On 29 July, 2021, a Panel of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) approved the Conclusion of the nuclear and radiation safety (NRS) state expert review of ChNPP’s document “Safety Analysis Report for NSC-SO Complex.”
“The Shelter Object is unique. It represents a part of the Chornobyl NPP industrial site along with a number of constructions created from the damaged structures of a former Unit 4 which lost its functions as a Power Unit; and from new constructions and systems which were built after the accident of 26 April 1986, and serve to monitor and correct the post-accident situation, including the mitigation of radiation consequences of the beyond-design-basis accident owing to blocking the effects of nuclear and radiological hazards on people,” — stated Head of SNRIU Hryhorii Plachkov at the opening of the Panel meeting.
Findings of the NSC-SO SAR state expert review in general have proved the compliance of the NSC-SO Complex with the NRS requirements in terms of the purpose, functions, design solutions, operational procedures, ensuring the radiation safety measures and preventing emergencies and accidents, as well as minimizing their consequences.
Results of the inspection, which was held at ChNPP during 5-9 July, confirmed the readiness of SSE “Chornobyl NPP” for operation of the NSC-SO Complex and capability to follow the NRS requirements during carrying out of such activity.
Some punch items, which were revealed during the NRS state expert review of the NSC-SO SAR and the inspection of ChNPP, can be resolved within the deadlines established by the SNRIU and do not impact on the safe operation of this Complex.
Pursuant to the Panel’s decision, the RAW Safe Management Office of SNRIU has within two weeks to finish the review of the ChNPP’s application and supplementary documents for a license giving a right to implement activity on processing and storage of radioactive waste available and to be generated during the Shelter transformation into an environmentally safe system (i.e. operation of the Shelter Object and New Safe Confinement Complex), as well as to draft proposals to be reviewed at the Licensing Commission.
“The NSC pilot operation lasted for nearly a year, from 30 July 2020 to 14 June 2021. Through the course of the year the SSE ChNPP staff not just tested the NSC’s systems, structures and components for compliance with the design requirements, functionality and state of serviceability, but also practiced skills and readiness for industrial operation of the NSC. The ChNPP staff also developed a large scope of documents required for obtaining a license for industrial operation of the NSC-SO Complex.
The Licensing Commission will take place on 11 August. After the license obtaining, in a new status, we will have within the shortest possible time to develop a detailed design “New Safe Confinement (NSC). Commissioning Stage 2 (CS-2). Dismantling of the SSE ChNPP Shelter’s unstable structures in terms of “early dismantling,” and then to proceed with physical works on dismantling of the unstable structures. So, a lot of important and interesting work lies ahead,” – commented this event the SSE ChNPP Deputy Technical Director (for Infrastructure) Serhii Kondratenko.
Source: SNRIU
