Problems of Nuclear Power Use in Belarus

Acknowledgements

Publication of this brochure is supported by the W. Alton Jones Foundation.

The group of authors acknowledges with gratitude the contribution of:

  • The international Non-Governmental Organization ECOLOGIA
  • The Institute of Radiation Safety "Belrad" in the person of director, professor V.B.Nesterenko
  • The Center of Radiation Control and Environmental Monitoring in the person of I.I.Matvienko, M.G.Germenchuk, O.M.Zhukova
  • The state concern "Belenergo" in the person of L.P.Botyan and V.I.Maklakov
  • I.N.Smolyar

Foreword

Dear reader!

If you ever thought how the heat and light appear in your house, you definitely know this complex situation with fuel and energy resources that was formed in our country. Some experts think that construction of nuclear power plant can provide the way out of the current situation; another propose to use the domestic sources more extensively, including non-traditional resources. In this brochure we tried to present both state and NGOs opinions. The main task of this publication is to form the public opinion on the issues of nuclear power use in Belarus. We hope that the information provided here will allow you to get a quite comprehensive picture of the issue.

Besides, you can find in this brochure the information needed for general public. Taking into account the dominating "Chernobyl" topics among the main environmental problems in Belarus, the group of authors included the recommendations for adults and children living on the territories contaminated with radionuclides into the brochure, as well as advice on self-dependent ensuring of the radiation safety in case of the accident at the nuclear object.

Contents

  1. Acknowledgement
  2. Foreword
  3. Project of the International Non-Governmental Organization ECOLOGIA
  4. Section 1. Energy sector in Belarus: prospects
    4.1 Prospects of power engineering development in Belarus
    4.2 Conclusion of the Commission on the assessment of expediency of nuclear power development in the Republic of Belarus
  5. Section 2. In case of an accident at a nuclear object: how to protect yourselves and your children
    5.1 System of population warning about the emergencies
    5.2 Automated system of early warning about the radiation situation around Ignalina NPP in Belarus
    5.3 Protection against radiation injury: recommendations for the population under the threat of radioactive contamination of the territory
    5.4 Recommendations for children living on the territories contaminated with radionuclides
    5.5 Recommendations for parents of for children living on the territories contaminated with radionuclides
  6. Additional sources of information on the issue
    6.1 Sources of information in the Internet
    6.2 Printed sources of information (resources of Minsk Open Environmental Library of ECOLINE)

The full text of this publication is available in Russian on this website. We are making this brief English-language translation available so that English speakers could learn about information distributed through the Nuclear Communities project. Some of the documents about radiation-protection, as well as other information about how citizens can protect themselves from radiation after an accidental release of radiation, can be found in English at another ECOLOGIA website: Nuclear Power Plant Accidents: A Guide for Informed Citizen Response.

ECOLOGIA
Fall 2000

Last updated: March 2001         Please make comments & report problems to the Webmaster