Visit of Mr. Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General, Department of Safeguards, IAEA

Delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headed by Mr. Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General, Department of Safeguards, visited the National Nuclear Center of RK.

Working meeting was held following the visit to technical sites of the former Semipalatinsk test site and facilities of the National Nuclear Center of RK.

Opening the meeting, Mr. Erlan Batyrbekov, Director General of NNC RK expressed high appreciation of long cooperation with the IAEA, aimed at prevention of nuclear weapon proliferation. With the IAEA support, National Nuclear Center of RK had implemented important national tasks in nuclear weapon non-proliferation and nuclear power security. The projects include radioecological survey of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site, implementation of large-scale unique project to transport spent nuclear fuel of BN-350 reactor from Aktau to “Baikal-1” site. Another important point of cooperation with IAEA was extensive support in upgrading and conversion of the NNC RK research reactors to low-enriched uranium fuel. Thus, with direct involvement of the IAEA, NNC RK has upgraded information and measurement system at IVG.1M research reactor, assistance is provided in transporting HEU-fuel of IVG.1M reactor to Russian Federation, and methodic assistance in development of a unique technology for down-blending and utilization of irradiated uranium-graphite HEU-fuel of IGR reactor, not to mention many other projects.

Mr. Massimo Aparo, for his part, thanked NNC RK for the arrangements and provided possibility to visit facilities of the former Semipalatinsk test site. IAEA highly appreciates the results of the work performed to secure STS area. Also, the delegation was impressed with scientific and technical results of researches performed by NNC RK in nuclear power development and controlled thermonuclear fusion.