VISIT OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DELEGATION

Last month, the Institute of Atomic Energy RSE NNC RK was visited by U.S. delegation consisting of Briese Benjamin Burns, Program Manager in Kazakhstan, Department Detection and Deterrence of Nuclear Smuggling, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and Kalajdzhyan Vladimir, Program Representative in Kazakhstan for Detection and Deterrence of Nuclear Smuggling, U.S. DOE, U.S.A. Embassy in the RK     

The goal of the foreign expert visit was presentation of Detection and Deterrence of Nuclear Smuggling Program. This Program is implemented under U.S.DOE management and monitoring.

Based on information presented during the visit, in the U.S.DOE there is a relevant department, National Nuclear Security Administration operates, National Nuclear Forensics Laboratory was created, which is constantly renewed. The U.S. side expressed its intention to provide support to the Kazakhstani organizations concerned, including NNC RK, in creation of a similar national library in RK. A suggestion was made regarding future cooperation, which will be decided on by regulator represented by the Committee for Atomic Energy Supervision and Control of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan following which it will be possible to establish Contractual relations with RSE NNC RK.          

As a part of the visit, the delegation visited different sites of the Institute of Atomic Energy, including Complex of Research Reactors “Baikal-1”, spent nuclear fuel long-term storage facility and the museum of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site.