The meeting of the Board of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine was held on December 1, 2016, in course of which the issue "On the approaches to the licensing of Confinement operation, including Chernobyl NPP "Shelter" object" has been considered.

Currently activity at the Chernobyl NPP "Shelter" object is carried out under the License EO series No 000033 issued by the State Nuclear Regulatory Committee on December 30, 2001. Period of license validity is till the New Safe Confinement (hereinafter: NSC) commissioning.

According to the plans of the State Enterprises Chernobyl NPP and the Contractor for NSC designing and construction, the facility construction completion is expected in November 2017. After the NSC first stage commissioning Chernobyl NPP should obtain a new license for its operation.

The regular Assemblies of Chernobyl Shelter Fund and Nuclear Safety Account contributing countries took place at Chernobyl NPP on November 29.

The main topic of the CSF Assembly discussion was a progress in New Safe Confinement construction project, the Arch of which is set in the design position over ChNPP Unit 4 destroyed due to beyond-design-basis accident.

Mr. Hans Blix, the Chairman of the Assembly of the Chernobyl Shelter Fund Contributors, has mentioned that NSC Arch sliding is really historical event since the New Safe Confinement would enable to protect Ukraine and the world in future against nuclear hazard: “After 30 years since tragedy, the pain and scale of losses are still biggish. However, the recovery process is being continued. Junction of two halves of the big arch, installation of mammoth cover over historical reactor is like repair of a wound, a nuclear wound, concerning us all.”

IAEA expert mission "Reuse and changing the purpose of the emptied facilities for the decommissioning needs" was held in November 16 - 18 at ChNPP Training Center in Slavutich town.

The main purpose of the mission was sharing of experience and study of the best international practices in reuse of nuclear sites for other purposes. Chernobyl NPP’s specialists presented ChNPP approaches and plans for reuse of site area and repurposing of the existing buildings and structures for industrial development in the field of radioactively contaminated material, Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management.

New structure shields destroyed reactor 4.

One of the most ambitious projects in the history of engineering passes a major milestone today as the arch shielding radioactive waste caused by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power station accident has started sliding into place.

Chernobyl’s New Safe Confinement (NSC) is the largest moveable land-based structure ever built, with a span of 257 metres, a length of 162 metres, a height of 108 metres and a total weight of 36,000 tonnes equipped.

It will now be moved into its resting place over Chernobyl’s reactor 4 which was destroyed in the accident 30 years ago.

The participants of Roundtable “30 Years of the Shelter Object – 30 Years of the Feat” point out that Shelter object construction was key element within large-scale process of ChNPP accident localization and its consequences elimination. Heroic work of scientists, designers, builders, soldiers and Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s employees finalized in the signing of the Deed of Acceptance of the preserved Chornobyl NPP Unit 4 for maintenance by the State Acceptance Commission on November 30, 1986.

Since the moment of its commissioning Shelter object has been performing its mission – limiting the adverse radiation effects on personnel, public and the environment.