Russian Nuclear Security Update #24
Nuclear guards salary; insurance against nuclear terrorism; nuclear site protection against drones; ZNPP is applying for Russian operation license; Rosatom staffing trends; nuclear security webinars.
Guards protecting nuclear materials during transport are paid under $5/hour.
November 11, 2024
Atomspetstrans, Rosatom’s transportation company, awarded the annual contract for protecting “special cargo” (the term used for the designation of nuclear material) to Atomguard, Rosatom’s protective force organization. The published cost evaluation reveals the guard’s hourly rate. After taxes, including overhead and profit, the rate is around $5.5, with the actual guard’s salary share likely much lower. This is consistent with earlier information about guard salaries.
Enrichment plant insures property against sabotage and cyber incidents.
November 15, 2024
Electrochemical Plant, one of Rosatom’s enrichment enterprises, awarded its annual property insurance contract. Insured risks include terrorist acts, sabotage, and cyber incidents leading to fire or explosion (but no other damage resulting from cyber incidents). The minimum insurance limit for terrorist acts and sabotage is 900.000.000 rubles (~$8.4 million as of the award date), while the maximum insurance amount is ~268 billion rubles (~$2.5 billion as of the award date).
Enrichment plant orders design of protection system against drones.
November 14, 2024
Urals Electrochemical Combine, another Rosatom’s enrichment enterprise, awarded the contract to develop a protection system against unmanned aerial vehicles. The design must be completed within seven months of the contract award date. The contract price is 36 million rubles (~$366000 as of the procurement announcement date). NIKIRET, one of Rosatom’s physical protection design bureaus, will provide the design.
ZNPP is planning to license the operation of one of its units under Russian regulations in 2025.
December 13, 2024
Zaporizhzhia NPP, a Ukrainian nuclear power plant occupied by Russia, is finalizing the preparation of the license application package. In 2025, ZNPP expects to obtain an operation license for one of its six units from Rostechnadzor, a Russian nuclear security and safety regulator.
Rosatom is an attractive employer, but its defense complex faces personnel deficiency.
Russian nuclear defense complex experiences personnel deficiency due to low salaries, work conditions, slow professional growth, and excessive red tape burden.
Siberian Chemical Combine (SCC), one of Rosatom’s major fuel cycle sites, reported 380 new hires in January-November 2024 and expects to hire 750 new employees in 2025. Growing staffing at SCC is driven by the construction of the new BREST-300 reactor with accompanying fuel manufacturing and reprocessing facilities. SCC is no longer part of the nuclear defense complex.
Rosatom is Russia's second most desirable employer after Gazprom, a Russian gas monopoly. According to poll results, 14% of Russians see Rosatom as the most desirable employer out of the closed selection list of 25 companies.
Rosatomtech launched webinars on nuclear security.
Rosatom Technical Academy recently launched a series of webinars on global nuclear security. The first two webinars covered nuclear forensics and physical protection of radioactive substances and radiation sources. Live attendance is likely limited to personnel of Rosatom organizations, but webinar materials (in Russian) are available to the public.