Brave new monitoring network – Uljas27/02/2008
The external dose rate monitoring network is comprised of 248 stations located all over Finland. In addition, there are 27 stations situated in the vicinity of nuclear power plants. The network’s name ULJAS (Finnish word for brave) comes from the Finnish words ULkoisen säteilyn JAtkuva Seuraaminen, i.e. the continuous monitoring of external dose rate.
The monitoring network has two main goals. It is able to produce the real-time radiation situation report covering the total of Finland, which is why it is one of its kind in the whole world. The network also alerts the STUK expert on duty in case the previously set limit is exceeded at any of the monitoring stations. The new monitoring sensors are twice as sensible as the old ones ensuring that even the slightest changes in the radiation levels are certainly detected. The network was financed by the Maintenance and Supply Security Centre. The costs of the equipment and installation were about 2.4 million euros. The cost of one monitoring station with installation is about 9 000 euros. The monitoring network is maintained by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority. ULJAS enhances cooperation of authoritiesThe radiation monitoring network enhances the cooperation of the authorities in a crisis. In data transmission ULJAS uses a reliable radio frequency network only for official use, VIRVE, and data networks for authorities. The station sends automatically every ten minutes the radiation monitoring report to STUK and the Emergency Response Centre where the station is located. The information on the present radiation situation is therefore the best possible at STUK as also with the local rescue authorities. ”The officers at duty at the emergency centres and at STUK may launch their actions together with the Emergency Response Centre. The notification is thus responded to in two organisations independent of each other”, explains Kaj Vesterbacka, Head of Laboratory at STUK and responsible for the software and system planning in the ULJAS project. The monitoring results of the external dose rate monitoring network in Finland are available at STUK web pages. Further information: Page updated 07/01/2009
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