On July 19-20, 2016, a delegation of the Permanent Representatives of foreign countries to the International Organizations in Vienna visited Russian nuclear industry enterprises - Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant and Ural Electrochemical Integrated Plant.
The list of the visit participants included 18 senior diplomats representing Argentina, Belgium, China, Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Sudan, Switzerland, The Netherlands, The State of Israel and two international organizations - the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Within the first day of the program the foreign diplomats visited Ural Electrochemical Integrated Plant, the world's largest enterprise on uranium enrichment (UEIP is part of ROSATOM’s TVEL fuel company). The participants saw the entire production chain of uranium enrichment being one of the most important parts of the nuclear fuel cycle of ROSATOM.
During the round table held at UEIP, Russia's Permanent Representative to the IAEA Vladimir Voronkov, said that that it is a record-breaking delegation of foreign diplomats in Russia, which means that interest to the Russian nuclear industry is increasing in the world each year.
According to Rafael Mariano Grossi, Argentina’s Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, the participants within the visit to the UEIP "have seen an outstanding facility for uranium enrichment, which I think is rather unique in the world"." What is really interesting is to see the excellent facilities that you have, the technological degree of excellence that Russia and ROSATOM has acquired through the years and now it is open to international cooperation", said the diplomat.
On July 20, 2016, the foreign delegation visited the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant, where participants could learn about Russian operational experience of fast breeder reactors. The guests visited the new, innovative 4th unit 4th unit of Beloyarsk NPP - BN-800 - the most powerful sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor in the world.
During the NPP visit, the foreign representatives participated at the round-table. They were informed about nuclear power technologies of the Unit on the basis of closed nuclear fuel cycle and advantages of "fast" energy in the future. Power units on fast neutrons will allow to close nuclear fuel cycle, and, with enlarged reproduction of the nuclear "fuel", substantially expand the fuel base of nuclear energy, as well as to reduce the volume of nuclear waste by burning up hazardous radionuclides.
The diplomats also visited the 3rd Unit of Beloyarsk NPP with BN-600 reactor, predecessor of BN-800 reactor, successfully operated for more than 30 years.
The members of the delegation noted the high level of reliability and safety of the innovative and high-tech Russian technologies applied at UEIP and Beloyarsk NPP. Hendrik Koets, the European Union's Permanent Representative to the IAEA noted that the members of the delegation "got a very good idea about the technologies." The diplomat also said: "I should say and I have said it earlier, that Russia, among other countries has a good record in the field of in safety security and safeguards, at least at the international arena. As a representative of the European Union, and representing Euratom as «ex», I think that the way Russia is great defender of it. I think it is a good idea that together we have this platform".
Juan Carlos Lentijo, IAEA Deputy Director General, Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, commented his own impressions: "What I have seen here is very high-level professionals who are really very-very committed to technology development, but also to development of a very good framework of safety and security (which is very important for me). I have seen also a very good interaction with the surrounding environment, especially with society close to these facilities. What impressed me more is this very close interaction between the company, the facility and society".
Following the visit Olga Algaerova, Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the International Organizations in Vienna expressed gratitude to Beloyarsk nuclear power plant employees. "I would like to express my gratitude for the professionalism of Beloyarsk NPP staff. None of the questions that we asked them, including the accident prevention systems, were left unanswered. Therefore, we are convinced that fast breeder reactor technologies are safe», she said.
Visits of Permanent Representatives of foreign countries to the International Organizations in Vienna to Russian nuclear facilities is arranged by the invitation of the Russian Federation annually since 2013. In particular, in July 2015, the delegation visited Rostov NPP and Atommash.