"There is always the probability of an accident"

Ecologists urge to refuse to load nuclear fuel to the floating nuclear power plant "Academician Lomonosov", which is supposed to be carried out 2 kilometers from the Hermitage. Experts are confident that this operation is radically dangerous and threatens the life and health of the inhabitants of the five millionth city, whose opinion in this case no one asked.

The floating nuclear power plant was built at the Baltic Plant near the city center, two kilometers from the St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Hermitage. The Academician Lomonosov nuclear power plant is intended for Chukotka, but in fact, until it sailed there, it is a nuclear object in St. Petersburg, and according to the law, public hearings should have passed before its construction, which, like an environmental examination, did not conduct. Environmentalists and public figures, who recall that back in the 90s, were prohibited from the city’s core in the city, were prohibited against loading nuclear fuel. Rashid Alimov, the head of the Greenpeace Russia Energy Program, believes that the floating nuclear power plants, in principle, are too expensive and too dangerous.

The historical center is densely populated, here even the idea of an accident should be excluded

- We ourselves did not believe that this project would be embodied - it was criticized by ecologists, economists, nuclear people, it is absurd in many respects. For a long time, the money was spent, the deadlines were shifted, it was not clear what it would lead to, but at the end of last year it became known that the "Rosatom" was going to launch atomic reactors at the Baltic Plant in the city center. We believe that this exposes the inhabitants of the city unjustified risk. Previously, there were rules prohibiting the presence of any nuclear power plant closer than 100 kilometers from such large cities, but not so long ago these rules were canceled - apparently, because from the LAS to St. Petersburg there have long been no 100 kilometers. But still it is worth comparing - here we are not about 100 kilometers, from this floating nuclear power plant to the mining institute only 500 meters, probably. The historical center is densely populated, here even the idea of the accident must be excluded. Therefore, we already wrote to the governor - we believe that in 2014 he should not have approved for such work. In addition, according to the law, such operations at the Baltic Plant requires coordination with the city, plans for evacuation and response in the case of emergency incidents - we also asked the city authorities about this.

- And how did you manage to build a floating nuclear power plant in the center of St. Petersburg without public hearings?

- There are many oddities. For example, it does not have a territorial planning scheme in the field of energy in an approved government, although all power plants should be reflected there. We believe that all Russian legislation related to nuclear power plants should be applied to the floating nuclear power plant, with the exception of regulations, which directly states that they are not for floating nuclear power plants. But all legislation on the assessment of environmental impact, in our opinion, should be applied to a floating nuclear power plant, but in this case this was not done. Moreover, they do not have a license for operation-apparently they are going to ever receive it through Rostekhnadzor. And we believe that they, like any nuclear power plant, should receive several licenses, including construction in St. Petersburg. As we know, this was not done. It is clear that builders at the Baltic Plant have a license, but the object itself should be licensed.

- But does this floating nuclear power plant need at all - after all, there are publications that there is now such a low electricity consumption that even existing capacities are excessive.

- Indeed, the big question is why this Chukotka nuclear power plant, but Rosatom does not hide that this is a promising export development. Before entering foreign markets, you need to try this project at home. This will be the current model that can be presented to foreign customers. A floating nuclear power plant will have to carry on board the spent nuclear fuel, but once every 12 years it will have to be overloaded, and this will occupy several months - what will Chukotka do at that time? Probably a little irresponsible to make the inhabitants of Chukotka hostages of such a situation. We believe that on the coast of Chukotka it is quite possible to use renewable energy sources - it is clear that windmills work uninterruptedly.

The accident at the Japanese NPP Fukushima forced some countries to abandon atomic energy

The former long -term expert of Bellona, and now an independent expert in the field of nuclear energy, Alexei Schukin considers the project of a floating nuclear power plant not only strange, but also extremely dangerous. His confidence is based on experience - for more than 30 years, Alexei Schukin worked on atomic icebreakers.

You can take the nuclear power plant to Murmansk or Arkhangelsk, where there are bases for the repair and reloading of atomic objects, there it would be much safer there

- The probability of an accident at the nuclear power plant always exists, no matter what the state corporation "Rosatom" says. Otherwise, after Fukushima, no one would engage in improving the security system at nuclear facilities. The installation that we now have at a floating nuclear power plant was essentially developed in the 60s, since then it has undergone a lot of changes. For the first time it was installed on the icebreaker "Lenin", and then on other atomic icebreakers. Then she was somewhat modernized, called the KLT-40-s, in this form it is now installed at a floating nuclear power plant. The accident can occur for technical reasons, the main one is the flow of the first circuit. They are of two types: in the cut -off areas - and then it is still fixable, because the flowing site can simply be cut off, but if the radioactive water of the first circuit flowed into unrefined pipelines, then it can spread throughout the vessel. And if the flow is large, then the pumps may not cope with it, there will be a drainage of the active zone and terrible consequences. And periodically such leaks occur. But still the most dangerous is the human factor. Yes, the crew and the “floels” and the icebreakers regularly undergo medical control, including with the psychologist. But these examinations are held once a year. And a person has different situations - a week after a medical examination there may be discord in the family - and a person becomes uncontrollable. On the icebreaker, the automation system is very reliable, everything is duplicated there, but still if a person wants to an accident on an nuclear installation, he will always make it. Therefore, I believe that there is no need to risk and load the reactor in the center of a huge city is very dangerous. You can take the nuclear power plant to Murmansk or Arkhangelsk, where there are bases for the repair and reloading of atomic objects, there it would be much safer.

- And what do you think this is not done?

- This is an interesting question. All decisions are made at the very top, and they are constantly convinced there - everyone is under control, Rostekhnadzor holds a hand on the pulse, and all that. It seems to me that there, upstairs, just no one wants to think and make responsible decisions.

The floating "nuclear power plant" works like the power installation of an atomic icebreaker

Oleg Bodrov, Chairman of the Public Environmental Council of the Gulf of Finland, Oleg Bodrov, believes that a floating nuclear power plant, as a pilot project of its type, requires thorough checks and tests.

The experience of testing ship installations suggests that there may be unforeseen situations

- Unfortunately, these inspections were planned to be carried out directly in the center of St. Petersburg, but the experience of testing ship installations suggests that there may be unforeseen situations. For example, in 1972, tests of the ship nuclear energy installation at the Research Institute in the city of Sosnovy Bor at 40 kilometers from St. Petersburg were tested. During the tests, the active zone burned down, the tightness of the reactor was violated, but according to the data that were later published, this did not lead to the release of radioactivity into the environment, which looks a little strange - after all, the tightness of the reactor was disturbed. When an analysis of the causes of this accident was carried out, it turned out that at that time some factors were manifested that could not be predicted before the tests. Scientists, designers could not foresee this. And in 1979, during the testing of a ship installation, an explosion occurred at the same institute, the building was destroyed, and two people died. Both of these cases at that time had the status of state secrets, only much later the results were published. Tests always check the safety settings laid down by designers, but the tests do not always end as the designers expect - emergency situations are possible. Unfortunately, legislative norms have not yet been developed for the first Russian floating nuclear power plant that would prescribe such tests. I think that in the near future it should be worked out in detail. But I am in doubt about the advisability of conducting such tests in the center of a huge city. Of course, this is not a completely new installation, similar were already experienced, but life shows that even the technique in which the designers are quite sure can present surprises.

- And where can such tests be carried out?

- I think, not only outside of St. Petersburg, but even outside the Baltic region. Moreover, this nuclear power plant is intended for Chukotka, and, probably, it must be tested in the region with a less dense population. In any case, not in the center of 5 millionth St. Petersburg. It seems strange to me the behavior of our legislators, which refused to request the information and evidence of the safety of these tests. As a resident of the Baltic region, I would like to receive such evidence - understandable to the public and the authorities. Today there is no such evidence. After each accident, new standards were developed. After the Chernobyl accident, it was decided that nuclear power plants with a capacity of more than 2 million kilowatts should not be closer than 100 kilometers to large cities. Other distances were determined for other capacities stations, and this was quite justified. The pine forest, located 1000 kilometers from Chernobyl, covered radioactive rain, and it was impossible to protect against it. Nevertheless, even in the presence of such restrictions, they began to build LAS-2 40 kilometers from St. Petersburg. But as soon as criticism of construction began, this 100-kilometer standard was generally removed. This was done not to protect people, but to remove any barriers for the construction of nuclear power plants.

According to Oleg Bodrov, public discussions are needed about whether it is necessary to put into operation a floating nuclear power plant in St. Petersburg. Representatives of Rosatom, the city authorities, and environmental commissions of the legislative assemblies of the city and the region, as well as representatives of the public, should participate in these discussions. The ecologist believes that only with the close interaction of all these groups can the optimal solution be achieved, but so far “Rosatom”, regardless of anyone, is negotiating with the authorities at the federal level, and the opinion of ecologists and residents of the city is not taken into account at all.