On 21st March the Chernobyl NPP was visited for information purposes by a delegation led by the Federal Minister for the Environment, Natural Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany Mrs. Barbara Hendricks.
Nuclear safety issues and efficient implementation of G7 tasks on transformation of the ChNPP facilities into a safe state were discussed within the framework of the joint visit with the participation of Acting Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Mrs. Hanna Vronska, Head of the State Agency of Ukraine on the Exclusion Zone Management Mr. Vitalii Petruk and Chairman of the SNRIU Mr. Serhii Bozhko.
Please recall that in 2014 it was Mrs. Hendricks who announced the necessity to find the deficient 615 mln. Euro with the help of Germany to finish construction of the NSC over the Chernobyl NPP Unit 4. At that time she said: “Enclosure of the accident reactor’s debris in Chernobyl from the rest of the world is a matter of honour for the G7 counties.” Later in 2015 the German Government contributed 90 mln. Euro into the Chernobyl Shelter Fund.
Mrs. Hendricks and her escorts laid flowers to the memorial of the Chernobyl heroes-liquidators, were familiarized with work progress at the construction site of Interim Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility (ISF-2), visited the New Safe Confinement’s erection area, where they had a chance personally to see the scales of the activities performed and get information about the NSC project implementation.
The First Deputy General Director Mr. Valeriy Seyda provided information about the works being implemented under international projects, implementation of the ChNPP Decommissioning Programme and Shelter Object transformation into an environmentally safe system, as well as future activities and prospects of the enterprise.
“Process of constructing the environmental safety facilities at the Chernobyl NPP industrial site is being implemented on a scheduled basis. Besides, at the present days we are working on the future development of the Exclusion Zone as a whole. We are undertaking commitments to increase the efficiency of using the existing infrastructure and its development, as well as will create all necessary conditions for large-scale scientific research and involvement of alternative energy sources” – the guests were informed by the SAEZM’s Head Mr. Vitalii Petruk.
During the visit’s meeting the Federal Minister of Germany mentioned that she was happy with the construction progress of all facilities at the Chernobyl NPP and saw the prospects in the further cooperation with Ukraine. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with people of Ukraine in addressing the problems associated with the accident consequences’ elimination learning lessons from the severest catastrophe in history of nuclear energy” – wrote Mrs. Hendricks in the distinguished visitors' book.
