VATESI and other Lithuanian authorities participated in the ConvEx international emergency preparedness exercise
10 October 2024 State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI), together with other competent Lithuanian authorities, participated in the International Emergency Preparedness Exercise ConvEx-2c organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to the exercise scenario, an accident allegedly occurred at the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan. During the exercise, the VATESI Emergency Operations Centre was activated.
VATESI specialists monitored the situation, analysed the course of the accident, prepared information and provided it to the exercise participants, and allegedly published press releases to the media. The Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service, the National Crisis Management Centre of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Radiation Protection Centre, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also took part in the Convex-2c exercise.
Participation in the exercise provides an opportunity to test the organisational and technical measures that help to ensure the smooth operation of the VATESI Emergency Operations Centre, as well as to improve the preparedness of the competent institutions for responding to nuclear emergencies in foreign countries.
VATESI has been designated as the responsible competent authority in Lithuania to receive and provide timely and appropriate information to the IAEA, the European Commission and neighbouring countries and Lithuanian authorities on nuclear and radiological incidents and accidents. In the event of a nuclear or radiological accident at a nuclear facility in Lithuania or a foreign country, VATESI initiates the activity of the Emergency Operations Centre, provides the interested state authorities with urgent information on the situation at the nuclear facility and the technical circumstances of the accident, forecasts of the development of the nuclear and radiological accident and the release of radioactive materials into the environment, and other information related to the event. For this purpose, VATESI has established an early warning system, with early warning specialists on duty 24 hours a day, ready to receive and provide information on nuclear and radiological incidents in Lithuania and worldwide.
The IAEA organises at least 10 exercises per year at different levels to test the preparedness of States to respond to nuclear and radiological incidents and to promote the development of specialist skills. 47 States and 2 international organisations participated in this ConvEx-2c exercise in a combined format.