The closed city of Ozersk, formerly Chelyabinsk-65, is the location of the Mayak Production Association (PO Mayak).  Construction of the closed city began in 1945 and in 1948 the first reactor (Reactor A) at PO Mayak became operational. Ozersk is located approximately 70km north of Chelyabinsk.  The population of Ozersk is approximately 85,000, with the estimated number of employees at PO Mayak ranging from 12,000 to 17,000 people.[1,2,3].

Sources:

[1] "Chelyabinsk-65/Ozersk," Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Web Site, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/.../nuke/chelyabinsk-65.

[2] "Ozersk," Bellona Foundation Web Site, http://www.bellona.no. 

[3] "Proizvodstvennoye obedineniye Mayak," Sovershenno Otkryto, March 1994, p. 13. {Entered 12/20/2000 GD}

 

MAYAK PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION (PO MAYAK)

LOCATION: 

Ozersk, formerly Chelyabinsk-65 (previously known as Chelyabinsk-40)

Address: 31 Prospekt Lenina, Ozersk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, 456065

Telephone: (35151) 31659

Fax: (35151) 33826

email: mayak@ai.ru

[PO Mayak homepage, http://hp.x-atom.ru/mayak.] {Entered 6/8/00 FW, Updated 11/9/2000 GD}

HOMEPAGES: http://hp.x-atom.ru/mayak ,  http://www.ozersk.ru/mayak {updated 6/8/00 FW, SS}

SUBORDINATION: Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom)

ADMINISTRATION:

General Director: Vitaliy Ivanovich Sadovnikov

["Plutaniye s plutoniyem," Chelyabinskiy rabochiy, 11 February 2000.] {Entered 2/11/00 FW, Checked 11/28/2000 GD}

Director for Production: Yevgeniy Dzekun

Chief Engineer: Anatoliy Suslov

["Mayak vo vremeni i prostranstve," PO Mayak homepage, http://www.ozersk.ru/mayak.] {updated 6/23/00 SS}

STRUCTURE:  

The Mayak Production Association incorporates the Mayak Chemical Combine (consisting of production reactors, a fissile material component fabrication plant, reprocessing facilities, MOX fuel production facilities, a vitrification plant, and fissile material storage facility); the Chelyabinsk-60 Research Facility, and the still under construction South Urals Nuclear Power Plant. 

[Nuclear Business Directory, (Moscow: 1995), p. 91.]

ACTIVITIES:

The Mayak Production Association, known informally as Mayak, fabricates plutonium and HEU pits and produces tritium for the Russian nuclear weapons program.[1,7]. It is also the only Russian facility that reprocesses spent nuclear fuel from nuclear submarines, icebreakers, and from Russian and Soviet-made nuclear power reactors.[8] As of 1987, Mayak employed approximately 20,000 people.[2] According to the 2000 edition of the Nuclear Business Directory, the number of employees has fallen to 15,000.[6] Mayak facilities include plutonium and tritium production reactors; fuel reprocessing facilities; a plutonium processing, finishing, and component manufacturing plant (Plant 20); mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication plants; and nuclear waste treatment and storage facilities.[1] All five of the plant's uranium-graphite plutonium production reactors have been permanently shut down.[3] Two tritium-producing reactors (Ruslan and Lyudmila) are still in operation. They also produce a wide range of radioactive isotopes.[6] Mayak is also one of the two principal storage sites for HEU and plutonium recovered from dismantled weapons (the second storage site is at SKhK).[7] In addition, Mayak has a  reactor-grade plutonium stockpile of approximately 30MT that has accumulated from its civil reprocessing program,[3,5] although, accounting for a 1MT annual increase in stocks, the movement "For Nuclear Safety" puts the figure at 40MT.[5] Mayak is involved in the oxidation and purification of HEU from dismantled nuclear warheads under the US-Russia HEU Agreement.[9] Mayak is one of the few enterprises that is allowed to produce and sell radioisotopes.[2] Russian Federation government orders currently comprise less than 30 percent of Mayak's production.[4]

Sources:

[1] Thomas Cochran, Robert S. Norris, Oleg Bukharin, Making the Russian Bomb: From Stalin to Yeltsin (Boulder: Westview Press, 1995), pp. 71-75.

[2] "Mayak Production Association," Russian Defense Business Directory, US Department of Commerce - Bureau of Export Administration, 1995, p. 30.

[3] N.N. Egorov, V.M. Murogov, et al., "Management of Plutonium in Russia," in E. Merz, C. Walter, G. Pshakin, Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX) Exploitation and Destruction, Power Reactors (Dordrecht,  the Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1995) p. 5.

[4] "Mayak v 2000 godu pererabotayet 100-125 tys. tonn otrabotannogo yadernogo topliva," Interfax, 15 March 2000.

[5] "Plutaniye s plutoniyem," Chelyabinskiy rabochiy online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 11 February 2000.

[6] "Mayak Production Association: Mayak PA," Nuclear Business Directory: IBR Guide to the Russian Nuclear Industry 2000 (Moscow: International Business Relations Corporation, 2000), pp. 107-108. 

[7] Oleg Bukharin, "Security of Fissile Materials in Russia," Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, vol. 21, 1996, pp. 474-496.  

[8] Lyudmila Shesterkina, Radio Rossii, 21 July 2000; in "Russian Nuclear Fuel Lacks Money Due to Ending Foreign Waste Processing," FBIS Document CEP20000721000153.

[9] A.I. Prishchepov, "Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the United States to Enhance the Existing Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting Systems at Mayak Production Association," INMM 40th annual meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, 25-29 July 1999.   {Updated 1/31/2001 ES}

MPC&A:

PO Mayak participates in the US Department of Energy MPC&A program.  Initial MPC&A cooperation began in July 1994. An official MPC&A agreement between DOE and Minatom was concluded in June 1995.[1,2]  In the initial stages of MPC&A cooperation, DOE and Minatom identified four areas at PO Mayak where upgrades were needed: Plant 235 (which contains the RT-1 spent fuel reprocessing plant), the Isotope Production Reactor Plant, the Isotope Production Plant, and the HEU Oxidization and Purification Facilities (Plant 1)[2,3].  In 1998, DOE determined that two of the four facilities did not present a serious proliferation threat; consequently, just two areas within PO Mayak were targeted to receive upgrades: the RT-1 spent fuel reprocessing plant and several buildings for HEU oxidation and purification, which DOE officials cumulatively refer to as Plant 1, while Mayak officials refer to it as several buildings of Plant 20.[2]  As of July 1999, Minatom had suspended further approval for upgrade work at Plant 1 and negotiations were underway to re-establish planned upgrades.[4]

 

For a detailed description of the MPC&A work performed at PO Mayak in 1997-1998, please see the DOE's December 1997 document, United States/Former Soviet Union Program of Cooperation on Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting:  Partnership for Nuclear Security and the DOE's September 1998 document, United States/ Former Soviet Union Program of Cooperation on Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting: Partnership for Nuclear Security.

Sources:

[1] G.S. Starodubtsev, "Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the United States to Enhance the Existing Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting Systems at Mayak Production Association," US Department of Energy website, http://www.nn.doe.gov/mpca/pubs/inmm97/rdef/rd001.htm. 

[2] E-mail correspondence with DOE officials, 20 December 2000, RUS001220.

[3] L. Thomas James, Sandia National Laboratory briefing: Mayak MPC&A Project, 1999.

[4] A.I. Prishchepov, "Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the United States to Enhance the Existing Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting Systems at Mayak Production Association," INMM 40th annual meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, 25-29 July 1999. {Entered 11/28/2000 GD}

   

PO MAYAK DEVELOPMENTS:

8/20/2001: ATTEMPTED THEFT OF RAILROAD TRACKS LEADING TO MAYAK 

The theft of 200 meters of rails from the railroad to the Mayak industrial zone was prevented by a railroad track inspector on 20 August 2001 in Ozersk. The thieves had already dismantled and cut the rails and were about to transport them from the site when the inspector arrived. According to Ozersk.ru, the attempt was discovered purely by chance because this part of the railroad is only used as a ramp for runaway empty cargo cars after they are unloaded at Mayak and is not inspected on a regular basis. The inspector immediately reported the incident to the local police, and all five thieves were arrested the same day. The thieves intended to sell the rails for scrap metal for 20,000 rubles ($682 as of 8/20/2001). The actual damage to the railway is estimated at 88,400 rubles ($3,011). 

[Yelena Vyatkina, "Ryelsy, ryelsy, shpaly, shpaly..." Ozersk.ru, http://www.ozersk.ru, 24 August 2001.] {Enteres 10/12/2001 ES}

 

4/21/2001: REGIONAL LEGISLATORS VISIT MAYAK FACILITIES

A group of deputies from Chelyabinsk Oblast's Legislative Assembly visited PO Mayak to familiarize themselves with the enterprise's activities before deciding on regional legislation related to spent nuclear fuel. They visited the still-under-construction South Urals Nuclear Power Plant, the fissile materials storage facility, and the RT-1 spent fuel reprocessing plant. According to ITAR-TASS, the delegation was pleased to learn that the Mayak uses "very modern technologies" and assessed its work as "very professional." Legislators and the Mayak administration agreed to continue close coordination regarding policy in the nuclear complex.  

[Yevgeniy Tkachenko, "Deputaty Zakonodatelnogo sobraniya Chelyabinskoy oblasti postigayut problemy yadernogo kompleksa," ITAR-TASS, 21 April 2001.] {Entered 7/19/2001 RA} 

 

3/17/2001: ADAMOV VISITS PO MAYAK  

On 17 March 2001 the Minatom commission on evaluating Mayak's activities for 2000 visited Ozersk; among other issues, they discussed the modernization of the RT-1 Plant and set goals for Mayak for 2001. At the press conference, Minister Yevgeniy Adamov reaffirmed that Mayak remains one of the main Minatom enterprises that works on state defense orders. Adamov also made note of the importance and economic efficiency of spent fuel processing and expressed hope that federal legislation will be passed to allow the import of spent fuel from abroad. Adamov said that fuel just removed from the reactor contains a thousand times more fissile material than a metric ton of ore; half of Russia's nuclear energy industry uses reprocessed fuel. He emphasized that Mayak has an advantage in the reprocessing market due to the cheap raw materials and cheap labor force. Adamov estimated that reprocessing spent nuclear fuel could earn Russia $20 million in 20 years and would increase the amount of work at Mayak by three times and the average salary of its workers would grow from the current 5,000 rubles ($174.5 as of 17 March 2001) to 15,000 rubles ($523.4 as of 17 March 2001). Developments at Mayak would also create new jobs and boost the local economy, especially in the mechanical and construction industries. Adamov guaranteed that 30% of the proceeds from spent fuel reprocessing would be reinvested in Mayak, another 30% would go to local business, and another 30% would be used for ecological programs. The Mining and Chemical Combine (GKhK) in Krasnoyarsk would share the reprocessing orders with Mayak. Adamov assured journalists that the decision to modernize the RT-1 spent fuel reprocessing plant has already been made, but the implementation strategy is still under consideration. He also said that no funding for the construction of the South Urals Nuclear Power Plant is planned until 2005, postponing the completion of the first reactor until 2015, and the second - until an even later date. Adamov criticized the Mayak administration for slow activity in the production of radioactive isotopes. He noted that the radioactive isotopes market is "worth $200 billion" and is yet to be "captured" by Mayak.

[D. Konstantinov, "Adamov na Mayake," Ozerskaya panorama, No. 20, 23 March 2001.] {Entered 7/19/2001 RA} 

 

9/9/2000: OVERLOAD IN POWER GRID CAUSES REACTORS AT MAYAK TO SHUT DOWN

Due to an overload in the Urals energy grid in Sverdlovsk Oblast on 9 September 2000, two nuclear enterprises in the Southern Urals region experienced power outages for varying periods of time.  The Mayak Production Association (MPA) and the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant were affected.[1,2] Mayak was without external power for 45 minutes, and as a result, its two working reactors went into automatic shutdown mode.  There are varying reports regarding when the back-up electricity generators that support the cooling systems were started.  On 12 September, Chelyabinskiy Rabochiy cited Mayak Director Vitaly Sadovnikov as saying that Mayak's back-up electricity generators became operational in about 30 minutes after the initial power loss [3] and that the "semi-military discipline at the enterprise saved us from major mishaps."[4] On 16 September, Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Bulat Nigmatulin contradicted Sadovnikov and said that the back-up power systems began immediately after external power was lost.[5] Operations at Mayak returned to normal on 12 September when both reactors returned to their normal operating level.[6]  Plant officials reported there was no release of radiation.[5]

Sources:

[1] "Reactor Shutdown in Urals Result of Energy-System Failure," Interfax, 12 September 2000.

[2] Peter Graff, "Power Grid Failure Shuts Russian Nuclear Plants," Reuters, 11 September 2000; in RANSAC Nuclear News, 11 September 2000.

[3] Sergey Blinovskikh, "Ostanovleny dva reaktora--chrezvychaynaya situatsiya v PO 'Mayak'," Chelyabinskiy Rabochiy, 12 September 2000; in Integrum Techno, http://search.integrum.ru.

[4] "Ural Regions Blackout Stops Nuclear, Metallurgical Plants," ITAR-TASS, 11 September 2000; in RANSAC Nuclear News, 11 September 2000.

[5] Amelia Gentleman, "Nuclear Disaster Averted--Russian Power Plant Workers Praised for 'Heroic' Operation to Cool Reactors," The Observer, 17 September 2000; in RANSAC Nuclear News, 18 September 2000.

[6] Yelena Vyatkina, "35 minut v 'otklyuche', ili 'Mayak' v napryazhenii i bez nego," 18 September 2000, PO Mayak Web Site, www.ozersk.ru/mayak/news/news.shtml. {Entered 10/11/2000 GD}

 

7/23-8/6/2000: ANTI-NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENTALIST CAMP PROTESTS PO MAYAK ACTIVITIES

From 23 July 2000 to 6 August 2000, activists from Russian and international environmental non-governmental organizations established an anti-nuclear camp several kilometers from the outskirts of Ozersk to demand that Minatom and PO Mayak officials abandon the South Urals nuclear power plant construction project, reject nuclear waste imports, stop MOX fuel development, and provide social benefits to local residents affected by radioactive contamination.[1,2] Environmental activists also picketed regional Administration headquarters in Chelyabinsk.[3] Beginning on 3 August, protesters joined a petition drive to hold a nationwide referendum on the question of whether Russia should import foreign nuclear spent fuel for reprocessing and storage.[4] 

Sources:

[1] Sergey Krapivin, "'Zelenyye' vstali lagerem vozle 'Mayaka,'" Vecherniy Chelyabinsk online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 27 July 2000.

[2] "Press Release from the All-Russian Anti-Nuclear Camp 2000, near 'Mayak,'" Anityadernaya kampaniya Web Site, http://www.ecoline.ru/antinuclear/, 1 August 2000.

[3] "V Chelyabinskoy oblasti prokhodyat aktsii 'zeloynykh' protiv vvoza v region zarubezhnykh yadernykh otkhodov," Interfax, 28 July 2000.

[4] E. Meylakh. "Aktivisty antiyadernogo lagerya v Argayashskom rayone sobirayut podpisi v podderzhku referenduma," Yuzhno-Uralskya sluzhba novostey, http://www.chelpress.ru, 2 August 2000. {Entered 10/25/2000 ES}

  

7/20/2000: ADAMOV VISITS PO MAYAK, DISCUSSES FINANCES AND ENVIRONMENT

On 20 July 2000, Minister of Atomic Energy Evgeniy Adamov and representatives from Chelyabinsk Oblast, Gosatomnadzor, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations visited PO Mayak to discuss financing for the facility and the regional environmental situation.[1] Speaking before reporters, Adamov said that the federal budget does not provide funding to investigate and resolve local environmental problems, stating that financing for environmental projects in Chelyabinsk Oblast comes from the HEU deal and from spent fuel reprocessing proceeds.[2] Adamov called for amending existing Russian legislation that prohibits import of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing. (For details on legislation and its affect on proceeds from spent fuel, see the entry from 4/21/2000 below.) Adamov also reported that the government had included the unfinished South Urals nuclear power plant in its strategy for the development of nuclear energy in Russia, but he noted that the plant was "not among the first in line" for funding.[3]

Sources:

[1] "Adamov na 'Mayake,'" Vecherniy Chelyabinsk online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 21 July 2000.

[2] Aleksandr Chunosov, "Pro Techu, Karachay, YuAES i 'Mayak,'" Vecherniy Chelyabinsk online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 3 August 2000.

[3] Lyudmila Shesterkina, Radio Rossii, 21 July 2000; in "Russian Nuclear Fuel Lacks Money Due to Ending Foreign Waste Processing," FBIS Document CEP20000721000153. {Entered 10/25/00 ES}

  

5/24/2000: DEPUTY GENERAL DIRECTOR INTERVIEWED ON PERSONNEL AND EMPLOYMENT AT MAYAK

In an interview dated 24 May 2000, PO Mayak's Deputy General Director of Personnel and Benefits Igor Kurovskiy noted that in the course of the last decade, Mayak has been losing personnel at a high rate. He attributed the reduction to fewer state defense orders and to the introduction of more efficient equipment and technology. In 1999, Mayak hired 576 new employees and 545 employees and pensioners left the combine. According to Kurovskiy, the average Mayak employee was 44 years old, the average age of engineers and other technical workers was 47 years, and 13 percent of Mayak's workforce were eligible for retirement pensions. He added that in some departments, pension eligible employees made up 20 percent or more of the personnel. Small pensions typically force older workers to delay their retirement, and in response, the trade union committee has offered to significantly supplement the state pensions for retirees with a long tenure at Mayak. Kurovskiy reported that although demand for young specialists had declined by approximately half since 1993, he believed that PO Mayak still had a deficit of qualified young specialists. He attributed this deficit to Mayak's stringent educational, professional, and disciplinary requirements. Kurovskiy added that Mayak had purchased equipment to detect alcohol and narcotics use and had trained its medical personnel how to use the equipment.

[D. Konstantinov, "'Mayak': kvalifitsirovannyye kadry vsegda v tsene," PO Mayak Web Site, http://www.ozersk.ru/mayak, 24 May 2000.] {Entered 7/3/00 SS}

   

4/21/2000: REGIONAL LEGISLATORS DISCUSS FINANCING, TOUR MAYAK

On 21 April 2000, a delegation from Chelyabinsk Oblast's Legislative Assembly met with officials from PO Mayak to discuss the loss of revenue from reprocessing spent fuel from foreign nuclear power stations. Mayak has not concluded any reprocessing contracts with foreign partners for FY 2000, and the officials warned the delegation that hard currency receipts from reprocessing "are right at zero." Although Mayak officials noted that possibilities of renewing contracts with Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Finnish partners appeared unlikely, they did not rule out the possibility of concluding a contract with the Czech Republic for FY 2001.  According to a presidential decree, 25 percent of the hard currency revenues from reprocessing imported spent fuel must be split between resolving environmental problems at Mayak (12.5 percent) and addressing social issues within Chelyabinsk Oblast (12.5 percent).  According to Mayak officials, the proceeds from reprocessing spent fuel at the combine made up more than 97 percent of the oblast's hard currency budget.  Mayak officials criticized Chelyabinsk Oblast administrators, who recently proposed legislation that would levy an additional 25 percent tax on all fuel reprocessed at Mayak, including spent fuel from Russian nuclear power plants. Specialists at Mayak stated that the enterprise charges Russian nuclear power plants just enough to cover reprocessing costs, and therefore, the proposed tax would cause Mayak to lose money. Oblast legislators and Mayak officials are preparing a joint appeal to the Russian president to draw attention to the combine's financial problems. Members of Chelyabinsk Oblast's Legislative Assembly also want to amend Mayak's system of payments for fuel reprocessing, allowing Mayak to contribute a portion of its profits to the oblast budget rather than the oblast requiring a payment based on the percentage of proceeds earned from fuel reprocessing. During their visit, legislators toured several work areas within PO Mayak, including the unfinished South Urals nuclear power plant, the construction site of the fissile material storage facility, and the RT-1 Spent Fuel Reprocessing Facility.

["'Mayak' za nedelyu (17-23 aprelya 2000 g.)," PO Mayak Web Site, http://www.ozersk.ru/mayak.] {Entered 6/26/00 SS}

 

2/7/2000: PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION MORATORIUM DISCUSSED

Negotiations regarding a moratorium on extraction of plutonium from spent nuclear reactor fuel in Russia took place on 7 February 2000 between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Minatom officials. An initial $100 million distribution, funds which are part of the proposed DOE 2001 budget, includes $45 million for proposed construction of dry storage facility for spent fuel, $30 million for the construction of a plant to convert weapons-grade plutonium into non-weapons-grade and its storage, and $20 million for research into possible alternatives to current Russian nuclear fuel cycle practices. Minatom press service head Yuriy Bespalko in an interview to Chelyabinskiy rabochiy newspaper refused to either confirm or deny that Minatom is ready to agree to such a moratorium. A moratorium on fuel reprocessing may mean closing the Mayak RT-1 spent fuel reprocessing facility, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed. As much as 30MT of plutonium has been accumulated at Mayak as a result of reprocessing spent fuel from Russian and foreign power reactors. Accounting for a 1MT annual increase in stocks, the Russian non-governmental organization "For Nuclear Safety" puts the figure at 40MT. (For more information and related developments, please see the General Fuel Cycle Developments file.)

["Plutaniye s plutoniyem," Chelyabinskiy rabochiy online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 11 February 2000.] {Entered 5/8/00 LWB}

 

12/18/99: THEFT OF RADIOACTIVE STEEL AT PO MAYAK

On 18 December 1999, Kommersant reported that the theft of over 1MT of radioactive stainless steel in the form of equipment parts slated for replacement had been uncovered at PO Mayak. The thieves evaded detection, loaded the items into a car, and drove from Mayak to a scrap metal collection center, which refused to purchase the metal after a dosimeter reading showed that the radioactivity level was 500 times the permissible limit.  The thieves transported the steel back to the Mayak sanitary zone and dumped it into a river, where it was later discovered. A committee has been formed to investigate the theft, which came one month after the theft of metals from PO Mayak's Plant 235 (see development from 17 November 1999 below).

[Dmitry B. Zobkov, "Ukrali tonnu radioaktivnoy stali," Kommersant, 18 December 1999.] {Entered 7/3/00 SS}

 

11/17/99: THEFT OF RADIOACTIVE METALLIC COMPONENTS REPORTED

On 17 November 1999, Ozerskiy vestnik reported the theft of old equipment and worn metallic components from PO Mayak's Plant 235. A commission of officials from PO Mayak, the internal affairs directorate, and the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate (GSEN) found the stolen metals at a local scrap metal collection center. According to Ozerskiy vestnik, the metals exceeded permissible radiation levels by 3400 times. The commission seized the metals, closed down the scrap metal collection station, fined its director, and began decontamination of the site. GSEN officials have recommended that Ozersk close all local scrap metal collection centers.

["'Zvon' na svalke," Ozerskiy vestnik, No. 159, 17 November 1999, p. 2.] {Entered 7/18/00 SS}

 

10/12-14/99: MINATOM TRAINS FOR RADIATION ACCIDENT IN "URAL-99" EXERCISE

On 12-14 October 1999 emergency-response personnel conducted a two-day training exercise, called "Ural-99", near Novogornyy in Chelyabinsk Oblast. According to the exercise's scenario, a terrorist group derails a train, causing a fire and the release of radioactive materials. In carefully coordinated steps, response teams assessed the accident, allocated personnel and technical resources, contained the radioactive materials using a specially-designed robotic vehicle (built and operated by a team from VNIITF), and decontaminated the area. Command personnel communicated with Moscow and the nuclear centers by cellular phone.[1,3] The Minatom Crisis Situation Center, whose state-of-the-art communication and data processing equipment was partly financed with US assistance, was used for the first time during the exercises.[2] Most of the 800,000 ruble budget (approximately $31,000 as of 14 October 1999) for the exercise was spent on special equipment that will remain in the region.[2,4] The exercises were directed by Minatom, and jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Railways.[4] Over a dozen other regional and federal agencies and organizations participated, including specially trained teams from Mayak, VNIITF, Trekhgornyy, Lesnoy, and the Chelyabinsk Oblast Administration.[1,3] Representatives from France, Belarus, and Kazakhstan were present as observers, as were members of the regional press.[1]

Sources:

[1] Sergey Blinovskikh, "Avariya, kotoroy ne bylo," Vecherniy Chelyabinsk online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 14 October 1999.

[2] Yevgeniy Tkachenko,  ITAR-TASS, 14 October 1999; in "Russia Holds Exercises to Deal with Nuclear Accidents," FBIS Document FTS19991015001403.

[3] "Ural-99," Atompressa, No. 39 (370), 3 November 1999, pp. 1-2.

[4] "Novosti"  newscast, Moscow RenTV, 13 October 1999; in "Ural-99 Nuclear Accident Exercise Held," FBIS Document FTS19991105000907. {Entered 5/8/00 LWB}

 

9/99: MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS AND MVD UNITS IMPLEMENT COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN OZERSK

On 15 September 1999, soldiers from the Ozersk internal troops unit began inspecting basements, warehouses, attics, apartment buildings, public transport, and conventional weapons storage areas as part of the city's counter-terrorism program, Vikhr-antiterror (Anti-terror Whirlwind).[1] In addition, municipal officials have limited entry into the closed city to residents and their relatives.[2] During the two-week campaign, the guard unit detained 17 persons who attempted to illegally enter the city.[3] Ozersk vestnik reported that the guards, whose monthly salary totals 45 rubles ($2 as of 15 September 1999), had been offered bribes as high as 200 rubles ($8 as of 15 September 1999) not to search cars and to let non-residents enter the city. On 22 September 1999, the city council approved Decree No. 193 On measures for combating terrorism in Ozersk, recommending that additional check points be installed on the roads leading to the city and proposing that PO Mayak officials upgrade the entry permit system, which the city would help finance.[4]

Sources:

[1] V. Petrunina, "Terror vozmozhen," Ozerskiy vestnik, No. 129-130, 15 September 1999, p. 2.

[2] Geogard Tolkachev, "V predelnom rezhime," Ozerskiy vestnik, No. 131, 29 September 1999, p. 9.

[3] Lyudmila Kozheleva, "No pasaran!" Ozerskiy vestnik, No. 133-134, 2 October 1999, p. 1.

[4] "O merakh po protivodeystviyu terrorizmu v g. Ozerske," Ozerskiy vestnik, No. 135, 6 October 1999, p. 5. {Entered 8/9/2000 SS}

 

4/7/99: PROBLEMS PLAGUE MVD TROOPS GUARDING PO MAYAK

On 7 April 1999, Novyye izvestiya reported that one soldier from the MVD Ozersk Internal Troops Unit had died and two others were in serious condition after drinking antifreeze, which they had mistaken for alcohol. According to Novyye izvestiya, the conscripts purchased a bottle of bluish liquid while on guard duty, secluded themselves in a storeroom, and drank the "alcohol." The paper noted that such incidents are occurring more often among MVD units guarding Russia's nuclear facilities. In September 1998, counterintelligence services uncovered an underground narcotics route into the MVD unit guarding PO Mayak. That same month, a sergeant on guard duty at Mayak shot two of his subordinates (see development from 20 September 1998 below). In December 1998, a MVD soldier stole an assault rifle and left his unit; he was apprehended two hours later.

["Okhrana yadernego obekta otravilas," Novyye izvestiya, 7 April 1999, p. 8.] {Entered 7/20/00 SS}

 

1/14/99: MAYAK OFFICIAL INTERVIEWED ON PRIVATIZATION RUMORS

During an interview published on 14 January 1999, Chelyabinskiy rabochiy questioned PO Mayak Chief Engineer Aleksandr Suslov about rumors that individual plants within Mayak would be privatized. In response, Suslov stated Mayak would oppose such plans, warning that privatization would be impossible and inadvisable for several reasons. He noted that the Mayak complex, like many other Minatom enterprises, produces goods and services for the commercial civilian sector, and for the state-financed defense sector. Suslov argued that if these two sectors were separated as a result of privatization, Mayak would not be able to transfer financial resources from commercial fuel cycle program to its underfunded defense programs. Moreover, because Mayak's plants and supporting facilities are part of an interdependent complex, Suslov stated that it would be difficult to apply both commercial and state management principles within the same facilities.

["'Mayak' ne tolko svetitsya, no i delitsya?" Chelyabinskiy rabochiy online edition, http://www.chelpress.ru, 14 January 1999.] {Entered 8/7/2000 SS}

 

9/20/98: GUARD AT MAYAK FACILITY SHOOTS THREE MEN AND ESCAPES

On 20 September 1998 Sergeant Vitaliy Pryakhin, a member of Unit 3446, which guards PO Mayak, shot and killed two guards and injured one more, then escaped, having taken the victims' ammunition and his submachine gun.[1,2]  Senior officers of the Ministry of Internal Troops did not make a statement until two days after the incident occurred. Over 900 people have been taking part in the search.[3]  As of 13 October, Pryakhin had not been found.[2]  Sergeant Pryakhin was drafted in Chelyabinsk in December 1996 and was to be discharged soon;[1] the order was received by the unit on 21 September 1998.[4]  Pryakhin's motive has not been established.[5] The military prosecutor for the Urals region is in charge of the investigation.[1]

Sources:

[1] German Galkin, Dmitry Zobkov, "V Chelyabinskoy oblasti prodolzhaetsya poiski dezertira," Kommersant-Daily, 23 September 1998; in Universal database of Russian Newspapers, http://news.eastview.com/.

[2] Vladislav Pisanov, "Neulovimiy Pryakhin," Trud, 13 October 1998; in Universal Database of Russian Newspapers, http://news.eastview.com/.

[3] Vitaliy Romanov, "Intsident na Mayake mog zakonchitsya katastrofoy," Segodnya, 23 September 1998; in Universal Database of Russian Newspapers, http://news.eastview.com/.

[4] Vladislav Pisanov, "Otets Dezertira," Trud, 16 October 1998; in Universal Database of Russian Newspapers, http://news.eastview.com/.

[5] Vladislav Pisanov, "Chto Zhe Sluchilos?" Trud, 2 October 1998; in Universal Database of Russian Newspapers, http://news.eastview.com/.

{Entered 10/28/98 CF}

 

7/25-8/7/98: STRIKING MINERS BLOCK RAILWAYS AND ENERGY SUPPLIES TO PO MAYAK

Begining on 25 July 1998, miners protesting Chelyabinskugol's failure to pay wage arears blockaded a section of the Trans-Siberian Railway, thus preventing the delivery of coal  to the Argayash Power Plant, which supplies steam and electricity to the PO Mayak complex.[1,2] In Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-65), the city's power plant only had enough coal to supply energy to PO Mayak, but not the rest of the city.[3] While electricity supplies were considered relatively safe, Russian telelvision reported that the situation looked much less certain with the water and steam supplies.[4] On 4 August 1998, a shortage of power triggered automatic protection systems to shut off  Mayak's two tritium-producing reactors.[5] In the 5 August 1998 television interview, however, the management at PO Mayak called the situation "alarming but under control," noting that the combine has duplicate back up systems and safety procedures.[4]  PO Mayak Acting Director Aleksandr Suslov said that the strikes threatened Russia's nuclear and radiation safety, especially given the fact that reactors from decommissioned nuclear submarines in Russia's Far East were scheduled to be transported to PO Mayak by train. Although the containers and the cars have safeguards in place to prevent radiation leakage, he warned that it would be undesirable to subject the train to the sudden stops caused by the blockades.[2] Containers with spent fuel from the Kola Nuclear Power Plant were also scheduled to arrive to PO Mayak in mid-August.[5,6]. On 7 August 1998, Deputy Primse Minister Boris Nemtsov told Chelyabinsk Oblast Governor Petr Sumin that the federal government would transfer money only to those regions where the railway blockade had ended, and the news prompted Chelyabinsk miners to call off their strike.[7]

Sources:

[1] "Urals Miners to Continue Blockade Until Wages Paid," Interfax, 5 August 1998.

[2] Yevgeniy Tkachenko, ITAR-TASS, 29 July 1998; in "Official Sees Rail Blockages as Threat to Nuclear Safety," FBIS-TEN-98-210.

[3] Interfax, 29 July 1998; Russian Railroad Blockade Impacts on Nuclear Waste Plant," FBIS-SOV-98-217.

[4] Anna Fedotova,  TV-6, 6 August 1998; in "Russia: Situation at Nuclear Facility 'Alarming but Under Control,'" FBIS-SOV-98-218.

[5] Vesti, 5 August 1998; in "Russian Nuclear Facility Affected by Miners' Rail Blockade," FBIS-SOV-98-217.

[6] Veronika Romanenkova, ITAR-TASS, 6 August 1998; in "Minister Says Rail Stoppages of Nuclear Waste Pose Danger," FBIS-SOV-98-218.

[7] Aleksandr Sapozhinikova, Vesti, 7 August 1998; in "Television Program Summary 071600: MRT 98-443," FBIS Document FTS19980809000455. {Entered 7/20/00 SS}

 

4/98: MPC&A PHYSICAL INVENTORY LABORATORY SHIPPED TO MAYAK

A mobile laboratory developed under the US Department of Energy's MPC&A program and intended to update and improve accounting of PO Mayak's stockpile of plutonium dioxide was shipped from the United States in April 1998. The lab is to begin operations in the spring of 1998 and will use nondestructive measurement techniques. 

["Mayak Plutonium Measurement Laboratory," April 1998 News, US Department of Energy website, http://www.nn.doe.gov/mpca/oldnews/04-98.htm] {Entered 11/13/2000 GD}

 

6/11/97: MIKHAILOV SUGGESTS SELF-FINANCING FOR MAYAK

Viktor Mikhailov, Russian Minister of Atomic Energy, has suggested the possibility of self-financing for the Mayak Chemical Combine.  Georgiy Kaurov, the head of Minatom’s public relations department, specified that under the US-Russia HEU deal, 12 metric tons of HEU will be blended down and sent to the United States in 1998, which will provide employment and income for Mayak.  (For more information see The US-Russia HEU Deal). Minatom is also seeking funds to finance the construction of a new melter at the plant to vitrify liquid radioactive waste.

[Yevgeniy Tkachenko, ITAR-TASS, 11 June 1997; in “Ministry Discusses Financing of Nuclear Reprocessing Plant,” FBIS-SOV-97-163.] {Entered 8/28/97 EV} 

 

6/13/97: RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF ATOMIC ENERGY WILL PROVIDE CHELYABINSK OBLAST WITH FUNDS

The Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy signed an agreement with Chelyabinsk Oblast, under which Minatom will provide the local administration with $5 million over the next three years. The funds are to improve socioeconomic development in Chelyabinsk Oblast, and to protect and improve the local environment. The agreement calls for the local administration and Minatom to cooperate to develop programs to rehabilitate contaminated environmental areas of Chelyabinsk Oblast. The two will work together in an effort to prevent future environmental problems. According to Minatom, this agreement is the first of its kind.

[Veronika Romanenkova, ITAR-TASS, 13 June 1997; in "Atomic Energy Ministry Allocates $5 Million to Chelyabinsk," FBIS-SOV-97-164.]{Entered 7/31/97 LK}

 

6/9/97: RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IN DEBT TO MAYAK

Minister of Atomic Energy Viktor Mikhailov and Minatom representatives met with Mayak officials today to discuss the Mayak plant's financial problems. The Russian government owes the Mayak facility about 300 billion rubles for state orders fulfilled by the plant. As a result, Mayak owes workers 1.3 million rubles in back wages. However, income from reprocessing foreign spent nuclear fuel has enabled the facility to pay workers some of their back wages. Mayak continues to struggle financially and plant officials are concerned that workers will suffer more if the state does not pay the facility.[1]  According to Mikhailov, Mayak's current debt to various organizations is 350 billion rubles.[2]  In addition, Mayak recently shut down its RT-1 vitrification plant (see below) and a new one will not be built for some time. Because spent fuel reprocessing cannot proceed without an operating vitrification facility, a prime source of income is jeopardized by the shutdown.[2]

Sources:

[1]  Vesti Newscast, 9 June 1997; in "Atomic Energy Ministry Holds Talks at Mayak Nuclear Plant," FBIS-SOV-97-160. {Entered 8/1/97 LK}

[2]  Lyudmila Batalova, "Radioaktivnyye otkhody: radovatsya ili grustit?" Chelyabinskiy rabochiy, 10 June 1997,  p. 1. {Entered 11/5/97 EV}

  

4/7/97: UNACCOUNTED HEU FOUND AT MAYAK

According to Gosatomnadzor, on 7 April 1997, two pieces of HEU were found during an examination of empty TUK-30 shipment casks at PO Mayak. It was reported that the total weight of the found unaccounted HEU is 142g. For details, see 19990040 entry in the NIS Nuclear Trafficking database.

["Gosatomnadzor Reports: 142 Grams of Unaccounted Highly Enriched Uranium Found at Mayak," Yadernyy Kontrol Digest, No. 10, Spring 1999, pp. 21-25.] {Entered 9/8/99 VT}

  

4/1/97: MAYAK ACCUSED OF BREAKING LAW ON USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY; CHARGES DENIED

According to the 1 April 1997 issue of Vecherniy Chelyabinsk, on 5 March 1997 Mayak transferred radioactive materials to Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44), without the necessary permission from Gosatomnadzor.  According to Gosatomnadzor, Mayak violated the federal law "On the use of nuclear energy."  In the 9 April 1997 issue of Vecherniy Chelyabinsk, Mayak public relations head Yevgeniy Ryzhkov denied Gosatomnadzor's accusations.  Ryzhkov said that Mayak notified Gosatomnadzor before transporting radioactive materials to Novouralsk, which was done as part of a Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission program. According to Ryzhkov, the materials were transported in keeping with Gosatomnadzor's requirements for physical protection and nuclear and radiation safety.  Ryzhkov stated that the problem occurred due to a power vacuum:  Gosatomnadzor has no authority over defense industry activities, while the Ministry of Defense has yet to set up a regulatory agency for these activities.  A lack of regulatory documents prompted Gosatomnadzor to postpone granting permission for the transfer in order to create the necessary documentation, which took until 21 March 1997.  Ryzhkov stated that Mayak "deceived no-one and hid nothing."

["Kakiye zakony narushilo PO 'Mayak'?" Vecherniy Chelyabinsk, 9 April 1997,  p. 1.] {Entered 12/3/97 EV}

Mayak Production Association (PO Mayak) Summary
PO Mayak Developments
Mayak Chemical Combine
Reactors
Reprocessing Facilities
 Spent Fuel Developments
MOX Fuel Production Facilities
Fissile Material Facilities
Radioactive Waste
 Chelyabinsk-60 Research Facility