Is there any distance requirement between residential communities and the location of the NPP?

International and European practice envisages that the distance from an NPP to the cities with population over 50 thousand people must be at least 25 kilometres. A town (settlement) for NPP workers should not have a population of more than 50 thousand people and cannot be located closer than 8 km from the station.

The IAEA safety standards are not legally binding for its member states, but the members can adopt them at their own discretion as a part of their national legislation with respect to their own activities. These standards are binding for the IAEA in relation to its own operations and for the countries implementing projects where IAEA renders support. Any country wishing to enter into an agreement with the IAEA to get its assistance for selecting the site, designing of, construction, commissioning, operation or decommissioning of a nuclear power unit or for any other activity, is obliged to fulfil the safety norms and regulations concerning the activities covered by the agreement.