News
Publish date: June 3, 1999
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
Cogema Technologies, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Cogema Inc., was awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Energy Technology to design and supply two solid waste treatment and conditioning systems for the Zvezdochka and Zvezda shipyards in northern and eastern Russia. Both shipyards are heavily involved in decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines.
The project is a part of the Co-operative Threat Reduction program. The program was commissioned in 1991 by the U.S. Congress to help secure former Soviet weapons of mass destruction. One of the program’s objectives is to aid Russia to dismantle ballistic missile submarines and secure spent fuel and waste, deriving from the decommissioning operations.
Zvezdochka shipyard, Archangel County, had a solid waste incineration facility built in early 80-s. The facility was capable of processing non-metal waste (plastics, rags), but has never been in full operation. In late 80-s it was practically taken out of service.
The new facility will include a solid waste sorting glove box, a scrap metal decontamination system, size reduction equipment, and a compactor for non-metal waste.
Throughout the past year, our mission at the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center has focused on two key, but intertwined issues—nuclear and radiation safety as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the worldwide influence of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, which itself is actively involved in the war and has participated in the occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
At the beginning of the year, reports in the German and Russian press suggested an approximate 70% increase in uranium imports from Russia to Germany in 2024. But does this reflect broader European trends? It does not. Overall, imports of uranium and nuclear fuel from Russia to Western countries actually dropped sharply in 2024. Unlike the situation in Germany, this is already an established trend.
A Lingen, Germany plant could begin producing nuclear fuel in cooperation with a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, which is directly involved in the war in Ukraine and occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
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.