The Employer of this project is SSE “Chernobyl NPP”, the General Designer is State Enterprise “Central Design Institute” of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and the Contractor is Holtec International (USA).

As mentioned in the conclusion of UkrGosStroyEkspertiza, “the design documentation is developed in accordance with requirements to robustness, reliability and durability of buildings and structures, their operational safety, sanitary and epidemiological safety for population and ecology, as well fire, industrial, nuclear and radiation safety.”

The positive conclusion of the project expert review provides an opportunity to complete designing phase and proceed to the physical work performance on site.

Prior to start physical activity SSE ChNPP should obtain a license for ISF-2 construction and commissioning instead of available one, limiting the works by the engineering survey of constructed building structures. Corresponding application is submitted to SNRIU. Technical inspection will be performed in early December. As it is expected, the performed work will aloud the Contractor to enter at the site by March 1, 2013, to perform physical works on ISF-2 Project completion.

Intergovernmental Agreement between Norway and Ukraine about cooperation in the field of Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and "Shelter" object transformation into ecologically safe system was signed on November 30, 2012 in Oslo.

Agreement has been signed by Deputy Minister of Emergencies Ministry of Ukraine Mr Vladimir Sirotin and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Mr Espen Barth Eide.

Signing of the Agreement will contribute to the optimization of Chernobyl NPP Units decommissioning process and implementation of the tasks aimed on completion of the "Shelter" object transformation into an ecologically safe system, currently not included into Shelter Implementation Plan, in particular SO Fuel Containing Materials Management.

Today is 26 years as Shelter Object was accepted for operation. It was constructed over ChNPP Unit 4 that had been destroyed by the beyond-design-basis accident. The State Commission’s Certificate on acceptance of the preserved Chernobyl NPP Unit No.4 for maintenance was signed on November 30, 1986.

 

Intergovernmental Agreement between Norway and Ukraine about cooperation in the field of Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and "Shelter" object transformation into ecologically safe system was signed on November 30, 2012 in Oslo.

Agreement has been signed by Deputy Minister of Emergencies Ministry of Ukraine Mr Vladimir Sirotin and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Mr Espen Barth Eide.

Signing of the Agreement will contribute to the optimization of Chernobyl NPP Units decommissioning process and implementation of the tasks aimed on completion of the "Shelter" object transformation into an ecologically safe system, currently not included into Shelter Implementation Plan, in particular SO Fuel Containing Materials Management.


Signing of the Agreement with the Government of the Norway Kingdom enlarges the frames of the activity due to international technical assistance, provides possibility to the parties to share experiences and knowledge in the field of decommissioning and liquidation of the beyond design accidents consequences.

Chernobyl NPP is now at the final stage of its life cycle - the stage of decommissioning, which will continue until 2065. Under condition of such long-term activity the process of information preservation and transfer to future generations of specialists who will work at the final stages of decommissioning is of special importance.

To resolve this problem ChNPP places expectations on existing in Norway experience and developed technology. That will significantly reduce labor inputs, doses to personnel, improve the efficiency and safety of dismantling work, including "Shelter" object dismantling and Fuel Containing Materials Management.

Assistance under this Agreement will be based on individual projects, such as, for example, establishment of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Visualization Centre. This Center will be used for planning, training and implementation of procedures for the personnel, authorities and public. Center will contribute in fulfillment of Chernobyl NPP needs to improve the safety of the personnel and more efficient use of resources. Moreover, the staff will be able to plan and control the radiation dose and obtain visualization of radiation scenarios for planning and training.

For information:

Norway is a contributor to Chernobyl Shelter Fund and Nuclear Safety Account, established for financing of Shelter Implementation Plan, construction of Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant and Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility.

Cooperation between Chernobyl NPP and Energy Technology Institute (IFE) of Norway - International Research Foundation for Energy and Nuclear Technology was started in 2006. It was aimed on modeling and simulating situations at three undamaged Chernobyl NPP reactors and development of Visualization Technology by IFE Institute.

In August 2012, SSE Chernobyl NPP has reported that cracks were discovered in the individual elements of New Ventilation Stack (NVS) structure. The NVS has not yet been commissioned and is under the responsibility of the Building Contractor. A periodic monitoring of NVS steel structure elements position is being performed.

For the purpose of identifying the causes for the cracks and making recommendations for their repair, several Ukrainian and international specialized expert organizations are currently carrying out comprehensive studies of the steel New Ventilation Stack structures at ChNPP. They have already provided some of their respective reports to the Employer, and they are being analyzed by the designer. As soon as the experts agree upon the root causes for the cracks, the designer performing the function of the Engineer-of-Record Supervisor for the construction will issue recommendations for the defects repair.

The Designer will determine the specific repair solution, upon which SSE ChNPP will issue a Technical Decision to eliminate defects and submit it to the Ukrainian Regulatory Authorities for concurrence.

Since this process not yet complete, it is premature to conclude the cause of the cracks or specify the measures for their elimination.