Russian Regulators Warn Nuclear Safety Undercut by Economic Crisis

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2008/2008-12-24-02.asp

MOSCOW, Russia, December 24, 2008 (ENS) - The safety of Russia's nuclear industry is being negatively affected by the country's economic crisis and the situation is expected to to worsen in 2009, according to a newly released annual report by the Russian nuclear regulatory body Rostekhnadzor.

Ongoing job cuts at nuclear facilities include the personnel directly responsible for safety control, states the report by Rostekhnadzor, which is responsible for licensing and safety at Russia's 31 operating nuclear power plants and the eight more under construction.

Activists with Ecodefense are calling on the Russian government to quickly adopt a plan to insure public safety and nuclear security.

"Ecodefense urges Russian government to quickly develop and adopt a plan to avoid possible accidents at nuclear facilities resulting from safety staff cuts and the general economic decline. The prevention of nuclear proliferation must be part of this plan," said Vladimir Slivyak, co-chairman for Ecodefense, a Russian nuclear watchdog group established in 1989.

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