There has so far been no increase in the nuclear threat in Belgium following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Crisis Center said on Tuesday before the Chamber’s nuclear security sub-committee. If a threat should appear, various protective measures contained in a “nuclear toolbox” are ready to be implemented.
The sub-committee held its meeting at the request of the Ecolo-Groen group following the shootings at the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. A few days earlier, it was the Chernobyl power plant which fell under Russian control. These events caused an influx among pharmacists of citizens in a hurry to obtain the iodine tablets supplied by the public authorities.
No reason to panic
The Crisis Center sees no reason to panic. “We started the risk analysis in Belgium on February 24 and, so far, we have not observed any increase in the threat on Belgian territory,” explained the nuclear emergency planning coordinator. , Hans De Neef, who also recalled the warning already issued to the population: there is no reason to take an iodine tablet as a preventive measure.
The situation in Ukraine is being closely monitored, said the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) on the basis of the seven pillars of nuclear security established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “At the moment there is concern regarding the personnel at Chernobyl who have been on the site for two weeks, without contact with the outside world. This increases the risk, especially of human error. What’s more, the personnel are under constant stress because of the presence of a foreign power”, indicated the head of the radiological monitoring service, Geert Biermans.
But there once more, there is no reason to panic, according to the FANC. “In the event of a power failure, back-up systems take over and these emergency generators can run for 48 hours,” added Mr. Biermans.
If a nuclear threat were detected, Belgium has an emergency plan, including a large-scale communication campaign to inform the population in every way possible.
