News

Norway to fund decommisioning of two nuclear submarines

Publish date: May 13, 2003

Norway has sent a note through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposing to fund decommissioning of two multipurpose nuclear submarines in the Northern region of Russia.

“Now we are preparing official papers demonstrating positive answer of the Russian side and negotiating the contract,” Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Sergey Antipov was appointed by Chairman of the Russian Government Mikhail Kasianov the Co-Chair of Russia-Norway Cooperation Commission. The Commission was created on August 13th, 1998, led by former Deputy Minister V. Lebedev who is now replaced by Mr. Antipov. The Russia-Norway cooperation in nuclear and radiation safety is backed-up by the bilateral agreement and ongoing contracts dealing with rehabilitation of the site in Adreeva Bay where irradiated fuel from retired nuclear subs generated during years of operation. The activities will include continuation of ongoing projects as well as replacement of radioisotope power sources, which supply electricity to lighthouses and other means of navigation with other power sources (solar, wind). Antipov said that Norway also participates in the trilateral military-and-environmental cooperation (AMEC) which involves the US. “We have done a number of works under this cooperation to include development of liquid and solid radwaste reprocessing facilities, manufacturing a series of containers and building of temporary storage sites for containers with irradiated nuclear fuel.” He explained that this is a rather extensive program and it would be continued. In addition, Norway plays the leading role among the western partners to work out the multilateral agreement on nuclear and environmental cooperative program in the North West of Russia (MNEPR). “Completing this agreement will allow expanding and promoting cooperation in this field”, Antipov added.