiation or activities related to the use of atomic energy;
the provision of complete, reliable and timely information related to the activities of the use of atomic energy;
a ban on the production of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.