Works on conditioned Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) unloading from ChNPP Unit 1 are underway. As of 20.03.2013 it has been transported 414 of 1325 Spent Fuel Assemblies in ISF-1. Works are carried out in accordance with "Measures, ensuring  process of Nuclear Fuel removal from Chernobyl NPP Units 1,2", put in force the Decree No 51 dated 26.01.2012, in compliance with terms of the Separate Permission 000040/1 -21of the State Nuclear Safety Inspection at Chernobyl NPP.
According to the schedule it is planned to complete this work 30.11.2013.

The Project Group consisting of the Ukrainian Consortium “KSK” (PJSC “KIEP”, SE “NIISK”, Institute for NPP Safety) and V.Shymanovskiy Institute “ProjectSteelConstruction”, which was involved by the SSE ChNPP into determination of probable causes of the partial collapse of the Turbine Hall’s roof in axes 50-52/А-Б and wall panels of Unit 4 Turbine Hall, and into development of engineering solutions on reconstruction of the collapsed roof and wall panels of the Turbine Hall, completed the work on March 07, 2013.

According to the results of consideration of the submitted report, an option that envisages construction of a dimensional roofing module was selected for implementation. This module will be assembled at the site in the proximity of Unit 4 Turbine Hall and then installed on crane-runway beams along rows “A” and “Б” by a crane (during the operation the Turbine Hall’s crane runways were used for 125t capacity bridge crane traveling).

Preparatory works for engineering-geodetic surveys, which are additional to the routine one, of the building structures of Unit 4 Turbine Hall have been commenced in accordance with the approved “Plan of Measures on Mitigation of the Consequences of 4^th Unit Roof Collapse…”.

The Project Group consisting of the Ukrainian Consortium “KSK” (PJSC “KIEP”, SE “NIISK”, Institute for NPP Safety) and V.Shymanovskiy Institute “ProjectSteelConstruction”, which was involved by the SSE ChNPP into determination of probable causes of the partial collapse of the Turbine Hall’s roof in axes 50-52/А-Б and wall panels of Unit 4 Turbine Hall, and into development of engineering solutions on reconstruction of the collapsed roof and wall panels of the Turbine Hall, completed the work on March 07, 2013.

According to the results of consideration of the submitted report, an option that envisages construction of a dimensional roofing module was selected for implementation. This module will be assembled at the site in the proximity of Unit 4 Turbine Hall and then installed on crane-runway beams along rows “A” and “Б” by a crane (during the operation the Turbine Hall’s crane runways were used for 125t capacity bridge crane traveling).

Preparatory works for engineering-geodetic surveys, which are additional to the routine one, of the building structures of Unit 4 Turbine Hall have been commenced in accordance with the approved “Plan of Measures on Mitigation of the Consequences of 4^th Unit Roof Collapse…”.

Pursuant to the findings of the Commissions, which were investigating the occurrence causes, this incident “did not create the hazard to health and life, did not create the hazard to the environment, did not result in stoppage of production work and is not considered as an accident”.

The Commissions consider that the possible cause of the collapse of Turbine Hall roof fragment and eight wall panels became the collapse of a truss due to combination of negative factors, namely: lack of data on actual damages of the truss and roof decking during the accident of 1986, as well as because of the fact that structures of the additional roof are rested upon the deaerator stack’s columns, which undergone the heavy destructions during the 1986 accident.

Some other negative factors are also given in the findings. At that the experts emphasize that the snow load on the Turbine Hall roof as of the date of the collapse did not exceed the values established by the ChNPP design and operational documentation. “The main cause that made it impossible to prevent the collapse of the specified structures was absence of the possibility to carry out visual inspection of technical state of the structures due to the absence of safe accesses and very hazardous radiation situation” – emphasized in the Commissions’ findings.

In general the experts draw a conclusion on relative stability of the bearing structures adjacent to the collapsed one, and the possibility of their further use provided that the roof is reconstructed.

It is recommended to carry out a survey of Unit 4 Turbine Hall structures involving specialized organizations with the purpose to obtain reliable data on technical state of the structures similar to the collapsed one with the subsequent implementation of technical solutions on reduction of the probability of the collapse of the Turbine Hall bearing structures.