How to get a permit to enter the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant?

Kelias vedantis į Ignalinos atominę elektrinę, matomi du reaktoriaus bokštai, apsupti mišku, esant giedram orui.

The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear facility of strategic significance for national security. Its territory is under strict protection and monitoring, it can be entered only in accordance with the established procedure. 24/7 security of the power plant territory is ensured by officers of the Public Security Service. The protected territory can be accessed only through the control stations where persons, vehicles, items and cargoes are inspected and only with a valid permit or accompanied by an employee appointed by Altra.

When and what permit does a contractor or a supplier need?

Short-term contract

When a contract for works or services lasts up to 40 business days (without the possibility of extension), the contractor is issued a permit for escorted entry. The contractor’s workers can access the nuclear facility site only accompanied by „Altra” employee.

Long-term contract that requires episodic visits

When a contract for works or services is long-term but the contractor needs to enter the nuclear facility site only sometimes (for example, once a month), a permit for escorted entry is issued. The contractor’s workers can access the nuclear facility site only accompanied by „Altra” employee.

Darbuotojai su mėlynais šalmais ir apsauginiais drabužiais eina metalinėmis laiptais jėgainės patalpoje.

Darbuotojai su raudonais šalmais stebi, kaip kėlimo įranga Ignalinos atominėje elektrinėje pakelia didelę oranžinę radioaktyviųjų atliekų saugojimo talpą.

Long-term contract that requires immediate start of the works

When the works are to be started immediately, upon commencement of the natural persons’ reliability verification procedure, the contractor is issued a permit for escorted entry. The contractor’s workers can access the nuclear facility site accompanied by „Altra” employee. After the verification procedure is completed, a permit for unescorted entry is issued.

Long-term contract

When a contract for works or services lasts for more than 40 business days, the contractor is issued a permit for unescorted entry, which grants independent access to the nuclear facility site. For a permit to be issued, a special questionnaire is to be filled in, then a verification and other established procedures are carried out, which can take up to 40 business days.

Keli žmonės baltais apsauginiais kostiumais ir geltonais šalmais stovi kambaryje ir stebi lentą, padengtą eilėmis žalių žymeklių arba kortelių. Vienas asmuo rodo į lentą ir tarsi kažką aiškina.

Procedure for issuing a permit for unescorted entry

Contractors and suppliers who wish to obtain a permit for unescorted entry to the nuclear facility site must submit the specified documents and become verified. The process of obtaining a permit is carried out in stages – from filling in the questionnaire to the final collection of the permit – and can take up to 40 business days.

The contract performer can be consulted on permit issuance. It is Altra employee who is appointed responsible for the performance of the contract.

The permit issuance procedure includes:

Filling in the questionnaire
The questionnaire can be found here. Please note that all the questionnaire fields must be filled carefully and accurately, without leaving any empty spaces. Please answer the questions giving full statements. For example, the question “Are you…?” should be answered “Yes, I am” or “No, I am not”. If the submitted questionnaire contains any inaccuracies, it may be rejected and the submission process will need to be restarted.
Submission of the questionnaire
Submit the filled questionnaire to the Chief Specialist of the Classified Information Protection Group of the Physical Security Division, working in the main administrative building of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, the Permits Office (Elektrinės g. 4 K47, Drūkšinių k., Visaginas). Together with the questionnaire, please also provide:
- your photo (in 3×4 format)
- a copy of your identity document
- an extract from your medical history records (form No. 048/a)
- a person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, a stateless person or a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania whose place of residence is outside the Republic of Lithuania must also present certificates indicated in subparagraphs 2–5, 11 of paragraph 3 of Article 50 of the Law on Nuclear Energy
Submission of data for the application
After the verification is completed and a positive decision to issue a permit is made, you will need to submit data for the application required for issuing a permit for unescorted entry. For submission of the data, you will be contacted by a responsible employee of Altra.
Collection of the permit
The permit is to be collected in the above-specified Permits Office. When collecting a permit, one must produce his or her identity document.

How are permits for escorted entry issued?

In order to obtain a permit for escorted entry to the nuclear facility site, the contract performer should be contacted. It is „Altra” employee specified in the contract, who is appointed responsible for the performance of the contract. You will need to submit data for the application required for issuing a permit for escorted entry.

Darbuotojai su geltonais šalmais ir apsauginiais kostiumais eina per pramoninį koridorių atominėje elektrinėje.

When are permits denied?

Permits are denied if:

a person does not agree to undergo verification in accordance with subparagraph 14 of paragraph 3 of Article 50 of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Nuclear Energy
the verification reveals at least one of the circumstances provided for in paragraph 3 of Article 50 of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Nuclear Energy

Frequently asked questions

What to do if the workplace, functions, etc. have changed and the application needs to be supplemented with additional buildings and premises of the nuclear facility or such buildings and premises are to be deleted?

It is necessary to inform the responsible employee of „Altra” about it who will submit a new application.

What to do if I need temporary access to certain nuclear facilities and their premises but they will not be my permanent place of work?

Please note that contractor’s workers who do not meet certain requirements cannot carry out works in the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.

Health requirements

Workers cannot work in the territory of the power plant if their health does not meet requirements set by Order No. V-396 of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania. This includes cases where a person has illnesses or disorders that may endanger the safety of the worker or those around him, such as:

severe mental or behavioural disorders
certain neurological disorders (for example, epilepsy)
cardiovascular diseases that can cause sudden loss of consciousness
visual, hearing or balance issues that interfere with safe work
other diseases indicated in the said Order No. V-396

Requirements for mandatory reliability verification

Contractors’ workers must get verified according to the Description of the Procedure for Verification and Monitoring of Natural Persons approved by Resolution No. 1414 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Workers may not work on the site of the power plant if:

they have not provided all necessary data for the verification of reliability
the verification revealed risks to nuclear, radiation or physical safety
the person’s reliability could not be firmly established
new information becomes available later, resulting in the cancellation of the worker’s reliability status

No permit for working in the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is issued in such cases.

In what cases are workers of contractor organisations not allowed to carry out works in the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant?

Please note that contractor’s workers who do not meet certain requirements cannot carry out works in the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.

What cannot be brought or transported into the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant?

Bringing or transporting the following into the territory of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is prohibited:

any weapons, their accessories, ammunition, explosives (including copies or counterfeits), pyrotechnic articles
flammable, explosive, toxic substances, radio signal suppression equipment
alcoholic beverages, narcotic and psychotropic substances
tangibles that are not specified in the official documents of items brought into / removed from the territory
without a permission issued by SE Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant – computers, media, photography or filming equipment, mobile phones that can be used for taking photos or filming
into the controlled area – food products and face cosmetics

It is also prohibited:

to take photos or film without a permission or in violation of the established procedure
to attempt to enter the territory drunk (when the alcohol concentration exceeds 0.00 per mille) or under the influence of psychoactive substances
to enter the territory, buildings or premises of the power plant facilities without a valid permit

Persons who do not comply with the established procedure shall not be admitted or shall be removed from the territory, informing the law enforcement authorities about the violations. Any violation of the requirements shall be subject to liability under the procedure set by legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania.

Do you have more questions?

Contact us!

For consultation on obtaining permits, please contact:

[email protected]

For consultation on filling out the questionnaire, please contact:

[email protected]