Draft intergovernmental agreement with Russia on spent nuclear fuel management approved

The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has approved a draft intergovernmental agreement on co-operation with the Russian Federation in the field of spent nuclear fuel management, with the corresponding Decree No. 406 signed by the Head of State on November 17th – as reported in the Belarusian leader’s press service

The draft agreement has been approved as a basis for negotiations. The Energy Ministry is empowered to negotiate and sign an agreement when a deal is reached within the approved project.

This draft international agreement establishes a mechanism for the import of irradiated fuel assemblies of nuclear reactors to Russia for temporary technological storage with subsequent processing, as well as the return of radioactive waste to Belarus. The draft agreement ensures Belarus’ guarantees on the acceptance of radioactive waste and the readiness of the infrastructure necessary for their acceptance and safe handling.

The signing of the agreement will make it possible, as a result of the processing of radioactive waste, to reduce their volume in comparison with the direct disposal of spent fuel.