Estonia obtains Belgian expertise for nuclear future plans
SCK CEN trains Estonia in emergency planning, radiological monitoring and safeguards
Estonia considers to build water-cooled Small Modular Reactors (SMR) – which will also be the first nuclear reactors on its territory. This project not only requires the facility itself to be constructed, but also an efficient monitoring programme, aligned nuclear emergency planning and a robust approach about safeguards. To prepare Estonia for this, SCK CEN organised an intensive three-day on-site workshop. “Introducing nuclear energy brings new responsibilities,” explains Uko Rand from the Environmental Board, Estonia's competent authority in the field of radiation safety. “The skills we need to master later on start with what we learn now. This training provided exactly what we needed and what the future demands of us.”
Estonia wants to diversify its energy mix and, as part of that initiative, is considering building water-cooled Small Modular Reactors (SMR). By doing that, the country will be taking an unprecedented step forward in its energy policy that will mark the advent of the first nuclear reactors for commercial power generation on Estonian territory. “A nuclear facility carries specific risks, and it is important for a country to be well prepared so that it is able to manage those risks. That in turn will require a number of well-thought-out additions to its existing measurement infrastructure and expertise and specific attention will need to be paid to emergency planning, radiological monitoring and safeguards,” said Klaas van der Meer, a Safety & Safeguards expert at SCK CEN.
For a country that is exploring the nuclear sector for the first time, clearly identifying the adaptations and adjustments needed is a challenge. “SCK CEN was at the cradle of nuclear power in Belgium. In other words, we know the path they are now on because we have been there before. That is why we reached out and offered to study the needs, requirements and priorities in detail,” continues Klaas van der Meer. Experts from SCK CEN are therefore going to impart their knowledge and experience to Estonia’s Environmental Board. In a statement, SCK CEN itself said: “We are proud that our experience can foster and give direction to nuclear safety in Estonia.”
An intensive, three-day workshop
SCK CEN experts travelled to Tallinn and organised an intensive, three-day workshop for Estonia’s Environmental Board. Twenty people from six different agencies attended the workshop. On each day of the event, one of the three themes was discussed and SCK CEN and Estonia’s Environmental Board worked together to thoroughly analyse the current situation and then work out which areas need to be expanded – while always keeping a keen eye on European legislation. “Take the monitoring programme, for example,” explained colleague Johan Camps. “Every country operates a programme of that type to monitor the quality of the air, water and soil. With the advent of SMRs, it is desirable to expand the existing programme. It will be a case of taking more samples around the facility, testing them specifically for certain radionuclides and increasing the density of the monitoring network.”
The same goes for emergency planning. Johan goes on: “Whereas the focus was previously directed at radiological incidents taking place in near-by countries, it is now shifting towards situations and citizens inside the territory of Estonia itself. And if we can dive into the technical aspect for a moment: we are determining the size of planning zones based on degrees of contamination and are tailoring effective measurement strategies and measurement devices accordingly." Finally, the experts carried out a detailed analysis of the safeguards approach with regard to the future plant. That approach is mandated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The workshop provided Estonia’s Environmental Board with valuable insights into IAEA's requirements so that future inspections by both IAEA and Euratom can proceed smoothly.
Estonia’s Environmental Board looks back with satisfaction: “The workshop was exactly what we needed: an interactive session where we could not only share theory, but also look at our own situation. The idea of organising a follow-up workshop is on the table. The aim is to go even deeper. We will take the map of the future site and draw everything out: from strategic monitoring points to sampling locations.”
Belgium – a treasure-trove of knowledge
How has Belgium actually been able to develop this expertise? SCK CEN plays a crucial role in nuclear safety in Belgium by improving measurement methods and forecasts and by assisting the government. The nuclear research centre continuously monitors airborne radioactivity levels and analyses air, water, soil and food samples. Whenever radiological incidents occur, SCK CEN joins forces with the federal measurement unit, while simultaneously advising the government on measurement strategies. In addition, it has also developed advanced atmospheric models to predict the spread of radioactivity over time, which is essential for effective crisis management.
An ABC of nuclear safety
In nuclear safety, terms such as emergency planning, radiological monitoring and safeguards are essential, but not interchangeable. Each concept plays a specific role:
- Radiological monitoring: Under normal circumstances, radioactive releases into the environment are limited because they are required to meet strict, regulatory standards. Compliance with those standards is monitored by the territory's radiological monitoring programme, which measures radioactivity in the environment and in food products. Radiological monitoring consists of a combination of measurement networks used to monitor radioactivity levels in real time and periodic sampling.
- Emergency planning: Whenever a radiological incident occurs, multiple actors at multiple levels of government work closely together. A rehearsed nuclear emergency plan ensures that the actions these actors take in order to protect the population and the environment are coordinated smoothly.
- Safeguards: Safeguards is understood to refer to the safety measures imposed and implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to safeguard nuclear material. The IAEA carries out stringent checks to ensure that nuclear material is used for peaceful applications only.
Support from FPS Economy
The project has received funding from the Belgian FPS Economy with the aim of underpinning nuclear safety in Central and Eastern Europe. It also forms part of a European programme in the field of international nuclear safety cooperation.
