On October 28, 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No.663 "On Approval of the Regulation on the Procedure for Licensing Activities in the Field of Atomic Energy Use" (the "Resolution No.663").

A license for the right to carry out activities in the field of atomic energy use is issued by the State Committee for Industrial Safety to operating organizations, as well as to other legal entities operating in this area, subject to ensuring the safety of facilities and work performed.

The license is issued only to legal entities for an unlimited period.

It should be noted that in accordance with Article 20 of the Law "On the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes" dated September 9, 2019 No.???-565, the following activities of operating organizations are subject to licensing:

  • construction and operation of nuclear installations and (or) storage facilities;
  • handling of radioactive substances, nuclear materials and radioactive waste.

The main conditions for obtaining a license by the operating organization are:

  • the presence of a positive conclusion of the examination of the safety assessment of nuclear facilities and (or) activities in this area;
  • availability of financial support for compensation for damage caused by radiation exposure;
  • substantiation of the financial stability of the operating organization in order to ensure safety at all stages of the complete "life" cycle of the nuclear facility.

The following activities of other legal entities are subject to licensing of activities:

  • design and construction of nuclear installations and (or) storage facilities, operation of radiation sources;
  • design and manufacture of equipment for nuclear installations and (or) storage facilities, radiation sources;
  • conducting an expert examination of the safety justification for nuclear facilities and (or) activities in this area;
  • handling of radioactive substances and nuclear materials, including their use, transportation and storage;
  • radioactive waste management, including their processing, transportation, storage and disposal;
  • conducting scientific research at nuclear facilities;
  • import and export of nuclear materials, equipment and technologies for nuclear installations and (or) storage facilities;
  • provision of services in the field of atomic energy use;
  • training, retraining and advanced training of personnel required for the operation of nuclear facilities.

A licensee application will be subject to a fee in the amount of 4 Base Calculated Value ("BCV") (approximately USD 86). The decision to issue a license or to refuse to do so is made by the licensing authority within no more than 30 days after receiving the application, not including the duration of the safety examination.

There is a State fee of 10 BCV (approximately USD 215) charged for issuing a license.

Originally published 20 November 2020.

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