Kazakhstan made another contribution to strengthening the CTBT's verification regime  

Nur-Sultan, December 3, 2020 - On December 2, 2020, the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan RSE (NNC) in Kurchatov received a radionuclide noble gas monitoring station under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

The station is installed on a prepared site at NNC and will be put into operation after completion of all the necessary technical procedures.

The deployment of a radionuclide monitoring station as a “cooperating element” was a joint contribution of Kazakhstan and Canada to strengthening the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Between 1999 and 2006, construction of five new stations of the International Monitoring Network (IMS) at the CTBT Organization (CTBTO) was completed in Kazakhstan, including four seismic stations and one infrasound station. All stations have successfully passed international certification and operate around the clock non-stop.

Additionally, in support of the CTBT and within bilateral agreements, 11 stations have been upgraded. They operate as potential cooperating national facilities.

After commissioning, the radionuclide station will be certified for connection to the IMS. Thus, out of the four control technologies of IMS, three will be presented in Kazakhstan: seismic, infrasonic and radionuclide.

 

For reference: The verification regime established under the CTBT includes the International Monitoring System, which covers activities for seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclides stations, as well as advisory procedures, on-site inspections and security measures.

The International Monitoring System for nuclear tests will consist of 337 tracking stations (170 seismic, 11 hydroacoustic, 60 ultrasonic, 80 radionuclide stations, and 16 radionuclide laboratories). The locations of these stations to be situated in about 90 countries are determined with due regard for the provision of global real-time tracking of nuclear facilities across the globe.

The effective advancement of the project for the installation of a radionuclide station is the result of the successful interaction of Kazakhstan and Canada at multilateral platforms designed to ensure international cooperation on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.