Reducing risks through regulatory cooperation: a review of bilateral regulatory cooperation between the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority and corresponding authorities in countries of the former Soviet Union.

Abstract

The Norwegian government has maintained a plan of action on nuclear safety and security for over 25 years. The need for such a plan grew from extensive nuclear activities during the Cold War, both civil and military, that led eventually to significant amounts of radioactive waste (RW) and nuclear material being stored in unsafe conditions in Northwest Russia. As part of the program to implement the plan of action, the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority has maintained a program of bilateral regulatory cooperation with corresponding authorities in countries of the former Soviet Union for over 25 years. This paper reviews the background to that regulatory program, identifies the main radiologically hazardous objects and the related regulatory challenges, and then documents how bilateral cooperation has contributed to the substantial progress made in risk reduction. The review then considers how bilateral work has contributed to and benefitted from sharing results and experience with international partners and draws conclusions and lessons for future work. The primary conclusion is that bilateral regulatory cooperation has supported reduction of radiation and nuclear risks at a range of complex legacy sites and facilities in countries of the former Soviet Union. Key to this process has been a clear strategy to help build and maintain an up-to-date, robust and independent regulatory process. Only with well-coordinated regulatory bodies with clear responsibilities and functions is it possible to address the diverse threats effectively. Among the most radiologically significant sites and facilities where risk has been significantly reduced or eliminated are the LEPSE spent fuel and RW storage vessel, the site for temporary storage for spent fuel and RW at Andreeva Bay, and the very large radio-isotope thermo-electric generators sources previously used in navigational devices all across the Russian arctic coastline. Noting the clear potential for transboundary impacts, this represents a substantial regional benefit. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022, the bilateral cooperation activities with Russian authorities ceased. Using the successfully developed regulatory working methods and experience gained in Russia, substantial regulatory enhancement has also been achieved in countries of Central Asia and Ukraine, commencing in 2008 and 2014 respectively. Continuing such support in Ukraine, in the face of new regulatory challenges arising due to the full-scale Russian invasion, remains a high priority for the DSA within the Norwegian Nansen program.