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March 22, 2020. State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) concluded that nuclear facilities in Lithuania operated safely during 2020. The evaluated inspection results showed the high safety level of nuclear and radiation safety, physical security in facilities and licensees made adequate provisions to ensure safety and security of public and environment while ensuring that Lithuania continued to meet its international obligations on the peaceful use of nuclear materials.

There were no serious events in nuclear facilities in 2020. State Enterprise Ignalina NPP have seven unusual events that were rated below the scale (0 level) on the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES) which had no impact on safety, the dose limits of operating personnel were not exceeded and there were no identified releases of radioactive material into the environment.

In 2020, VATESI conducted 54 inspections (57 in 2019). Most inspections were convened at State Enterprise Ignalina NPP. Average duration of inspection – 1 workday.

During 46 inspections at Ignalina NPP, VATESI inspectors focused on safety requirements related with maintenance, fire safety, ageing management of structures, systems and components important to safety, works under projects of dismantling and decontamination, managing radioactive waste, ensuring physical security and radiation protection of the nuclear facilities and nuclear materials, ensuring emergency preparedness, how employees of Ignalina NPP were trained and how their sufficient qualifications were ensured. Also Ignalina NPP inspected for the accounting systems and control of nuclear material and safe use and storage equipment with sources of ionising radiation.

In 2020, enforcement measures identified regarding 15 violations (20 in 2019). Mainly violations were made regarding requirements by law, for economic entities to comply obligations to follow the order of the processes detailed in a management system and other technical documents (mainly in radioactive waste management activities and in construction and maintenance of systems and components important to safety). All entities enforced under procedures set forth by law, all violations are eliminated by agreed schedule and measures.

Very few unusual events in the nuclear facilities and no serious process failures in radioactive waste management facilities demonstrates reached high safety level in the permanently shut-downed Ignalina NPP and other nuclear facilities in Lithuania.

State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) is the state regulatory and supervisory authority in the nuclear safety field in Lithuania.