Belarusian Nuclear Mishap Shows Soviet-Like Secrecy Still Rules

[Rogue Valley]

Belarusian Nuclear Mishap Shows Soviet-Like Secrecy Still Rules

August 03, 2016

Reactor site is about 18km from the town of Ostrovets in in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus and about 45km from Vilnius, Lithuania

Thirty years after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in neighboring Ukraine, Belarus, which saw a quarter of its territory contaminated in the world's worst nuclear accident, is building its first energy plant powered by the atom. However, mounting mishaps at the site in Astravets are raising concerns over safety not least in Lithuania whose capital, Vilnius, lies less than 50 kilometers from the site. Making matters worse is the Belarusian authorities' opaque response, an uncomfortable echo of the Soviet Union's initial silence after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Will be built by Atomstroyexport which is a subsidiary of Atomenergoprom. Oversight is by the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom. These entities are supported financially by the Russian government.

I've been to Chernobyl and it is quite eerie. I certainly hope the Russian/Belarus construction firms tighten up their process here.