Scientists against Nuclear Blackmail

Authoritative Belarusian scientists have initiated the movement For Non-nuclear Belarus. Among them there are Professor Heorhi Lepin and the candidates of technical sciences Yahor Fiadziushyn and Viktar Yushko. They intend to oppose to the politically motivated decision of the Belarusian authorities on building a nuclear power plant in the country. 

Yahor Fiadziushyn: ‘Who will utilize 440 reactors?’

One of the initiators of the movement is the nuclear physicist, candidate of technical sciences Yahor Fiadziushyn. He knows is well familiar with the problems of nuclear energy, because during the Soviet Rule he was a member of the Coordinative council of physics of radiation damages of the State Committee on Nuclear Energy of the USSR. His vision of the aim of the new movement is: ‘to equally protect Belarus from ‘Chernobyl hell’ and ‘nuclear heaven’’. 

‘The authorities ignore the development of science as such. They are living in the last century and ground their plans on the information which is five years old. During the price of the fuel became seven times higher! They don’t’ take it into consideration.’

Journalist: ‘At the official level it is stated that nuclear power stations are constructed all over the world and the branch is flourishing again…’ 

‘It’s all nonsense. Nuclear power stations are constructed in the so-called ‘developing countries’, to which these technologies are dumped. The IAEA and the nuclear states – the USA, Russia and France use nuclear blackmail, so to say, in order to sell their production. They have produced so many substances! I am not against the working nuclear power plants. Let them work their resource out. However, then there will appear the problem of their utilization. Where can one place them? There are 440 reactors in the world, and the countries that own them don’t know how to utilize them. Our descendents will have to decide what to do with this heritage, and it is really much dirt.’

H.Lepin: ‘Nuclear energy is the most expensive’

Scientists proposed to establish a commission for evaluation of the expediency of development of the nuclear energy in Belarus. The doctor of technical sciences, professor Lepin is convinced in the necessity of such step, because it is impossible to find the truth from representatives of the nuclear industry who are interested in development of such kind of energy: 

‘I haven’t heard truth from them even once. They lie so shamelessly! For instance, they say that nuclear energy is the cheapest one. During the recent round table on the problems of nuclear energy it was said that the prime cost of nuclear energy is 20 cent for kilowatt/hour, and thermal energy costs 3 cent. Which of them is cheaper then?’ 

S.Husak: ‘Not to be dependent on Russia!’

Scientists state that the experience of storage of nuclear wastes and cessation of the activity of nuclear power stations are the fields in which very little research has been done in Belarus. If the withdrawal of a nuclear power station cost 10% of the expenditures for its construction, now this number is comparable to such expenditures.

Not all experts disapprove the construction of the nuclear power plant. For instance, the economist Stanislau Husak is an adherent of nuclear energy. However, he warns that construction of the nuclear power plant on the Russian example will tightly fasten Belarus to Russian fuel. 

‘The construction of the nuclear power plant must be implemented so that we would not receive fuel for it from Russia. The nuclear reactor must be an analogue of Swiss, French or American ones, not Russian. If we put a Russian reactor to the station, all fuel will come to Russia, which is no good for the Belarusian independence.’

Reference note:
This year Aliaksandr Lukashenka signed a ruling On development of nuclear energy in the Republic of Belarus. The first power generating unit is to be constructed in 2016 and the second – in 2018. The total output of the station will be 2 000 megawatt. The sites in Shklou and Chavusy districts of Mahiliou region and in Ashmiany district of Hrodna region are considered as variants for location of the nuclear power station. According to different calculations, the construction will cost from 4 to 10 billion US dollars.