Belarus’ NPP to be operated by domestic and foreign specialists

MINSK, 22 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian nuclear power plant will be operated jointly by Belarusian and foreign specialists, Director of the Nuclear Energy Department of the Energy Ministry of the Republic of Belarus Nikolai Grusha said on 22 March during an online conference on the BelTA website.

Belarusian specialists will make up the bulk of the NPP staff. About 70 foreign experts having extensive experience in NPP operation will be hired to work in key positions. In line with the general contract for the NPP construction, the operating staff will be trained by Russian experts in Belarus and at nuclear power plants in Russia.

The work will be structured into three parts. The first stage spans two years and provides for the development of a detailed staff schedule based on the NPP construction schedule. After that the legal framework regulating requirements for the operating staff will be developed and operating personnel will be hired.

The second stage deals with commissioning and staffing of the training center. During this stage the personnel for the first power generating unit will be hired in line with the staff schedule. The second stage will conclude when the first unit will become operational.

The third stage provides for training of the operating staff for the second unit and development of the further human resources management strategy taking into consideration the development of nuclear power energy.

Belarus is working to create the national personnel training system for its nuclear power plant. In 2008 Belarus launched a government program to train nuclear energy specialists. The program is implemented in the Belarusian State University, the Belarusian National Technical University, the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics and the International Sakharov Environmental University. Students majoring in nuclear energy are sent for internships to Russia and Ukraine; the teaching staff and scientists receive training at universities abroad.