Memorial Stele has been Installed at the Territory of the Former Semipalatinsk Test Site

Memorial Stele has been installed at the territory of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in honor of cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the United States of America on implementation of one of the large-scale projects – to bring the “Experimental Field” site to a safe condition. Ceremony of stele opening was hold on August 18, 2021 with participation of specialists from the National Nuclear Center of RK and Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the US Department of Defense.

“Experimental Field” – is a site, where 116 air and above-ground nuclear tests were carried out, including the first nuclear device testing on August 29, 1949.

Provisionally since 2013 specialists of NNC RK had been conducting researches at “Experimental Field” site for 5 years: above 2 million of spectrometric measurements were made, more than 5000 samples were collected and analyzed, more than 1000 investigation boreholes, containing residues of nuclear activity (RONA), were drilled and over 50 objects, containing residues of nuclear activity (RONA) were detected. The further rehabilitation work was carried out and was finally completed in 2020.

A number of objects were remediated by removing contaminated topsoil containing high concentrations of nuclear activity residues (RONA) with its subsequent processing according to specially developed methods and its placing in long-term storage under IAEA safeguards.

Special protective structures were constructed at the objects, where remediation was impossible due to personnel safety reasons. The structure excludes any unauthorized access to the object without the use of heavy machinery, and in case if intruders use heavy machinery, the structures ensure object protection within the time which would be enough for interrupting the activity.

To provide additional protection, NNC RK specialists completed construction of multilevel security system at all RONA containing objects of “Experimental Field” site. The systems suggest multilevel defense-in-depth, taking into account previous experience of constructing and operating security systems at other STS objects, like “Degelen” site.

NNC RK was responsible for performance of all work stages at the “Experimental Field” site in cooperation with representatives and experts from US Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The efforts made were highly acknowledged by Agency’s and IAEA experts, and RF “Rosatom” specialists.

Therefore, at the present time, safety is ensured to all RONA containing objects and those located at the “Experimental Field” site, the sites are guarded and pose no threat.

Kazakhstan once again demonstrated effective international cooperation aimed at reduction of global threat and non-proliferation regime support.