Nuclear Physicist-Scientists are going to Complete Survey of the Former Test Site by 2021

It has been 27 years since the closure of Semipalatinsk Test Site, but the issue on improving the environment is still urgent. The problem is serious, and specialists from the National Nuclear Center of RK make great efforts as to considerably decrease the impact of radiation.

Erlan Batyrbekov, Director General of RSE NNC RK, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, gave an interview to our portal and told what have already been achieved in this area.

— Kazakhstani Mass Media write a lot about the activity of the National Nuclear Center in terms of the guarantee of radioecological safety on the lands of Semipalatinsk Test Site (hereafter as STS). How much time will it be needed in order to solve the issue on radiation situation improvement at the former STS?

— Radiation situation assessment at the former Semipalatinsk Test Site has been conducting since 1994. In the beginning, discrete survey was carried out. There was lack of trained personnel, equipment and financing.

In course of time, these problems were solved, and since 2004 the test site has been surveying on constant basis.

A Program “Security Provision at the Former Semipalatinsk Test Site” was developed and approved and it is still operational. 

Erlan Batyrbekov, Director General of RSE NNC RK,

More than 56% of the former test site have been surveyed.

To date, within the framework of the Program, a comprehensive ecological survey of the part of test site 10410 km2 in area (56.3% from the total test site area) has been carried out, and “Balapan” test site of 770 km2 in area has been also studied.

Upon the results of conducted survey, it is determined, that the territory in total area of 9970.45 km2 contains technogenic radionuclides at global fallouts background level and, hence does not represent any hazard for population and environment, therefore can be used in economical purposes without limitation. To eliminate the testing consequences, operations were initiated on reclamation of the most contaminated areas at “Experimental Field” and “Degelen” sites. Contaminated soil of ~70 m3 in volume was excavated with its further storage at the territory of “Baikal-1” repository.

At the territories adjacent to the areas mentioned 5.05 km2, radioactive contamination reduction was ensured by means of deep plowing.

The most contaminated near portal areas of 40 tunnels 0.065 km2 were backfilled with clean soil at the territory of “Degelen” site.

Semipalatinsk Test Site survey

Access Control System was created to restrict access to the nuclear testing areas within “Experimental Field” and “Degelen” sites, and radioactive warfare agents (RWA) testing areas within “4” and “4A” sites.

In 2021, in the year of celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it is planning to complete the comprehensive environmental survey of the entire test site territory, which can be transferred to ownership or land use.

It is also planning to allocate the territories, that can be used with some limitations, and territories, that should be remained as reserve lands.

Thus, by 2021 information will be obtained enabling to determine STS boundaries in accordance with existing radioecological situation.

Remedial Actions

— What activities are you planning to conduct for contaminated lands remediation?

— The Program “Remediation Measures for Radioactively Contaminated Areas at the Former Semipalatinsk Test Site” was developed with the purpose to continue operations on elimination the testing consequences, limitation of physical access to radioactively contaminated objects and radioactive contamination elimination or its level reductions at the most hazardous areas.

The current Program is designed for 9 years and aimed at environment improvement in areas affected by nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk Test Site.

Rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated lands will include the following complex of actions:

• Radioactive wastes extraction with further placing to special storage, that is planned to be constructed at the test site,
• Deep plowing with soil layer overturn and steppe plant seeds cropping,
• Construction of physical barriers in form of trenches and fences with barbed wire,
• Installation of warning signs and creation of radiation monitoring systems.

However, it must be understood, that full recovery of lands is impossible and inappropriate.

Testing sites will forever remain as part of reserve lands, access to them will be limited.

These territories will become the area of constant control execution through radiation monitoring system and scientific research.

The content of radionuclides in natural environment and radiation dose for population beyond the territories under control will not exceed the standards established in RK.

Test Site – is a unique object, that allows scientists from Kazakhstan to study the long-term consequences of environment radioactive contamination caused by both nuclear testing and various emergency situations occurring.

NPP as an ideal option

— Why do you think our society has formed a negative attitude towards the construction of NPP in Kazakhstan? And does the country need a Nuclear Power Plant today?

— If one constructs NPP using the best international practice, possessing necessary knowledge, trained qualified personnel of scientists, designers, builders and established professional operating organizations, there is no reasons to believe, that Kazakhstan should definitely have a negative experience in creation of national nuclear power. Moreover, basing on the accumulated international experience, national nuclear power can be developed on the highest level of safety and economic efficiency, if we use both positive and negative lessons, learnt by humanity during atomic nucleus energy mastering.

NPPs due to their specific features of operation modes, are an ideal option for task solution on basic capacities creation in electric power industry.

Where to find personnel for industry?

— Today many graduates are wondering where to go. Which Kazakhstani universities do prepare young human resources for nuclear power?

— Availability of qualified personnel is an important aspect for successful development of any industry and in particular such a specific one as nuclear power industry.

As for new personnel training for Kazakhstan’s nuclear industry, the National Nuclear Center actively cooperates with Kazakh Universities.

5 branches of university departments are successfully functioning on the basis of our organization. We organize lectures and traineeships for bachelor, master and doctoral students under the supervision of our highly qualified members.

Leading scientists of NNC are members of the State Attestation Commission for accepting exams, diploma projects and dissertation defending.

Mainly students from East Kazakhstan Universities come to NNC: Shakarim State University (Semey), Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan State University, D. Serikbayev East-Kazakhstan State Technical University.

NNC also accepts students from other cities of Kazakhstan and Russia, studying in related areas such as “Nuclear Physics”, “Applied Physics”, “Instrumentation”, “Material Science and Technology of New Materials”, “Ecology” and etc. And many of them later come to work in NNC RK.

University Department branches functioning on NNC basis enables our young scientists to pass training in PhD doctorate on part-time basis, using the unique experimental base for their studies, including research nuclear reactors, experimental facilities and modern analytical equipment.

Yugeniy Skaley

To be continued

Photo is presented by NNC RK Press Service

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