Ukraine and International Partners Define Next Steps for NSC Restoration

The restoration of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) following its damage caused by the russian attack and further strengthening of Ukraine’s nuclear and radiation safety system were the main topics of the international events held in Thessaloniki, Greece.

As part of the visit, an international round table on NSC restoration and a regular review meeting of the Cooperation Programme between the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS), and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) were held.

Representatives of Ukrainian and international organizations participated in the discussions, including ChNPP, the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), NOVARKA, the University of Bristol, as well as the regulatory authorities of Sweden and Finland.

“NSC restoration is an unprecedented challenge requiring combination of engineering solutions, regulatory flexibility, and broad international cooperation. Only consolidation of efforts by all involved parties will allow ensuring an adequate safety level of the facility in the long term,” noted Yuliia Yesypenko, Head of the International Projects Department at the SSTC NRS.

According to her, these issues became the subject of detailed discussion during the international round table. The participants reviewed current technical condition of the facility, implementation of urgent measures, engineering challenges, regulatory aspects of restoration, and mechanisms for international support. Particular attention was paid to regulatory decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, restoration of NSC safety functions, and effective interaction between the operator, regulatory body, regulator’s technical support organization, and international partners.

In addition, SNRIU and SSTC NRS representatives presented the results of activities under the ARCH Project of the DSA–SNRIU Cooperation Programme at the round table. In particular, the participants were informed about the insights on adapting the regulatory framework to operating conditions of the damaged NSC, developing the safety guide, and providing technical support during the review of the facility restoration measures.

During the regular review meeting, the partners summarized the implementation of ongoing projects and discussed priorities for further cooperation. In particular, the discussions covered radioactive waste management, radiation monitoring, emergency preparedness and response, safe transport of radioactive materials, radiation safety in the medical field, knowledge management, nuclear security, and post-war recovery challenges.

Summarizing the cooperation, the parties noted significant achievements of the DSA – SNRIU Programme. During its implementation, 52 projects were implemented, and 18 Ukrainian NRS regulations were developed and put into force. These achievements have made an important contribution to strengthening the national system of the state nuclear and radiation safety regulation.

During the meeting, the participants also discussed further feedback of international experience gained under the Cooperation Programme and noted the growing interest of the international professional community in Ukraine’s experience in nuclear and radiation safety under wartime conditions.

Particular attention was given to the new initiatives of the Cooperation Programme, in particular the ALIGNMENT and STRATEGY Projects aimed at improving the national safety infrastructure and regulatory framework, as well as preparation of the EQUIPMENT 2 Project to strengthen the capabilities for independent radiation monitoring.

A separate highlight of the event was the presentation of the appreciation letter by the Deputy Director for International Activities at the SSTC NRS Oleksandr Pecherytsia from the Commander of the Support Forces of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to DSA representative Katarzyna Siegień. The award served as a recognition of her personal contribution into the development of Ukrainian–Norwegian cooperation and support for Ukraine under conditions of full-scale war.

Following the outcomes of the event, the parties confirmed their readiness for further cooperation and emphasized that international partnership remains one of the key factors in strengthening Ukraine’s system of state regulation of nuclear and radiation safety in the context of war and the country’s future recovery.

According to SSTC NRS