Final Decommissioning for Chernobyl Nuclear Plant

---

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) - The site of the world's worst nuclear accident at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) in Ukraine is to finally begin decommissioning almost 30 years after the event.

The country's State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine has approved the decommissioning process, the first phase of which is the final shutdown and preservation stage (FS&P). The 10-year process will have six stages in total and see the dismantling and decommissioning of Units 1, 2, and 3, which is expected to take until 2028.

Permission has been granted to SSE Chernobyl NPP for the complete decommissioning of Units 1, 2 and 3 of the Chernobyl NPP. In 1986, an explosion and fire at the Unit 4 reactor killed more 30 people and forced the permanent evacuation of 100,000 people from the surrounding area. The melted reactor left significant amounts of material containing nuclear fuel in the lower floors of the building which have been covered with a temporary cover ever since.

Units 1,2, and 3 continued to operate for a long time after the event as they were deemed vital to Ukraine's power supply. They were shut down gradually between 1991 and 2000.

"During decommissioning the additional radiation effect on the natural environment...will be significantly below the radiation-hygienic regulations," stated SSE Chernobyl NPP.

The planned activities will include:

• dismantling of the facilities' systems and elements outside of the nuclear reactor

• reinforcement of the barriers preventing the spread of radioactive substances into the environment;

• reliable preservation of the facilities' parts which will not be dismantled;

• creation of conditions to ensure temporary controlled storage of radioactive materials.

Last month, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) confirmed that the giant containment arch being constructed over the destroyed Unit 4 had entered its final stage. The giant steel and concrete arch, known as the New Safe Confinement, stands 110 metres tall, is 165 metres long and has an arch span of 257 metres. With a lifespan of 100 years it will provide the infrastructure to support the deconstruction of the shelter and nuclear waste management operations. The cost of the arch alone stands at €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion). For additional information, see March 24, 2015, article - Chernobyl Nuclear Cover Enters Final Phase.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. To contact an office in your area, visit the Industrial Info "Contact Us" page.