Difference between revisions of "Anti-nuclear Movement in Latvia"

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=== Nuclear Policy in Latvia ===
 
=== Nuclear Policy in Latvia ===
Latvia has no nuclear facilities, no plans to build them and no plans to establish a spent fuel management facility<ref>http://www.vatesi.lt/fileadmin/documents/Ataskaitos/Latvijos.pdf</ref>. However, it is a stakeholder in the [[Visaginas NPP]] project.
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{{:Atomic Policy in Latvia}}
 
 
The Government's opinion on nuclear power is positive. Information available on the website of The Cabinet of Ministers states that "On Friday, December 2, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and Prime Minister of Lithuania Andrius Kubilius in conversation have confirmed that the Visagina Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will be economically viable and advantageous project for the people of the Baltic States."<ref>http://www.mk.gov.lv/en/aktuali/zinas/2011/12/041211-pm-01/</ref> In March 2012 the Prime Ministers of all Baltic States met in Lithuania and "reaffirmed their commitment to build the Visaginas power plant promised to work together to make sure progress is maintained"<ref>http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Baltic_PMs_pledge_nuclear_support-0903128.html</ref>. An article, available on the discussion page of the Ministry of Economics praises nuclear power and lists its benefits<ref>http://wiki.em.gov.lv/wiki/Atomener%C4%A3ija</ref>.
 
 
 
It is difficult to assess the public opinion because nuclear power is not among the major issues or concerns. People in Latvia mostly concentrate their attention on social welfare issues, economics and employment, not energetics. When it is about blogging, media appearance or communication with officials, anti-nuclear people seem to be louder. For instance, in February 2012 several Latvian environmental organizations wrote a letter to the Latvian Prime Minister expressing their negative opinion about this project. Also they asked for answers to several questions, for instance, how much this project will cost to Latvians, how participation in this project will conduce Latvian energo-independence, how the spent fuel will be stored and much will it cost<ref>http://www.zalie.lv/data/File/ener%C4%A3ij/Vides%20NVO%20vestule%20par%20Latvijas%20dalibu%20Visaginas%20AES.pdf</ref>.
 
 
 
However, an opinion poll "Whether or not Latvia should participate in the Visaginas project" (taken on July 3-5, 2012) showed that 45 % of respondents are supporting the project (13 % said "definitely yes", 32 % said "rather yes"), 37 % said "no" (15 % - "definitely no", 22 % "rather no"). 18 % had no opinion about this issue.<ref>http://www.tns.lv/?lang=lv&fullarticle=true&category=showuid&id=3875</ref> But given that only 500 people participated in this opinion poll, it does not help to clarify the general public opinion.
 
 
 
In past Latvia had a research reactor, which is the only reactor the country has ever had. It is called „[[Salaspils Research Reactor]]“ (SRR) and is located in Salaspils, 2 km from the centre of Salaspils city, 25 km from Riga, the capital. SRR was in operation from 1961 to 1998 and was the only civilian research reactor in the Baltics<ref>http://inventions.lza.lv/proto.php?id=131</ref>. The plant partook in neutron activation analysis and gamma irradiation for various materials.
 
 
 
Since there are no nuclear power plants in Latvia, the country has a repository only for low and medium level radioactive waste. It is called „[[Radons]]“ and is located in Baldone, 5 km from the city of Baldone and 27 km from Riga, the capital<ref>http://www.musubaldone.lv/index.php?p=5601&lang=1079</ref>.
 
 
 
„Radons“ (in operation since 1962) is a near-surface repository for both burial and storage of low and medium level radioactive waste. The repository consists of 2 parts: supervision part and control area with 7 vaults. Only vault No.7 is still in use. The Government plans to extend it but due to various reasons it has not happened yet.
 
  
 
=== Groups and organizations working on the anti-nuclear field ===
 
=== Groups and organizations working on the anti-nuclear field ===

Revision as of 08:49, 28 September 2012

Nuclear Policy in Latvia

From 1940 to 1990 Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union thus its nuclear policy could not differ from the Soviet one. Main political and economical decisions were made by the Soviet government in Moscow and the government of Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) had to implement them. Their power to object was limited.

In the 1950s Soviet government decided to build 20 research reactors in different regions of the USSR and abroad[1], following an initiative by Igor Kurchatov. Kurchatov was a Soviet nuclear physicist who is widely known as the director of the Soviet atomic bomb project.

However, the idea to build a research reactor in Latvia was a local initiative. It was a proposal from physicists from the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences. The government of Latvian SSR forwarded it to the Council of Ministers of the USSR in spring 1958. The acceptance was received a few weeks later. The construction of „Salaspils Research Reactor“ (SRR) started in January 1959. SRR was put into operation in 1961 and carried out neutron activation analysis, nuclear reaction research, researches in solid state radiation physics, radiochemistry and radiobiology. It is the only research reactor Latvia has ever had.[2] SRR is located 2 km from the centre of Salaspils city and 25 km from Riga, the capital. It was shut down in 1998. The spent fuel was sent to Mayak Production Association in Russia in May 2008 within a bilateral governmental agreement.


Groups and organizations working on the anti-nuclear field

Organizations/institutions connected to nuclear issues

References

  1. Book "Salaspils zinātniskā kodolreaktora 50 gadi", Publishing House "Zinātne", 2010
  2. http://inventions.lza.lv/proto.php?id=131 as of April 24, 2013
  3. 3.0 3.1 For protection against automatical email address robots searching for addresses to send spam to them this email address has been made unreadable for them. To get a correct mail address you have to displace "AT" by the @-symbol.