[cdn-nucl-l] New contracts signed for radwaste problem solution in Murmansk region of Russia

["Radik Ixanov" <ixanov@sympatico.ca>]

Posted in the REGNUM information agency at April 14, 2003
(http://www.murmannews.ru/allnews/106246/)

The Murmansk Region Government and Finnmark province administration of
Norway signed three new contracts on nuclear and radiation safety totally
amounting up to 11 million kronor, as IA REGNUM reported. The largest
contract with the cost of 8 million kronor is to build a water conduit in
Andreeva Bay.
It is another time when the Norwegian government allocates funds to create
radwaste disposal infrastructure in the region. The previously signed
contracts have brought into being an office and public service complex in
Andreeva Bay (“Norwegian village”).
Next step is to modernize the water conduit to provide for water supplies of
all buildings in the area. The work will be executed by a Russian
contractor - the binding condition of joint contracts associated with
Andreeva Bay.
In this case it will be one of the Murmansk construction companies.

The second large contract – more than 3 million kronor – deals with
disposition of 20 radioisotope generators (RITEG). All 20 generators will be
sent to Moscow for disassembly already this July to proceed than to
Chelyabinsk Region for ultimate disposal. The Norwegian village will be
completed this fall. At the Vadso, Norway, meeting the leaders of Finnmark
province and Murmansk Region agreed to cut the symbolic ribbon at the
inauguration of the Andreeva Bay complex late October. During the meeting
the sides discussed all technical and financial issues of the cooperation,
including targeted fund spending which is to be monitored by the Murmansk
regional administration.
The experts estimate the radwaste disposition in the Murmansk Region would
cost about 1.5 billion USD while the federal budget provides for only 70
million USD for these purposes.
In addition to Norway, the financial assistance to the Murmansk Region is
also rendered by Sweden and the U.K., with the U.S. and Germany expressing
their interest in participating the radwaste disposition in this Russia’s re
gion.