News

On 16-17 April 2024, the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) hosted a training session for users of the RASTEP software and the computer model it produces. The RASTEP software is designed to predict the progression of nuclear accidents and to determine the source terms. The training was attended by VATESI specialists and representatives from the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.

VATESI specialists were introduced to the severe accident prediction methods used in the software and learned how to use the model to perform severe accident prediction.

In Lithuania, the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is closed and not operating, but having this software to predict the progression of accidents is critical when the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, in violation of modern international nuclear safety requirements, was built and is already in operation just 40 kilometres away from the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius. Belarusian authorities has been reluctant to share information on possible severe accidents at the Belarusian NPP. The software will allow VATESI to forecast the progression of possible accidents at the Belarusian NPP, to determine the source terms and to communicate this information to other Lithuanian institutions achieving the common goal of providing timely warnings and ensuring the safety of the population.

VATESI will test and use acquired software and model in emergency preparedness exercises.

The same software is used by nuclear and radiation safety regulators in Norway and Sweden.

The software was purchased and the training was organised under the project “Development of an Early Warning System on Nuclear Emergency of Lithuania“  funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014–2021 program “Environment, Energy, Climate Change“.

More information about the project.