2. Infocenter
    3. News

    The State Specialized Enterprise “Chornobyl NPP” has obtained from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine the specific permission for pilot operation of Commissioning Stage 1 of the New Safe Confinement (NSC CS-1).

    The handing over of appropriate permission took place with participation of the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Mr. Roman Shakhmatenko, the Chairman of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine Mr. Hryhorii Plachkov, the Head of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management Mr. Serhii Kalashnyk, Acting Director General of SSE “Chornobyl NPP” Mr. Volodymyr Pieskov, and the representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

    “Obtaining the specific permission for pilot operation of NSC Commissioning Stage 1 is a successful example of implementing the large-scale international project regarding completion of unique technological structure that would effectively protect humanity and environment against destroyed power unit of Chornobyl NPP. We thank very much the donors and contributors of the Nuclear Safety Account and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development who joined together around the problem relating to the elimination of ChNPP accident consequences”, the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Mr. Roman Shakhmatenko emphasized.

    On July 22 Chornobyl NPP took part in a joint video meeting between the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZM) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI).

    The meeting objective was to discuss the next steps of the Ukrainian and Korean sides to initiate a cooperative project within the Exclusion Zone and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation in nuclear energy research and development works.

    At this meeting the KAERI experts presented technologies to be tested during the first phase of the project at the end of 2020. This involves the concrete waste treatment technology and the foam decontamination technology. These technologies are experimental and the ChNPP site is to become their “testing field”.

    The meeting resulted in a decision to sign the MoU between SAUEZM and KAERI in August this year, as well as to develop a technical documentation on implementing the first phase of the project together with the ChNPP.

    During July 14-17, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) is inspecting the Chornobyl NPP. The inspection goal is to check whether SSE ChNPP could perform pilot operation of Commissioning Stage 1 of the New Safe Confinement meeting the requirements of nuclear and radiation safety.

    The Commissioning Stage 1 of the New Safe Confinement (NSC CS-1) is a complex of facilities designed and constructed by the General Contractor of the NSC Project, i.e. NOVARKA Company. It includes metal structures of the Arch together with the main crane system, and the systems of life-support and state control of NSC, as well as new ventilation stack.

    The SNRIU Commission is headed by Mrs. Tamara Sushko, Deputy Chairperson of the Radioactive Waste Management Safety Department.

    “This inspection is related to the fact that Chornobyl NPP submitted an application and a package of documents to obtain a specific permission for pilot operation of NSC CS-1.

    On 09 July 2020, the current transformer of the 330 kV Outdoor Switchyard ceased to operate which was followed by the inflammation which took place at 23 h 56 min.

    The fire was extinguished at 01 h 35 min.

    The auxiliary power supply system of the plant has worked in the design mode starting the diesel generator.

    No change to the radiation situation at ChNPP site has been observed in the aftermath of the fire. The event is not subject to classification according to the Rules on investigating and accounting incidents at a nuclear power plant.

    An annual meeting of the Nuclear Safety Account’s Assembly in online-conference mode was held on 7th of July, 2020. The Ukrainian delegation took part in this meeting including representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Ministry of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, SSE “Chornobyl NPP” and other members of the government delegation.

    Information about work progress on the international projects having being implemented at the ChNPP industrial site, i.e. Interim Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility (ISF-2) and New Safe Confinement (NSC), was presented at the meeting.

    1. Information about COVID-19 disease incidence at SSE ChNPP
    2. The “Ukraine – EBRD” Joint Committee notes good progress in the implementation of international projects at the Chornobyl NPP site
    3. Environmental Initiative at ChNPP
    4. The suspected case of COVID-19 at ChNPP was not confirmed

    Page 43 of 119