News
Publish date: March 24, 2004
News
The Russian State Nuclear Regulatory performed 299 inspections to reveal the level of nuclear sites physical protection and detected 175 violations in 2003. In 2002 and 2003 only one violation of class A was registered, which led to overexposure of the testing operators and three radiation incidents concerning excess of the radiation control levels during operation with radioactive substances.
According to Malyshev, the Russian nuclear plants experienced rise in the number of the violations from 39 in 2002 to 51 in 2003. Malyshev assumed that this rise is connected with the 4.6% increase of energy generation at the nuclear plants. He also stated that unit no.1 of the Kursk NPP was launched without proper adjusting of the operating licence. An investigation was conducted and the measures were taken added Malyshev.
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.