News

Nuclear storage facilities may be established in two Russian ports

Publish date: March 25, 2004

The Russian Nuclear Agency suggests to create facilities for radioactive waste and nuclear materials storage in the Finnish gulf (Ust-Luga) and in the Far East (Bolshoy Kamen).

The General Director of the new port in Ust-Luga near St Petersburg Valery Izrailit said that Ust-Luga port is on the list of the ports allowed to handle cargo of 7th class of hazard – nuclear fuel. He said it would not be reprocessed fuel, but the fuel, which is not dangerous for the people. One can assume he meant fresh nuclear fuel for nuclear reactors.


The approximate price of the project is $20m. It is expected that the turnover of the 7th class of hazard cargo will not exceed 50 tons. At the moment export and import of the nuclear materials and radioactive waste is carried out through St Petersburg port and the local storage facility Izotop. In the beginning of March the Finnish parliament sent a request to its government regarding the Russian plans on using Ust-Luga port for nuclear materials temporary storage and transportation as well as influence of this activity on the environmental situation in the region. It is mention in the request that the Finnish authorities are not aware of the project’s details.