IAEA Saveguards application: visit of experts delegation to Chernobyl NPP facilities

13 June 2018

On June 13, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation accompanied by SNRIU Chairman Hryhorii Plachkov arrived at Chernobyl NPP with familiarization visit.

According to SNRIU information, IAEA met to discuss the subject of IAEA Safeguards application in Ukraine. Within the meeting in SNRIU office details of the unannounced IAEA inspections introduction in Ukraine were discussed. Special attention was paid to inspection on checking of spent fuel assemblies with a long-term cooling time, low level of burnup, as well to spent fuel assemblies damaged and stored in the cooling pools.

In framework of the meeting at Chernobyl NPP the experts visited Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility -2 (ISF-2) and New Safe Confinement construction sites.

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"Chernobyl Dogs" project is underway

06 June 2018

The next stage of homeless animals transportation from Chernobyl NPP site is started. It is implemented within the framework of the 5-year project "Chernobyl Dogs" aimed on sterilization and vaccination of dogs within the Chernobyl Exclusion zone.

On June 6, the employers of Clean Future Fund, Chernobyl NPP and Novarka Company transported another 11 stray dogs from the New Safe Confinement construction site. All dogs will be vaccinated and sterilized, some of them will be exported to USA for acceptance in families, permanent houses will be found for them.

The mission carried out by the Foundation is purely humanitarian in nature, that is, neither of the dogs that are caught on the Plant’s industrial site are not impending danger or killing. On the contrary: the young livestock will be removed from the Exclusion zone, the rest of the dogs after sterilization and vaccination will return to the ecosystem, from which they were removed. The goal of the project is to sterilize animals to reduce their population naturally, thereby create a safe environment for Chernobyl NPP and Exclusion zone employees.

We remind you that the project of dogs removal from Chernobyl NPP site started at the end of April 2018: on April 27, the first 12 puppies were removed. In general, the Fund plans to remove about 200 puppies from the Plant’s site for acceptance them into families.

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Fire in 10-km Chernobyl Exclusion zone

05 June 2018

Smoke spread and grass cover and underbrush ignition was revealed at the territory of 10-km Exclusion zone (near Chernobyl NPP’s switchyard - 330) on June 5, 2018 at 10:00. State Fire and Rescue Brigade No. 11 was informed about that. Firefighting brigades started to extinguish the fire in the shortest time.

At the moment the individual fire sources elimination is underway. There are no fires at ChNPP industrial site territory, threat of the fire spreading to Chernobyl NPP’s facilities isn’t observed.

This incident did not have a negative impact on the radiation situation at Chernobyl NPP industrial site. At the moment, exceedance of the control levels established for certain territories are not registered; the radiation situation is within the norm.

Chernobyl NPP extends cooperation with Belgian specialists

29 May 2018

Cooperation of Chernobyl NPP with Belgian companies has started in 2016, when in the framework of the Memorandum on technical cooperation with Belgoprocess Company the quality management team-work was carried out, the analysis was performed and a risk analysis report of the Program of Radioactive Waste Management at SSE “Chernobyl NPP” Site was prepared. On the same occasion the ChNPP specialists visited BELGOPROCESS Company to study best practices in implementing the quality management system, and risk management methods in RAW management. These activities were funded by the Belgian Government.

In 2017, additionally to the already-existing program, the Belgian Government allocated funds to train ChNPP specialists in maintenance and repair of BROKK manipulators used at the Solid RAW Management Plant. In September 2017, the specialists from TECHNUBEL Company provided training on ChNPP site for Radioactive Waste Management Shop personnel, including both theoretical and practical sessions.

In 2018, the Belgian Government continued the assistance to Chernobyl NPP. Starting from May 28, the next phase of cooperation has been started: during the week, the Belgian specialists, having longstanding practical experience and wide knowledge regarding specific installations will provide a special training called “BROKK 180: Expert Level” on Chernobyl NPP site in maintenance of the remotely operated manipulators and repair of BROKK equipment.

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NSC: Radiation Control using the drone

21 May 2018

In 2017, after the Arch sliding into the design position personnel at the Radiation Safety Shop (hereinafter: RSS) performed work on dose rate measuring in the New Safe Confinement (hereinafter: NSC) near-zone. These works were performed to evaluate the anti-radiation protection effectiveness. Read more here.

In 2018 RSS personnel continues to perform similar activities to identify dose rate around the NSC. At the moment measurements are performed from the northern and southern sides of the Arch.

As informed by the Deputy Head of Radiation Safety Shop Leonid Yakovenko, the approach to measurement remained the same as in September 2017 — with use of an unmanned aercraft. But now "MiniTrace" radio-dosimeters are used as radiation monitoring tools, which are attached to the opticopter's body and introduced into the target point of control. Dose rates are measured at the heights of 30, 60 and 90 meters above the industrial site level".

The main goal of measurement is to assess the dose rate at heights. In the future this will make it possible to compare the obtained now results with the results that will be obtained after completion of Shelter object unstable constructions dismantling. The beginning of dismantling is scheduled for 2019.

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World Association of Nuclear Operators mission is underway at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

18 May 2018

During the week, from May 14 to May 18, the technical support mission of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (hereinafter: WANO) devoted to review the methodology and practice for the nuclide vectors identification was held at Chernobyl NPP.

The timeliness of the topic discussed within the mission is caused by presence of difficult-to-measure radionuclides in the radioactive waste (hereinafter: RAW) of Chernobyl NPP. ChNPP intends to assess their activity by combining the measurement of the key radionuclides activity directly and calculation of the difficult-to-measure radionuclides activity using a predetermined scaling factor, that is, by the nuclide vector method.

This topic is important for ChNPP in two aspects. The first aspect is related to the commissioning of the Industrial Complex for Solid Radioactive Waste Management (hereinafter: ICSRM). The problem was identified in 2015 during the Phase II of ICSRM commissioning. Based on the testing results it was revealed that the activity of a number of nuclides, in particular, U, Pu, Am, is assessed incorrectly by the existing radiation and technological control system, and, as a result, that doesn’t allow to draw up the corresponding passport for the Radioactive Waste package.

The second aspect of the problem is linked with the project activity to create a facility for materials release from regulatory control, implementing under support of the European Commission. To obtain reliable results regarding difficult-to-measure radionuclides it is also necessary to use the nuclide vector method.

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