News
Publish date: August 13, 1997
Written by: Thomas Nilsen
News
According to an official from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the lost container held a lead capsule of 2,5 kg containing Strontium-90. Today a special vessel of the Pacific Fleet went out to salvage the container which lies 20 meters below the ocean surface.
Meanwhile on the Kola peninsula, one of the light-houses equipped with a similar Strontium power source is to be re-equipped with a solar powered energy generator on August 15. The project was initiated and funded by Norwegian county Finmark. The total spendings were 266,000 Nok, plus 7,000 USD in taxes.
All in all, the Northern Fleet operates some 2000 lighthouses. More than 100 of these are powered by Strontium-batteries (they’re called RTGs, as in RadioisotopeThermo Generators, producing electricity from the heat of the radioactive matter). In the area of the Kola Peninsula there are located 47 RTG-powered lighthouses.
An accident aboard numerous Volgoneft oil tankers in the Kerch in mid December clearly show what can happen to aged ships when they are operated in bad weather—and when economic and military objectives are prioritized over the lives of crews and environmental safety.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
A visit last week by Vladimir Putin and a Kremlin entourage to Astana, Kazakhstan sought in part to put Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, on good footing with local officials.