This file is no longer being updated. For information on
developments in the nuclear power industry, please see the
Ukraine: Reactor Safety Developments section.
7/25/97: UNIT 3 REPAIRS SUSPENDED UNTIL OCTOBER 1997 Unit 3, the last operational reactor at the Chornobyl
NPP, will remain idle until October 1997. Seventy fuel channels within
the reactor are in need of replacement, and the plant has only 25 percen
of the parts required to complete the repairs. Since January 1997, little
financing for the projects involving the sarcophagus and Units 1 and 2
has materialized. Plant Director Serhiy Parashin opposes permanently closing
Chornobyl NPP merely because Ukraine has survived this temporary interruption
of all power from Chornobyl. He believes that insufficient funding
and the resulting loss of control over the power plant will have "dreadful
consequences." Parashin also believes that somehow funds for servicing
Unit 1 and 2 and plant financing were mislaid in the state budget approval
process.
[ITAR-TASS, 25 July 1997; in "Chernobyl
Plant Repairs Suspended Until October," FBIS-SOV-97-206.] {entered 9/19/97
AjP}
7/21/97: LAST REACTOR AT CHORNOBYL SHUT DOWN FOR
REPAIR The last operating 1,000 MW reactor at the Chornobyl
nuclear power station was shut down on 21 July 1997 for intermediate overhaul
and routine maintenance. Originally expected to be out of commission
for only 70 days, Unit 3 may now stay idle for months. Borys Kutsenko,
responsible for the centralized repair and maintenance facility at Chornobyl,
asserts that maintenance may take longer than expected because of “weak
logistical support” and the unavailability of vital Russian-made spare
parts and equipment. The station has only 25 percent of the replacement
materials it needs to complete the overhaul.[1, 2] The most important tasks,
according to Kutsenko, involve the replacement of pipelines, thermal equipment,
and fuel channels.[1] The closure of Unit 3, however, undermines Ukraine's
negotiating position with respect to postponing the closure of the entire
Chornobyl facility if foreign aid for shutdown does not materialize.
Sources: [1] UNIAN, 21 July 1997, in "Ukraine:
Sole Operational Chernobyl Reactor Shut Down for Overhaul," FBIS-SOV-97-202,
21 July 1997. [2] Sander Thoenes, "Last reactor shut
for repair," Financial Times, 23 July 1997, p. 2. {entered 09/22/97
AjP}
6/20/97: G-7 TO CONTRIBUTE $300 MILLION
TOWARDS CHORNOBYL SAFETY In an economic statement drawn up at the Group of
Seven Summit, which took place in Denver, Colorado, from 20-22 June 1997,
leading industrial nations disclosed their intention to dedicate $300 million
towards enacting the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP), which will repair
the existing sarcophagus.[1, 3] Officials from Ukraine and a group
of Western experts from the EU, EBRD, G-7, and the World Bank initially
agreed on the project during a series of meetings on 23-24 April 1997.
The SIP agreement finally put to rest the controversial proposal to construct
a second cover over the sarcophagus.[2] The agreement includes 22 integrated
projects to reinforce the short term safety and stability of the
existing sarcophagus structure.[2, 3] Looking further ahead, the
Ukrainians hope the SIP will lead to the extrication of fuel-containing
materials from within the ruins.[3] Carol Kessler, head of the G-7
nuclear safety panel, expects the SIP, estimated to cost $780 million and
continue until at least 2005, to be a cost-effective approach to dealing
with the presently hazardous situation at Chornobyl-4.[2] Although the
G-7 commitment falls short of the necessary $780 million, a source
from a G-7 country noted that over the next ten years, there will be time
to raise the remaining necessary funds. At the summit, the G-7 leaders
invited both private and public entities to take part in a "pledging conference"
in the fall of 1997. Countries without nuclear programs have already expressed
charitable interest, an unexpected development. Also, Ukraine is committed
to contribute $100 to $150 million in materials and personnel towards the
SIP. G-7 leaders requested that Boris Yeltsin also contribute, but his
answer was not yet forthcoming.[3] The statement also noted that these
funds are not a part of the roughly $1 billion previously committed under
the December 1995 MoU, but failed to discuss the problems surrounding the
release of $800 million in EBRD loans Ukraine needs to complete replacement
power reactors at Rivne-4 and Khmelnytskyy-2.[1]
Sources: [1]"Nations pledge $300 million to
Chernobyl safety project," Nuclear News, August 1997, p. 31. [2]"Chernobyl sarcophagus to be maintained,"
Nuclear News, June 1997, pp. 48-49. [3]Ann Maclachlan, "G-7 Funds Chernobyl
Shelter Fix, Replacement Power Stays in Limbo," Nucleonics Week,
26 June 1997, pp. 12-13.{Entered 10/10/97 AjP}
5/18/97: UNIT 3 SHUT DOWN BY CHORNOBYL SAFETY
SYSTEM Chornobyl management is examining why the transformer
powering Chornobyl-3 shut down on 18 May 1997.[1, 2] At 12:40 pm (0940
GMT), twenty seconds after employees finished repairs to rechannel electricity
to the reactor, the transformer turned itself off.[2] Immediately
after the power to the turbogenerators ceased, an automatic safety system
took the reactor off line and put it into cooling mode.[3] Valery Idelson,
Chornobyl's Kiev spokesman, pointed out that they do not always know why
a mechanism may turn itself off. Idelson added that the performance
of the safety system was flawless, "preventing any possible consequences."[1]
There were no injuries, and the radiation levels at Chornobyl did not increase.
Operators expect Unit 3 to be back on line in three days.[1, 2, 3]
Sources: [1] "Ukraine Nuclear Reactors Shut
Down," Washington Post, online edition, 19 May 1997. [2] AFP, 19 May 1997; in "AFP: Incidents
at Chernobyl, Zaporozheh Nuclear Plants," FBIS-SOV-97-139. [3] Interfax, 19 May 1997; in
"Chernobyl's Remaining Power Unit Closed Down," FBIS-SOV-97-139. {entered
9/19/97 AjP}
4/20/97: WESTINGHOUSE SAFETY PROJECT BEGINS The Westinghouse project management team began nuclear
safety improvements at the Chornobyl NPP on 20 April 1997, in accordance
with the January 1997 contract that Westinghouse and Chornobyl signed.
The ECU 8.7 million ($9.9 million) contract with Westinghouse and subcontractors
Energoproyekt of Ukraine and NNC of Britain comes from a ECU 118 million
($147 million) Chornobyl aid grant initially agreed upon by Ukraine and
the EBRD in November 1996, and later ratified on 18 March 1997 by the Ukrainian
parliament.[1] The grant, funded through the EBRD's Nuclear Safety Account
(NSA), represents the first part of a greater $350 million assistance package
for the decommissioning of Chornobyl.[2] The funding will go towards
obtaining bids for Unit 3 safety improvements and construction of nuclear
waste storage and liquid nuclear waste processing facilities.[1]
Sources: [1] Interfax, 21 April 1997; in
"Ukraine: Chernobyl Safety Improvement Project Begins 20 April," FBIS-TEN-97-005. [2] "An Agreement Between the EBRD
and Ukraine...," Nuclear News, December 1996, pp. 17-18. {entered
9/22/97 AjP}
4/8/97: KOSTENKO WARNS OF DECLINING SAFETY AT
CHORNOBYL On 8 April 1997, Minister of Environment and Nuclear
Safety Yuriy Kostenko warned the Ukrainian parliament about recent deteriorations
in the safety of the sarcophagus as a result of moisture build-up, unstable
structures, and inadequate monitoring and emergency plans. He also stated
that Chornobyl could not operate without the installation of a "multifunctional
safety system," enhancements in the reactor control and protection system,
and guarantees of shutdowns in emergencies. Kostenko believes that
safety at all Ukrainian power plants is insufficient, due to a lack of
financing, and that urgent steps are needed to ensure future operation.
According to Kostenko, the safe operation of Ukrainian nuclear power stations
requires advanced nuclear legislation, a practical infrastructure for state
regulation of the industry, and indigenous nuclear fuel production capabilities.
[Interfax, 4 April 1997.]{Entered 9/19/97
AjP}
1/28/97: G-7 AGREES TO REMOVAL OF SPENT FUEL FROM CHORNOBYL-4 SARCOPHAGUS Carol Kessler, head of the G-7 delegation for Chornobyl closure, met with
Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety Yuriy
Kostenko and disclosed that G-7 countries are prepared to help Ukraine
remove spent nuclear fuel from the damaged Chornobyl-4 sarcophagus. Kessler
indicated that one option for removing the spent fuel could involve the
use of US robot technology developed to help clean up the Three Mile Island
nuclear power plant after the nuclear accident there in 1979. [UNIAN, 1/28/97, in "Ukraine: Ministry Notes G-7 'Change
Of Heart' At Chernobyl Talks," FBIS-SOV-97-019, 1/28/97.]{Entered 6/24/97
MK}{Cleared 7/13/97 JL}
11/30/96: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHORNOBYL SAFETY ENDS IN SLAVUTYCH It was reported that an international conference on Chornobyl safety issues
ended in Slavutych. The conference participants discussed the project to
construct a second sarcophagus over the existing one. However, neither
the draft plan of this project nor its timetable were approved at the conference.
According to preliminary information, the plan called for constructing
a suspension structure over the old sarcophagus which would provide reliable
protection against radiation releases from the destroyed Unit 4. The plan
also called for creating a tunnel through the walls of the sarcophagus
through which approximately 200 tonnes of nuclear waste could be removed.
According to deputy general director of the Chornobyl NPP Valentyn Kupnyy,
the Ukrainian government has not made the decision to construct a second
cover over the present sarcophagus due to the high cost of the project. [NTV, 11/30/96; in "Chernobyl Director Says Shutdown
Decision May Not Be Final," FBIS-SOV-96-232, 11/30/96.] {Entered 12/31/96
GN}
11/29/96: DERZHKOMATOM OKAYS OPENING OF CHORNOBYL-2 IN 1997 The Ukrainian State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy (Derzhkomatom)
issued a regulation permitting the restart of Chornobyl-2 in late 1997.[1]
A plant spokesman gave these reasons for possibly restarting the unit:
Ukraine's current energy crisis to be aggravated by the 11/30/96 closure
of Chornobyl-1 and the opportunity to use the qualified which formerly
worked at Unit 1. According to one proposal, unit-2 is to go on-line until
2000 once repairs and safety upgrades, estimated at $280 million, are made.
Though some repair work was done at the turbine hall shared by Units 1,2,
hardly any safety improvements have been made at Unit 2, since a 1991 fire
forced its closure. However, Deputy Chairman of Derzhkomatom V. Hryshchenko
said that safety checks in 1996 reported the condition of Unit 2 fuel channels
as "good." Work on unit-2 re-start is to be financed from the state budget.[2,3,4]
Sources: [1] ITAR-TASS, 29 November 1996; in "Committee Sanctions
Opening Of Second Chernobyl Reactor," FBIS-SOV-96-232, 29 November 1996. [2] Ann MacLachlan, "Chernobyl Managers Want To Reopen Unit
2 To Offset Unit 1 Shutdown," Nucleonics Week, 21 November 1996,
p. 16. [3] "Plan Unveiled For Chernobyl-2 Restart," NucNet,
11/29/96, http://www.aey.ch/nucnet/news/961129a.html. [4] "Restart Of Chernobyl Unit 2 Sought By Plant Authorities,"
Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 11/25/96, p. 12 10/28/96: UKRAINIAN FIRM PROPOSES WAY TO DEAL WITH DAMAGED UNIT 4 The Ukrainian firm Kolo, based in Kryvyy Rih, has proposed burying Chornobyl's
damaged Unit 4 some 450-500 meters underground at a cost of $600 million.
The proposal was submitted to the Ukrainian Parliament's Commission on
Nuclear Policy and Safety and is claimed to be a cheaper and more effective
solution than a plan submitted by the international consortium Alliance,
which has offered to construct a new cover over the original sarcophagus
at a cost of between $1.3 and $1.6 billion. It is expected that the existing
sarcophagus over Unit 4 will not last longer than 10-15 years, which is
only half of its projected service life. ["Ukrainian Firm Proposes to Bury Damaged Chernobyl Reactor,"
Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 10/28/96, p. 9.] {Entered 12/14/96
GN}
10/21/96: UKRAINIAN AND GERMAN NUCLEAR EXPERTS DRAFT NUCLEAR SAFETY
PROGRAM Nuclear experts from the Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection
and Nuclear Safety and the German Nuclear Safety Society have drafted a
program for nuclear safety cooperation. According to First Deputy Minister
of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety Oleksandr Smyshlyayev, the
program includes two major projects--the nuclear safety training of Ukrainian
specialists and increasing cooperation in completing research on the condition
of the sarcophagus at Chornobyl. Under the agreement, German experts will
participate in a study of the safety of the sarcophagus under the auspices
of the Ukrainian National Research and Technological Center for Nuclear
Safety at Chornobyl. According to UNIAN, German participation will increase
the authority of the Chornobyl Nuclear Safety Center, which is expected
to become an international center for nuclear safety. It is expected that
the German-Ukrainian nuclear safety program will be signed by high officials
from the Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety
and by their German counterparts in the middle of 11/96. [UNIAN, 10/21/96, in "Ukrainian, German Experts Draft
Nuclear Safety Program," FBIS-SOV-96-205, 10/21/96.] {Entered 12/15/96
GN}
10/3/96: RAIN WATER BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF INCREASED NEUTRON FLUX
READINGS IN THE SARCOPHAGUS According to head of the Chornobyl NPP information center Valeriy Edelson,
an expert commission studying the causes of a neutron flux increase registered
by instruments inside the sarcophagus came to the conclusion that the most
probable cause for the elevated reading was rain water leaking inside the
sarcophagus and affecting the monitoring equipment. Rain water may also
be affecting the nuclear fuel remaining under the sarcophagus, which might
have led to increased neutron flux. According to a 9/20/96 report by the
Commission, the increased neutron flux readings in the sarcophagus may
indicate the emergence of a chain reaction in the remaining nuclear fuel.
However, the Commission found that no changes occurred in the background
radiation inside or outside of the sarcophagus since the beginning of 9/96.
Although the Commission admitted that the monitoring system and the sarcophagus
need improvements, Edelson denied media reports alleging that new equipment
had been installed at the sarcophagus. According to Edelson, it is impossible
to purchase and install the equipment in such a short time. Sources: [1] Mikhail Melnik, ITAR-TASS, 10/3/96, in "Increasing
Chernobyl Neutron Flow 'Caused by Rain Water'," FBIS-SOV-96-194, 10/3/96. [2] UNIAN (Kiev), 9/20/96, in "Chernobyl Commission Says
Incidents May Never Be Explained," FBIS-SOV-96-185, 9/20/96. [3] Interfax, 9/26/96, in "Atomic Energy Spokesman Denies
Chernobyl Accident Threat," FBIS-SOV-96-188, 9/26/96. [4] "Chernobyl Reactor to be Shut Down," UPI, 10/28/96.{Entered 11/5/96 GN}
9/25/96: KOSTENKO'S STATEMENT ON CHORNOBYL INCIDENTS CRITICIZED On 9/24/96, Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear
Safety Yuriy Kostenko made an open statement warning of a possible explosion
in the sarcophagus over Chornobyl's Unit 4. According to Kostenko, the
three recent increases in neutron flux and gamma radiation registered on
9/12/96, 9/16/96, and 9/19/96 signaled a possible nuclear chain reaction
that could produce an explosion in Unit 4. Ukrainian authorities, including
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, have openly criticized Kostenko's statement.
Ukrainian National Security Council Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin doubted
Kostenko's assessment that neutron flux increasing inside the sarcophagus
signaled a potential chain reaction. According to Chornobyl plant director
Serhiy Parashin, there has been no increase in background radiation inside
or outside the sarcophagus. Parashin said torrential rains had seeped under
Unit 4 causing a malfunction in the instruments, which registered high
increases in neutron flux inside the damaged reactor. The Ukrainian government
commission, which was set up to conduct an investigation on these incidents,
produced a preliminary report on 9/26/96, stating that the three recorded
increases in neutron emissions in Unit 4 were not accompanied by increases
in background radiation levels. Commission Chairman Viktor Chebrov, who
is also Chairman of the State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy (Derzhkomatom),
said that the incidents do not pose a significant nuclear threat nor a
threat to the sarcophagus. Nevertheless, neither Chebrov nor Horbulin completely
ruled out the potential danger of these incidents to the sarcophagus. In
general, the Ukrainian officials doubted that the sarcophagus over Unit
4 could possibly collapse due to these particular neutron emissions. According
to Ukrainian and Western news agencies, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma
pointed out that due to the uncertainty over the condition of the sarcophagus,
the neutron emission incidents will prompt him to press the G-7 at a 10/11/96
meeting between the G-7 and Ukraine to speed the program of funding the
construction of a new shelter for Unit 4.
Russian nuclear experts and government officials generally consider Kostenko's
statement ungrounded and political rather than strictly professional. Many
Russian nuclear specialists believe that the elevated readings appeared
due to faulty instruments made worse by rain water running through holes
in the sarcophagus. According to Georgiy Kaurov, Head of the Public Relations
Department of the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy (Minatom), the service
lives of all gamma-radiation, neutron-flux, temperature, and humidity instruments
inside the sarcophagus have expired and cannot be trusted. Kaurov said
that there is no danger of a chain reaction or nuclear explosion in Unit
4, and added that the sarcophagus will survive for additional 10 years.
Russian nuclear experts and officials suspect that by exaggerating the
nuclear incident inside the Unit 4 sarcophagus, Kostenko and other Ukrainian
officials are attempting to repeatedly highlight the problem of Chornobyl
in order to speed up the disbursement of $3 billion in financial aid from
the G-7. According to Russian officials and experts, the Ukrainian overreaction
on the neutron flux accident is no coincidence in view of the coming 10/11/96
working meeting between the G-7 and Ukraine. Reportedly, Western experts
think that another explosion at Unit 4 is unlikely, although a full explanation
for these radiation increases may never be found. Sources: [1] UNIAN , 9/24/96, in "Minister: Chain Reaction
Could be Taking Place in Chornobyl," FBIS-SOV-96-187, 9/24/96. [2] Chrystyna Lapychak, "Reaction to Warning of Possible
Explosion at Chornobyl," OMRI Daily Digest, 9/26/96. [3] Chrystyna Lapychak, "Update on Chornobyl Neutron
Leaks," OMRI System Search, http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/cgi-bin/friends/omri/select-rec.pl,
9/27/96. [4] "A Rise in Radiation Readings Reported at Chornobyl
Plant," Ukrainian Weekly, 9/22/96, p. 2. [5] Interfax , 9/26/96, in "Chernobyl Diagnostic
systems No Longer Work," FBIS-SOV-96-188, 9/26/96. [6] Zakhar Butyrskiy, "Ukrainskiye ofitsialnyye litsa
vnov zagovorili o vozmozhnosti vzryva na Chernobylskoy AES," Segodnya,
9/26/96, p. 1.{Entered 11/6/96 GN}
9/19/96: THREE INCREASES IN NEUTRON FLUX REGISTERED INSIDE THE SARCOPHAGUS According to information provided by the Information Center of the Nuclear
Regulation Administration at the Ukrainian Ministry of Environmental Protection
and Nuclear Safety, on 9/12/96, two of the 10 instruments situated in one
of the chambers of the sarcophagus registered increased neutron flux levels.
Similar increases were registered by three of the 10 instruments inside
the sarcophagus on 9/16/96 and 9/19/96. The instruments showed neutron
readings five to 110 times as high as normal, which could indicate the
emergence of a nuclear chain reaction from the remains of the nuclear fuel.
In all three cases, the readings returned to normal after a while. In the
first two cases, personnel were evacuated from the area around the damaged
reactor, although no increase in radiation level outside the sarcophagus
was detected. An expert commission was formed on 9/17/96 to look into the
causes of the incidents. Sources: [1] UNIAN , 9/17/96, in "Incident at Chernobyl
Sparks Fear of Nuclear Chain Reaction," FBIS-SOV-96-182, 9/17/96. [2] ITAR-TASS, 9/19/96, in "Scientists Baffled by Increased
Neutron Flow at Chernobyl," FBIS-SOV-96-184, 9/19/96. [3] UNIAN , 9/24/96, in "Minister: Chain Reaction Could be Taking
Place in Chornobyl," FBIS-SOV-96-187, 9/24/96. [4] "Chernobyl Reactor to be Shut Down," UPI, 10/28/96.{Entered 11/6/96 GN}
9/1/96: SAFETY EXERCISE HELD IN 30-KM CHORNOBYL ZONE The Ukrainian State Center for Emergencies and Technical Support conducted
a planned exercise in the 30-km Chornobyl exclusion zone to practice the
implementation of urgent safety measures to effectively deal with any emergency
situations that might occur during the transportation of nuclear fuel across
Ukrainian territory. [Radio Ukraine, 9/1/96, in "Accident Exercises
Held in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone," FBIS-SOV-96-171, 9/1/96.] {Entered 10/2/96
GN}
8/27/96: CHORNOBYL URANIUM THIEVES SENTENCED Three Chornobyl NPP workers, Igor Kabachenko, Viktor Tsvetkov, and Mikhail
Bobyrev, along with the director of the local trade firm Asket, Nikolay
Kolesnikov, were found guilty by the Kiev Regional Court on charges of
polluting the environment and engaging in illegal foreign exchange transactions.
Kabachenko, Tsvetkov, Bobyrev, and another man, Shumakov, on the run as
of 8/17/96, stole approximately 5.3 kg of fresh LEU nuclear fuel from inside
the sarcophagus encasing the destroyed Unit 4, and sold it for $2,100 to
Kolesnikov, who had offered $6,000 for 10 kg of uranium. Kolesnikov had
arranged, through several middlemen, to sell the uranium to Konstantin
Nikolayevich Gladkov, who claimed to represent an unspecified Arab firm
interested in buying 10 to 100 kg of uranium. While Izvestiya reported
that Gladkov apparently worked for the Ukrainian authorities, Kiev Regional
Court Judge Valentina Kuzmenko later stated that these reports were unsubstantiated.
The Ukrainian Security Service raided the exchange and arrested all parties
but Gladkov, who disappeared. The middlemen, Valeriy Kurochkin of Avialinii
Ukrainy, Major Potylchak of the Kiev Infantry Institute, and Viktor Korchevnyy
of the Popelnyanskaya military unit, served as trial witnesses but have
not been charged.
For more information on smuggling and illicit transactions, see the NIS Illicit
Nuclear Trafficking Database. Sources: [1] Zakhar Butyrskiy, "Pokhititelyam urana s ChAES vyneseny
prigovory," Segodnya, 8/31/96, p. 5. [2] Yanina Sokolovskaya, "Samoubiytsy: Chto zastavilo
rabotnikov Chernobyl'skoy AES dobyvat' uran iz razrushennogo reaktora,"
Izvestiya, 8/17/96, p. 6. [3] NTV "Segodnya" newscast, 10/26/96, in "Chernobyl
Workers Arrested Trying To Sell 5.5 kg of Uranium," FBIS-SOV-96-209. {Entered
1/1/97 GN, revised 1/8/97 LBN}
7/29/96: BOUTROS-GHALI URGES ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE, OTHERS U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali signed an "Appeal to States
Members of the United Nations on the tenth anniversary of the accident
at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant." Boutros-Ghali appealed to U.N. member
states to intensify their assistance to Belarus, the Russian Federation
and Ukraine to help them deal with the consequences of the Chornobyl accident. ["Appeal to States Members of the United Nations on the
tenth anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,"
, in INFCIRC/519, "Communication of 18 June 1996 Received From The Permanent
Mission of Belarus To The International Atomic Energy Agency" 7/29/96.]
7/4/96:INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING SCHEDULED REPAIRS According to the Chornobyl nuclear plant's public relations spokesman Mykhailo
Bohdanov, the 6/28/96 radiation leak occurred during scheduled repairs
at Unit 1 which required examination of internal parts of the reactor.
An increased radiation level was detected in the main hall which required
suspension of the repairs and immediate decontamination of internal areas.
There were no violations of operational procedure discovered. Reportedly,
no personnel were affected by radiation and no damage to the environment
was caused. The radiation level in the unit's halls did not exceed the
norms stipulated for such accidents. After the decontamination of the area
in question was completed, scheduled repairs were resumed, said Bohdanov. [M. Bohdanov, Uryadovyy kuryer, 7/4/96, p. 1;
in "Chornobyl Officials Explains 28 June Incident," FBIS-SOV-96-131, 7/4/96.]
{Entered 10/7/96 GN}
6/28/96:RADIATION LEAK AT CHORNOBYL'S UNIT 1: INES--0 There was a small radiation leak in a corridor of the main room of the
Chornobyl's Unit 1. According to the station's nuclear engineer Halina
Nosach, the incident occurred when the station's staff were monitoring
the interior of the reactor using TV cameras. The incident was rated zero
on the INES international scale of nuclear accidents. As a result of the
leak, the radiation level in the main room's corridor became at levels
five times higher than normal. This leak was the second one in two weeks
at the Chornobyl station. There was also a small fire accident at Unit
3 two weeks beforehand. ["Minimal Radiation Leak at Chornobyl," Reuters News Media,
7/1/96, p. 1.] {Entered on 8/19/96 GN}
6/7/96:CHINA HELPS LIQUIDATE CONSEQUENCESOFCHORNOBYL
ACCIDENT China and Ukraine signed a document on China's provision of over $120,000
to help cope with the consequences of the Chornobyl accident. [Xinhua, 6/7/96, in "PRC: Beijing Signs Aid Agreement
With Ukraine For Chornobyl," FBIS-CHI-96-112, 6/8/96.]
4/27/96:CHORNOBYL DAMAGE TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IS $20 BILLION According to Professor Aleksey Yablokov, Russian ecologist and chairman
of the Russian Center for Ecological Policy, damage to European countries
caused by the Chornobyl accident amounts to approximately $20 billion. [Aleksandr Annin, "Aleksey Yablokov: 'Chornobyl Is Forever'," Kuranty, 4/27/96, p. 5; in "Russia: Yablokov Faults Nuclear Summit," FBIS-SOV-96-133-S,
4/27/96.] {Entered 8/3/96 GN}
4/26/96: CHORNOBYL CENTER FOR NUCLEAR SAFETY ESTABLISHED Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma issued a decree establishing the Chornobyl
center for nuclear safety, radioactive waste, and radio-ecology and appointing
Valeriy Glygalo as the center's director. (See ++Ukraine: Administrative
Bodies+ for more information.) The center will be involved in all activities
related to the development of international scientific research aimed at
eliminating the aftermath of nuclear accidents, closure and decommissioning
of nuclear facilities, facilitating environmental protection and rehabilitation
from radioactive fallout and leaks. The Ukrainian Cabinet was advised to
assume responsibility over issues involving the establishment and financing
of the center. The operation of the center will also involve the participation
of the Ministry for Protection Against the Aftermath of the Chornobyl Nuclear
Disaster, the Ministry for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety,
the Ukrainian State Committee for Nuclear Energy Utilization, the State
Committee for Scientific, Technological, and Industrial Policies, the Ukrainian
Academy of Sciences, and other institutions and bodies. President Kuchma
requested that Foreign Minister Hennadiy Udovenko urge foreign governments
and international organizations to participate in the center's activities
and support them financially. Sources: [1] UKRINFORM, 5/6/96, in "Ukraine: Kuchma Creates Chornobyl
Center for Nuclear Security, FBIS-TEN-96-006, 5/6/96. [2] Holos Ukrainy, 4/26/96, p. 3. {Entered 8/96 GN}
4/24/96: RADIATION LEAK AT CHORNOBYL NPP:INES--1 There was a small radiation leak at the Chornobyl NPP when air filters
from a pump in the sarcophagus were changed. The old filters were left
in a room by Unit 3 and as a result background radiation levels rose seven
times above regulatory limits in four rooms. The incident rated a 1 on
the INES. ["Small Radiation Release At Chornobyl," Reuters, 4/25/96.]
4/19/96: OFFICIAL ADMITS CHORNOBYL REACTORS FLAWED For the first time a top-ranking Ukrainian official, President Leonid Kuchma,
has admitted that the Chornobyl reactors are flawed in terms of their construction. [Ron Popeski, "Ukraine's Kuchma Admits Chornobyl Reactor
Flaws," Reuters, 4/19/96.]
4/10/96: CHORNOBYL REACTORS' WATER-COOLING SYSTEMS ARE DANGEROUS Reportedly, a secret US Department of Energy study concluded that the Chornobyl
reactors are dangerous because of defects in the design of their emergency
water-cooling systems. It also said that the state of the site is now worse
than it was prior to the 4/26/96 accident. Sources: [1] "Moscow Rejects Nuclear Safety Charges," The Monitor,
4/10/96. [2] Adrian Bridge, "Agency Urges Closure Of Risky Reactors,"
The Independent, 4/11/96.
4/7/96: DELEGATES OF OREL SEMINAR DECIDE NOT TO CLOSE CHORNOBYL POWER
STATION A delegation from the Ukrainian parliament participated in the CIS-sponsored
seminar "Radioactive Safety Problems in CIS countries" held in Orel (Russia).
Parliamentary representatives of the CIS countries, who met at the seminar
within the framework of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, called on
their national governments and parliaments to develop a specific CIS legislation
dealing with economic and social problems created in CIS countries by the
Chornobyl disaster. In a joint statement, the representatives of CIS parliaments
emphasized that the Chornobyl power station should not be closed until
all potential social, economic and environmental problems, that could result
from the shutdown are resolved. Sources: [1] Volodymyr Koroliuk, "Aby Ne Povtorylasya Chornobylska
Bida," Holos Ukrainy, 4/9/96, pp. 1, 3. [2] "Parlamenty Ukrainy, RF, Belorussii Prizvali Mirovoye
Soobschestvo Kompleksno Reshyt' Problemu Chornobylia," 4/17/96. {Entered
on 8/19/96 GN}
4/4/96:SERVICE LIFE OF THE SARCOPHAGUS WILL NOT EXCEED 15 YEARS At a news conference, Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear
Safety Yuriy Kostenko reported that the service life of the sarcophagus
would not exceed 15 years and that in 5 years Unit 4 "will look like an
active volcano."
[ITAR-TASS, 4/4/96, in "Ukraine: Ukrainian Officials
Warn Of Chornobyl Dangers, Urge West To Help," BBC Monitoring Service,
4/12/96.]
3/22/96:RISK OF ACCIDENTS REMAINS HIGH The French and German institutes for nuclear safety and protection said
in a joint statement that the risk of grave incidents and accidents at
RBMK reactors remains high in Ukraine and other FSU states. ["Chornobyl Still A Risk, European Reports Say," International Herald Tribune, 3/22/96.]
3/20/96: ANOTHER NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE POSSIBLE AT UNIT4 Yuriy Kostenko, Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety,
reported that the condition of the sarcophagus around Unit 4 could lead
to another nuclear catastrophe. He added that the sarcophagus was successful
as a temporary measure, but in no way can be considered a permanent structure.
Western experts at a meeting in Vienna warned that a collapse could release
radioactive dust which would be concentrated in the 30-km restricted zone. Sources: [1] Stanislav Prokopchuk, "Sarkofag Mozhet Vzorvatsya,"
TRUD, 3/20/96, p. 1. [2] "Work Needed At Chornobyl To Avert Leaks," Reuters,
4/3/96.
3/12/96:CRACKS IN SARCOPHAGUS AROUND UNIT 4 A scientist from Kiev State University, Heorhiy Belyavskyi, warned that
there are cracks in the sarcophagus around Unit 4 which are allowing radioactive
gas, water, and dust to escape. ["Drevniye sarkofagi ponadezhnee byli," Rossiyskaya gazeta,
3/12/96, p. 1.]
3/28/96:CONTAMINATION CONTROL ALMOST NONEXISTENT AT CHORNOBYL According to a western expert who has visited the Chornobyl NPP, contamination
control is virtually non-existent. According to the expert, there is only
a wet towel for people to wipe their feet as they go from the reactor hall
to the "tea-room." There are no personal radiation monitors in the reactor
hall. ["Cover-up At Chornobyl," Foreign Report, 3/28/96.]
3/96: $2.75 MILLION FOR INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY CHORNOBYL DISASTER The European Commission designated $2.75 million for individuals affected
by the Chornobyl disaster. The money will go to residents of Ukraine, Belarus,
and Russia. ["Informatsiya," Yadernyy kontrol, 3/96, p. 8.]
2/22/96: 50 KG OF FUEL MAY BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE The sarcophagus around Unit 4 is in precarious shape and urgent action
is needed to stabilize it, according to Aleksandr Borovoy of Russia's Kurchatov
Institute in a report to the IAEA. The main defects include questionable
stability of the supports of the upper beams and over 1000 square meters
of holes in the sarcophagus' roof and walls. He warned of a worst-case
collapse in which five tons of dust with approximately 50 kg of fuel could
be released into the atmosphere in a large cloud. [Gamini Senevirante, "Russian Expert Warns Of Danger
Chornobyl Coffin Could Collapse," Nucleonics Week, 2/22/96, pp. 15-16.]
2/19/96:REBUILDING SARCOPHAGUS WILL COST $1 BILLION Yuriy Kostenko reported that a feasibility study estimated the cost of
rebuilding the sarcophagus around Unit 4 at approximately $1 billion. According
to Kostenko, the current sarcophagus will last only another 10-15 years.
There are 200 tons of fuel and 3000 tons of water located at Unit 4. Sources: [1] UNIAN, 2/20/96. [2] Chrystyna Lapychak, "Ukrainian Official Gives Chornobyl
Sarcophagus 10-15 Years," OMRI Daily Digest, 2/18/96.
2/13/96: CENTER FOR NUCLEAR AND RADIATION SAFETY PLANNED According to a UNIAN report, Germany intends to allocate DM 4 million for
the formation of an international research and development center for nuclear
and radiation safety. THE WEEK IN GERMANY reported that Germany will provide
DM 3 million a year for his project. German Federal Minister of the Environment
Angela Merkel stated that the project is expected to run for three years
and will involve 100 scientists from affected countries. The United States
intends to allocate $3 million, and Italy, France, and Japan have all expressed
interest in this center. Sources: [1] UNIAN, 2/13/96. [2] "Merkel Announces New Aid Projects For Chornobyl,"
The Week in Germany, 3/1/96, p. 5. [3] "V techenie dvukh blyzhayshikh," Zelenyy mir, No. 5,
1996, p. 3.
1/18/96:GERMANY TO PROVIDE SAFETY, TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS According to Adolf Birkhofer, the director of the German consultancy Gesellschaft
fuer Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit mbh(GRS), Germany should assist Ukraine
with short-term (4-5 years) safety and technical improvements and backfits
to Chornobyl's operational units. Birkhofer singled out improvements in
fire protection, clarifying operating guidelines, and installing locking
mechanisms on core channels as issues deserving immediate attention. GRS
is currently working on a program to improve the sarcophagus. [Mark Hibbs, "Make Short Term Safety Fixes At Chornobyl,
Germans Now Say," Nucleonics Week, 1/18/96, pp. 9-10.]
1995:ONE OF TWOACCIDENTS OCCURRED AT CHORNOBYL Chornobyl was reported to have the best safety record of Ukraine's 5 NPPs
in 1996. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety reported
that there were only 4 malfunctions in 1995, compared to 15 in 1994. However,
one of two accidents in Ukraine which resulted in radiation leakage occurred
at Chornobyl. [Chrystyna Lapychak, "Chornobyl Has Best Safety Record
For Second Consecutive Year," OMRI Daily Digest, 1/12/96.]
1995:ONLY 4-5% OF STATE BUDGET DEVOTED TO CHORNOBYL According to a Parliamentary Committee probing the accident, in 1995 only
4-5% of the state budget was devoted to Chornobyl problems, as compared
to 16% in 1992. The Ministry of Statistics reported that in 1995, 5.8%
of the state budget was spent on dealing with the consequences of the Chornobyl
accident. Sources: [1] "Ukraine Calls For World Help In Chornobyl Recovery
Actions," Nucleonics Week, 1/4/96, pp. 12-13. [2] UNIAN, 4/10/96, in "Ukraine: Ukraine Spends 5.8%
Of State Budget On Chornobyl," BBC Monitoring Service, 4/19/96.
11/28/95: CHORNOBYL PLANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WORK AT SARCOPHAGUS The Chornobyl plant now has responsibility for work relating to the sarcophagus.
Future restoration or reconstruction work will thus be ordered by the plant
itself rather than by the Ministry of Chornobyl. Sources: [1] NucNet News, 11/27/95. [2] "Chornobyl Takes Responsibility For Sarcophagus,
"Nuclear Engineering International, 2/96, p. 2.
11/18/95: CAPACITY UTILIZATION OF UKRAINIAN PLANTS Reportedly, Chornobyl's capacity utilization is the highest in Ukraine
at 69.9% and Zaporizhzhya NPP is the
lowest at 56.3%. An INTELNEWS report in 8/95 suggested that Unit 2 at Rivne
had the highest capacity utilization, 90.1%, and the all Ukraine average
was 69.3%. [Yevhen Perehuda, "Chornobyl," Uryadovyy kuryer, 11/18/95,
p. 5.]
11/17/95:INCIDENT OCCURRED AT UNIT 1: INES-1 An incident occurred at Unit 1 which originally rated a level 1 on the
INES scale, but was upgraded to level 3 when further details of the accident
were released in 3/96. The event was reportedly due to a defect in the
fuel. Pieces of a fuel element leaked into the cooling water in the loading
machine. Contamination reached 200 rad per hour and contamination spots
continued to show up through 12/20/95. One worker exceeded his statutory
limit of 50 millisievert per year after the event. It is speculated that
the cover up to hide the seriousness of the event occurred at high levels
within Derzhkomatom and not at the level of plant management. This incident
occurred in the midst of negotiations over G-7 assistance to Chornobyl
See 11/24/95 entry above. ["Cover-Up Charged In Worker Contamination At Chornobyl-1,"
Nucleonics Week, 3/14/96, pp. 2-3.]
10/27/95: DEFECT IN WORK OF RELOADING EQUIPMENT AT UNIT 1 During a planned reloading of Unit 1, plant personnel noted a defect in
the work of the reloading equipment. To ascertain the cause of this deviation,
the reactor was stopped. There was no change in background radiation. Unit
1 was scheduled to restart on 10/31/95. Sources: [1] "Ukraina," Yadernyy kontrol, 11/95, p. 9. [2] ITAR-TASS, "Chornobyl Shut Down; Radiation Background
Unchanged," in FBIS-SOV-95-209, 10/27/95. [3] ENS NucNet, 10/30/95
10/17-26/95: IAEA INSPECTORS VISIT UKRAINE IAEA inspectors visited Ukraine to check the implementation of the nuclear
safety program and to develop IAEA safeguards. These safeguards reportedly
would pave the way for donor countries--such as the United States, Japan,
Sweden and Finland--to grant aid to develop the Ukrainian nuclear safety
program. ["Inspectors Check Safety Program At Chornobyl," UNIAN,
10/18/95; in "Ukraine," FBIS-SOV-95-202, 10/18/95.]
10/24/95:UKRAINE TO BUILD STORAGE SITES FOR NUCLEAR WASTE Mykhailo Umanets, Chairman of Derzhkomatom, announced that Ukraine will
build storage sights for nuclear waste on the grounds of the incomplete
fifth and sixth units at Chornobyl. Umanets said that 90-95% of Ukraine's
nuclear waste is stored at Chornobyl and will continue to be stored there. [Chrystyna Lapychak, "Ukraine To Continue To Store Nuclear
Waste At Chornobyl," OMRI Daily Digest, 10/25/95, Part II.]
10/5/95:CHORNOBYL NPP COOPERATES WITH IAEA A three-day on-site seminar on Chornobyl NPP's cooperation with the IAEA
ended. Lectures covered safety culture. ["Chernobyl Strengthens IAEA Links," NucNet News, 10/4/95.]
10/3/95: RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN SLAVUTYCH Ukraine appealed to the governments of NATO member states for scientific,
technical, and financial support to establish and run the proposed international
research and technology center in Slavutych, outside of Chornobyl. The
government appeal was passed to NATO's assistant secretary general for
scientific and environmental affairs, Jean-Marie Cadiou. ["Ukraine Appeals To NATO For Help In Dealing With Nuclear
Accidents," BBC Monitoring Service, 10/3/95.]
9/28/95: FIRE AT COMPRESSOR STATION A fire was caused by a short circuit at a compressor station near Chornobyl's
cooling pond. The fire was quickly extinguished and posed no threat to
the environment. It did not rate as an incident on the International Nuclear
Events Scale (INES). ["Ukraine: Fire Extinguished At Chornobyl Plant," Reuters,
9/29/95.]
9/1/95:COMPLIANCE BEST AT CHORNOBYL According to a Derzhkomatom spokesman, Chornobyl has the best record among
Ukrainian NPPs for complying with operational and safety regulations. Unit
3 reached 98.9 percent power output, while the average maximum output in
the nuclear industry is 84.7 percent. Unit 1 worked without failures during
the first half of 1995. Sources: [1] "More Doubts over Chornobyl Shutdown," Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 9/1/95, p. 13. [2] Serhiy Sokolovskiy, "Nuclear Chief on Chornobyl Reactors,"
Intelnews, 8/13/95.
9/95:UKRAINE NEEDS FINANCIAL AID FOR SLAVUTYCH CENTER The Ukrainian government in late 9/95 addressed the international community
with a request for technical and financial help to build a nuclear research
center in Slavutych near Chornobyl (see 8/18/95 below). The Center would
be paid for by fees, revenue from scientific and technical production,
and special grants. Sources: [1] "Ukraine Calls For Help In Creating research Center
In Chornobyl Zone," Nucleonics Week, 10/26/95, p. 13. [2] "Ukrainian Appeal," Jane's Defence Weekly, 10/14/95,
p. 11.
8/30/95:UKRAINE INTENDS TO MODERNIZE UNIT 2 Serhiy Parashin reportedly said that Ukraine intends to modernize and restart
Unit 2 in 1997. Unit 2 was shut down after a fire in 1991. ["Ukraine to Repair, Restart Damaged Chornobyl Block,"
Reuters, 8/30/95.]
8/18/95: NUCLEAR SAFETY CENTER TO BE ESTABLISHED IN SLAVUTYCH Director of the DOE Nuclear Energy Office Terry Lash stated that talks
with Ukrainian government officials indicated that they are prepared to
establish a Nuclear Safety Center in Slavutych. Ukraine's motivations for
the center are nuclear safety, jobs and self-reliance on nuclear issues.
US Pacific Northwest Laboratories has been assisting Ukraine in the creation
of a charter for the Center. The Center is currently looking at four projects:
an evaluation of the safety threat to Unit 3 from the sarcophagus, a spent
fuel management plan, a Nuclear Data Center, and a decommissioning plan
for the plant. Japan, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany have all shown
interest in becoming involved with the Center. In addition, it was reported
that Derzhkomatom has been very supportive of the center. There are reportedly
concrete proposals for the Center's financing through 2005. It was reported
that the United States intends to set aside $3 million for the creation
of the Center. The US aid includes tele-video communication lines with
American labs, a strategic plan to deal with spent nuclear fuel, and the
creation of a data-bank on the safety of nuclear materials. Sources: [1] Grigoriy Nesmyanovich, "'Avariya' pod Kievom," Krasnaya zvezda, 9/8/95, p. 3. [2] Radio Ukraine, 9/22/95; in FBIS-SOV-95-185,
9/22/95. [3] Anatoliy Panov, "Enerhetika Ukrainy, pozitsii i propozitsii,"
Zeleny svit, 6/95, p. 1. [4] "Amerika predlagaet pomoshch' v likvidatsii posledstviy
Chernobylskoy katastrofy," Izvestiya, p.1(Financial News). [5] "On Nuclear Safety, Power Initiatives in Russia,
Ukraine...DOE's Dr. Terry Lash," Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor,
8/18/95, pp. 4-8.
8/8/95: GOVERNMENT ADVISED TO DEVELOP RECONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR CHORNOBYL The Presidential Commission on Nuclear Policy and Ecological Safety reportedly
recommended that the government work out a reconstruction plan for the
Chornobyl NPP. ["Chornobyl Closure Still Uncertain," Nuclear Engineering International, 10/95, p. 12.]
8/6/95:ACCIDENT RATE AT CHORNOBYL NPP IS 0.5 PER REACTOR Unit 3 was brought back on-line three days ahead of schedule. The accident
rate at the plant is 0.5 per reactor through August, while the average
rate in other Ukrainian reactors is 3.3 to date. So far in 1995, Chornobyl
NPP has produced over 6 billion kilo-watt-hours of electricity. Yuriy Kostenko,
Minister for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety, said that the
government may be forced to modernize the plant and extend the operation
for 10 years, as opposed to shutting it down completely, if financial assistance
is not forthcoming for the Chornobyl closure plan. Sources: [1] "Chornobyl Plant Working At Full Capacity," Ukrainian
Weekly, 8/13/95, pp. 2, 4. [2] "Alternative 10-Year Plan Proposed For Chornobyl,"
Nuclear News, 9/95, pp. 40-41. [3] "Ukrainian Atomic Energy Committee Says Chornobyl
Is Safest Plant," OMRI Daily Digest, No. 141, 7/21/95.
7/23/95:UNITS 1 AND 3 ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS SOVIET REACTORS The US EPA classified Chornobyl Units 1 and 3 as the most dangerous of
all Soviet-built reactors. According to the EPA report on the 10 most dangerous
reactors, "the conditions at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant are in many
ways worse than they were prior to the 1986 catastrophe." However, Dr.
Terry Lash from the US DOE says that the report was "only completely accurate
on the date it was produced." It was released on 6/25/95 but information
on Chornobyl dates back to 2/94. Lash underlined that "improvements were
made (in the last year) and it's on the upswing." Units 1 and 3 were cited
as having design flaws, a lack of resources, increased energy demands,
difficulty in collecting outstanding payments, and low worker morale. In
addition, it was noted that Ukrainian regulatory bodies lacked legal authority.
It was reported that the units could be completely destroyed if just a
few of the nearly 1700 fuel channels ruptured. The authors of the report
also said a "five-year accident cycle" led them to believe that 1996 would
be a very telling year. Sources: [1] Vladimir Kozlovskiy, "Desyatka samykh opasnykh energoblokov,"
Segodnya, 7/27/95. [2] "Nuclear Reactors likely to fail," Washington Times,
7/29/95, p. A7. [3] "Reports Of Soviet Reactor Dangers Not Accurate Say
DOE Officials," Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 8/7/95, pp. 4-5.
7/11-12/95: OPTIONS TO COVER UNIT 4 SARCOPHAGUS The Alliance Consortium announced the results of its 10 month study on
the "sarcophagus" to cover Unit 4. Two options were offered: first, a new
shelter to cover Units 3 and 4, "Ukritiye-2", was recommended to allow
dismantling of the damaged reactor and removal and conditioning of waste.
This would mean that Unit 3 could not be kept operational, as some Ukrainian
officials currently wish. The alternative solution is a structure to cover
only Unit 4. The current structure is not designed to withstand seismic
shocks and is not a lasting secure containment. The new structure would
be a pre-stressed concrete arch that could be built in sections with a
waterproof covering and stainless steel lining. Chornobyl is reportedly
likely to experience an earthquake rating 5 on the Richter scale once every
27 years. The Consortium is led by the French civil engineering firm Campenon
Bernard and includes Bouygues and SGN of France, AEA Technology and Taywood
Engineering of Britain, Walter Bau of Germany, and Russian and Ukrainian
partners. Currently, more than 400 kg. of plutonium, 100-plus tons of nuclear
fuel, and tens of thousands of cubic meters of waste are under the sarcophagus.
The project is estimated to cost $1.072-1.147 billion for the "basic solution,"
would begin 4/26/96, and would require approximately ten years for safe
containment. The actual construction of the new shelter would begin in
2001 or 2002. Alliance has proposed a two stage funding system: stage 1
would call for the creation of an International Fund for Chornobyl and
stage 2 would generate longer-term investments (spread out over 30-35 years)
from unrelated activities. Ukrainian officials disagreed with Alliance's
conclusions, saying Ukritiye-2 is unnecessary. They also were unhappy that
the proposal does not use all Ukrainian materials. Alliance's project is
currently funded through TACIS. Sources: [1] Nikolai Pugovitsa, "Around the Sarcophagus: Chernobyl's
Echo," Selskaya zhizn, 4/25/95. [2] NucNet News, no. 312, 7/13/95. [3] "Alliance Consortium Submits Report on Chernobyl
NPP," Reuters, 7/15/95. [4] "Ukrainians, Alliance Dispute Chernobyl-4 Stabilization
Approach," Nucleonics Week, 7/27/95, pp. 14-15. [5] "Western Consortium offers Project to Encase Chernobyl
Plant, Interfax, 7/14/95. [6] "Western Consortium offers to build Chornobyl Sarcophagus,"
OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 135, 7/13/95, p.5. [7] "Proposal for a Second Chernobyl-4 Containment,"
Nuclear News, 8/95, p. 13. [8] "Alliance Proposes an Overarching Solution," Nuclear
Engineering International, 9/95, p. 6.
7-8/95: VENTILATION AND PROTECTION SYSTEM INSTALLED According to the Deputy Director General for Radiation Protection at Chornobyl
NPP Anatoliy Nosovskyi, a nitric ventilation system for the tanks for the
cooling circuit of Unit 3's control and protection system has been installed. [Anatoliy Nosovskyi, "Radioactivity Clean-up And Exposures
At Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant," Nuclear Europe Worldscan, 7-8/95, p.
100.]
7-8/95: HALF OF SARCOPHAGUS' FRACTURE POINTS ARE SEALED It was reported that approximately one half of the fracture points on the
sarcophagus have been sealed. The sealing is to be completed this year.
Also at the sarcophagus, a new electricity supply system has been designed
and installed and an alarm system to warn of the onset of a nuclear chain
reaction has been put into operation. ["Ukraine," by Nikolai Kurilchik and Alexei Breus, Nuclear Europe Worldscan, p. 78.]
7/5/95: UNIT 4 SARCOPHAGUS IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING Chornobyl plant officials have warned that the sarcophagus entombing Unit
4 is in danger of collapsing. Workers are trying to patch up 1,000 square
meters of cracks in the roof and walls. Additionally, the steel pillars
of the structure may collapse. Sources: [1] Rotislav Khotin, "Chornobyl 'Tomb' potentially dangerous,
official says," Reuters, 7/5/95. [2] Chrystyna Lapychak, "Chornobyl Plant Officials Warn
Sarcophagus Is Cracking," OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 1, No. 130, 76/95.
7/1/95:PLANT NEEDS TO WORK 25-30 YEARS MORE Reportedly, Ukrainian experts suggest that if the plant continues to work
25-30 years, then Ukraine will receive $2.72 billion in profit, which will
allow them to build Ukryttya-2 for Unit 4. [Yanina Sokolovskaya, "Chernobylskaya Ruletka," Izvestiya,
7/1/95, p. 5.]
7/95: IAEA CONCERNS ABOUT CHORNOBYL Friedrich Niehaus of the IAEA noted that the emergency core cooling system
capacity at Chornobyl is insufficient. The lack of containment means that
the rupture of fuel channel integrity following a 300 mm. pipe break would
result in a radioactivity release straight to the atmosphere. He also discussed
a number of concerns about the availability of spare parts and qualified
staff. ["Chornobyl: Closure by 2000?" Nuclear Engineering
International,
7/95, p. 15.]
6/18/95:CANADIAN WAX SEALANT TECHNIQUE WILL BE USED IN CHORNOBYL William Nelson, a Canadian whose wax sealant technique has received praise
from the US Environmental Protection Agency, was invited by the Prypyat
Research and Industrial Association in Chornobyl to attempt to rustproof
steel reinforcing rods and seal the cracks in the sarcophagus at Unit 4
by using wax. Nelson visited Chornobyl previously in 1994, and his work
has received praise from V. Tokarevskyi, General Director of the Academy
of Science's Interdisciplinary Scientific and Technical Center. ["Chornobyl 'Sealer' Heads to Ukraine," Ukrainian Weekly, 6/18/95, p. 7.]
6/15/95: DISCUSSION ON SAFE METHODS FOR USE OF ATOMIC ENERGY A round-table discussion was held between deputies from the Verkhovna Rada,
representatives of the National Academy of Sciences, and directors of the
NPPs to develop safe methods for the use of atomic energy. [Anatoliy Panov, "Enerhetika Ukrainy, Pozitsii I Propozitsii,"
Zeleny svit, 6/95. p. 1.]
6/12/95: CHORNOBYL CLEAN-UP WILL BE LONG AND EXPENSIVE The process of cleaning up Chornobyl could take decades, becoming the world's
largest and most expensive environmental clean-up ever attempted. The current
shelter is cracking more quickly than anticipated, reportedly releasing
radioactive dust into the air; additionally, the concrete pad poured under
the reactor is not preventing radioactive waters from seeping into the
ground. If the sarcophagus were to collapse, the resulting contamination
would be much more localized than it was in 1986. It would be a low-speed
fission, a 'fizzle', that would cause dangerous radiation levels only in
and around the building itself. Although the safety levels of Units 1 and
3 are below Western safety standards, improvements have been made to correct
some of the flaws that contributed to the 1986 explosion; these improvements
include using fuel of higher enrichment that is more stable and more control
rods are kept in the reactor cores routinely as an additional safety measure.
One problem that as yet has not been properly addressed is that of contamination
of the soil and water underneath the reactor that flows into the Prypyat
River, a few hundred yards away. According to an American who visited Chornobyl
in 1993, the cracks in the shelter are so big that "birds can fly in. Dust
can get out." If Chornobyl is completely closed down in 1999, the new sarcophagus
might be completed by 2004. The structure, 25 stories high, would include
waterproof walls and a foundation sunk 70-90 feet underground. The structure
would be double-hulled so that high-pressure between the walls would prevent
radioactive air from leaking out as the demolition proceeded inside. Inside
the shelter are an estimated 840,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste,
the most deadly of which is approximately 200 tons of uranium nuclear fuel,
and some of it is still molten in the reactor core. There are no proposals
yet as to how best to deal with this "mountain of waste." Mykhailo Umanets
stated that the first 30 years of clean-up work might cost around $10 billion. [James Rupert, "Chernobyl's Casing Is Breaking Apart,"
Washington Post, 6/12/95, pp. 1, 13.]
6/95: NEW STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED OVER UNIT 4 The Alliance consortium has completed a feasibility study on the sarcophagus
at Chornobyl, which states that the shelter over Unit 4 is in danger of
collapsing and is not earthquake-safe. A new structure needs to be constructed
over Unit 4 and the existing sarcophagus, which itself needs to be strengthened
and stabilized. This construction is to be completed within five years
and should provide safe containment for a minimum of 100 years. In order
to completely enclose Unit 4, Block V (or 'B' in English) must also be
enclosed under the new sarcophagus. If this building were to collapse in
an earthquake or under a heavy rainfall or snowstorm, it would cut off
the cooling systems to Unit 3, potentially causing another meltdown. Sources: [1] Natalia Kalashnikova and Mariya Smirnova, "Fear as
a Factor of Economic Coercion," Kommersant-Daily, 3/28/95, p. 4. [2] "Alliance solutions to sarcophagus problems," Nuclear Engineering International, 6/95, pp. 21-22. [3] "Alliance Group Says Chornobyl-3 Must Be Shut To
Shelter Unit 4," Nucleonics Week, 3/23/95. [4] "New Chornobyl Containment 'Urgently' Needed; Seismic
Event Could Cause Collapse of Current 'Ukritiye' Structure, Concludes European
Commission," Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 3/31/95. [5] "Chornobyl, 'Mon Amour'," Biznes Baltii, 4/3/95,
p. 4.
5-6/95: CHORNOBYL OPERATES MORE SAFELY THAN OTHER NPPs According to Serhiy Parashin, Chornobyl's plant manager, in recent years
Chornobyl has operated more safely than Ukraine's other nuclear power plants
(NPPs); the number of malfunctions has been below the average for all NPPs
in Ukraine. Reportedly, Unit 1 is among the 20 best power units in the
world according to a comparison of performance indicators. $300 million
has been invested in safety improvements and 15 technical improvements
of the two operational units began in 1994 and are currently continuing.
The Rada's decision in 1993 to continue operation at Chornobyl significantly
slowed the "brain drain" of skilled personnel. Ukraine has investigated
the possibility of backfitting Units 1-3, which would cost approximately
$360 million. Modernizing the three units, including backfitting, reconditioning
the fuel channels, improving the sarcophagus, maintaining the facilities
at Slavutych, would cost approximately $2.7 billion. The cost of complete
closure is estimated at $4.4 billion. Sources: [1] Serhiy Parashin, "Chornobyl NPP: current status and
perspectives," Nuclear Europe Worldscan, 5-6/95, p. 12. [2] Peter Coryn, "G-7 Rejects Ukrainian Plan For Chornobyl
Closure," Nucleonics Week, 10/12/95, pp. 9-10.
5/31/95:WATER LEAKAGE AT UNIT 3 A water leakage from the reactor circuit was discovered in Unit 3, which
had been shut down for scheduled repairs. [Molod Ukrainy, 6/2/95, p. 1; in " 'Water Leakage From
Reactor Circuit' at Chornobyl," FBIS-SOV-95-109, 6/2/95.]
5/23/95:UNIT 3 IS THE BEST NUCLEAR POWER UNIT IN UKRAINE According to official government figures, Unit 3 was the best performing
nuclear power unit in Ukraine in the first quarter of 1995. It achieved
a capacity factor of 98.9%, in comparison with the 14 other units in Ukraine
that averaged 84.7% in the same time period. The capacity factor is the
ratio of electricity produced to the maximum amount possible. ["Chornobyl-3: Ukraine's Best Performing N-Plant Unit,"
NucNet News, No. 220, 5/23/95.]
5/16/95: US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FUNDS FOR UNITS 1 AND 3 UPGRADING The US Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $7 million for both FY
95 and FY96 for short-term safety upgrades at Units 1 and 3. The funds
will be used for operator training, fire safety upgrades and an operational
safety program.["DOE Provides $3 Million for Chornobyl Safety Center,"
Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 5/16/95, p. 10.]
5/11/95:SLAVUTYCH CENTER WILL IMPROVE NUCLEAR SAFETY IN UKRAINE The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it is cooperating
with the Ukrainian government in the establishment of an International
Nuclear Safety and Environmental Research Center at Slavutych. The agreement
was reached in principle in 4/95 and presidential endorsement came on 5/10
by Presidents Clinton and Kuchma in Kiev. The main goal of this center
is to improve nuclear safety in Ukraine, according to Secretary of Energy
Hazel O'Leary; additionally, the center will do research on environmental
contamination and site restoration. Scientists and engineers will receive
training in international safety standards and procedures at this center.
The United States has pledged to provide up to $3 million during the next
two years and will encourage G-7 and other countries to contribute financially.
US Ambassador to Ukraine William Miller and Ukrainian Minister of Environmental
Protection and Nuclear Safety Yuriy Kostenko signed the agreement in Kiev
on 5/10. $1 million will be provided in 1995 and $2 million in 1996 for
technical and managerial support. Pacific Northwest Laboratory will oversee
the project and be the Center's "sister lab." The Center's activities will
include "nuclear safety, decontamination, decommissioning, waste management,
site remediation, and technical development," it is scheduled to open in
mid-1996. Sources: [1] "US-Ukraine N-Safety Research Project Launched,"
NucNet News, No. 198, 5/11/95. [2] "DOE Provides $3 Million for Chornobyl Safety Center,"
Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 5/16/95, p. 10.
5/4/95:UNIT 2 IS RESTORED Unit 2 is still being restored, since Ukraine claims that unless it receives
adequate financial assistance from the West, it will restart the unit that
was damaged in 1991. One of the turbogenerators has been repaired and the
other could be replaced with a generator from Unit 5, the construction
of which was halted after the 1986 explosion at Unit 4. [Peter Coryn, "Ukraine: Restoration Continues at Chornobyl-2,"
Nucleonics Week, 5/4/95, p. 20.]
4/26/95:SUPREME RADA APPEALS TO EU AND G-7 Nine years after the explosion at Chornobyl, the Verkhovna Rada made an
appeal to the EU and G-7 nations for an increase in international assistance
in dealing with the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster. [ITAR-TASS, 4/26/95; in "International Assistance Sought
For Chornobyl Aftermath," FBIS-SOV-95-080, 4/26/95.]
4/25/95: UNIT 3 IN DANGER OF BLOWING UP Mykhailo Umanets called a 3/26/95 report in the London Observer, which
alleged that Unit 3 is in danger of blowing up, "lies, illiteracy and an
insult to the designers of the Chornobyl plant and sarcophagus." Chornobyl
plant manager Serhiy Parashin also stated that the article was written
only to exert pressure on Ukraine to shut down Chornobyl. ["Ukraine Nuclear Chief Rejects Charges of Potential
Chornobyl Disaster," Post-Soviet Nuclear & Defense Monitor, 4/25/95,
p. 10.]
4/11/95:NO DATE FOR UNIT 2 RESTART Unit 2 is being reconditioned, restored, and repaired and the work should
be completed by 12/95. No date has been set, however, for its restart. ["Chornobyl Bosses Launch Plan for Restart of Unit Two,"
NucNet News, No. 164, 4/11/95.]
4/5/95:DUCTS WILL BE REPLACED AT CHORNOBYL The Commission for Nuclear Policies and Environmental Safety, which is
subordinate to the President, has recommended that Chornobyl be modernized
by replacing its technological ducts, which would extend the plant's life
span an additional 10 years. This would keep Unit 1 running until approximately
2007 and Unit 3 running until 2011. The replacement would take two years
for each unit and would cost $60 million. This type of nuclear plant by
design can operate for 30 years, but the ducts are safe for only 20 years.
The replacement of technological ducts was performed at the Leningrad nuclear
power plant successfully. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and
Nuclear Safety has urged that the plant be allowed to continue in operation
until the end of its natural life span; this would mean closing Unit 1
in 1997, Unit 2 between 2000-2002, and Unit 3 between 2001-2003. It has
been estimated that the cost of shutting down Chornobyl will be $3.7 billion. Sources: [1] Vseukrainskiye Vedemosti, 4/5/95, p. 6; in "Report
on Plans to Reconstruct Chernobyl Plant," FBIS-SOV-95-071, 4/5/95. [2] "Ukraine," NucNet News, 145/95, 3/30/95.
3-4/95: CHORNOBYL: TO MODERNIZE OR TO SHUT DOWN? Chornobyl plant manager Serhiy Parashin has proposed a six-point plan for
the modernization of Chornobyl as an alternative to shutting the plant
down completely. His plan calls for the retrofitting of the safety systems,
improved fire protection, backfitting of the system that works to contain
the spread of radioactive materials, and the implementation of technical
measures that comply with regulatory requirements. The estimated cost for
this program of upgrades is $500 million. [Serhiy Parashin, "Chernobyl: from accident to improving
safety," Nuclear Europe Worldscan, 3-4/95, pp. 28-29.]
3/30/95:200 METER PYRAMID SAID TO GUARANTEE 200 YEARS OF SAFETY
FOR CHORNOBYL REACTOR As a result of an international tender aimed to offer a solution to the
problem of Unit 4 at the Chornobyl plant, preference was given to a joint
Ukrainian-French project to build a 200 meter high pyramid over the destroyed
rector which will guarantee 200 years of safety. It will take 2 years to
construct the pyramid and it will cost $15 billion. "Atompodzemenergo"
from St. Petersburg offered an alternative solution to bury the reactor
in an underground bunker. This project "Proval" would take only 3 months,
costing only $1.5 billion while guaranteeing the same 200 years of security. ["Chernobyl Is Tossed From Hot to Cold," Segodnya, 3/30/95,
p. 9.]
3/28/95:CHORNOBYL REPORT ATTEMPT AT INTIMIDATION Serhiy Parashin, the Chornobyl NPP General Director, stated that a London
Observer report that outlined the possibility of a major catastrophe at
Chornobyl's third reactor was unfounded and asserted that it was published
in an effort to apply pressure on Ukraine to close the Chornobyl reactors. Sources: [1] "Strakh kak faktor ekonomicheskogo prinuzhdeniya,"
Kommersant-Daily, 3/28/95, p. 4. [2] "Slukhi o vzryve silno preuvelicheny," Rossiyskaya gazeta, 3/29/95, p. 2. [3] Roman Vershillo, "Avariya na Chernobyle otlozhena,"
Segodnya, 3/28/95, p. 1.
3/21/95:SECOND SARCOPHAGUS MUST BE BUILT IMMEDIATELY Valentyn Kupnyi, Deputy Director of Chornobyl, stated that the assertion
that a new and improved sarcophagus can not be built until Unit 3 is shut
down is not true. The Alliance consortium that is to make the sarcophagus
has devised an option which would enclose only Unit 4 in a stable and environmentally
safe shield. It is the consortium's opinion that a second sarcophagus must
be built immediately in order to dismantle the old shelter. The project
is funded by the TACIS program. [Holos Ukrainy, 3/21/95, p. 4; in "Chornobyl Official
Criticizes Sarcophagus Projects," JPRS-TEN-95-006, 3/21/95.]
2/10/95: SARCOPHAGUS FOR UNIT 4 IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING According to an article published in Zelenyi svit, the sarcophagus for
the destroyed Unit 4 is in danger of collapsing and radioactive dust may
cause contamination and possibly even a new radioactive cloud. The pollution
of subsoil waters is another concern. Kiev has asked the international
community for suggestions on how to rectify this situation. One Ukrainian
suggestion is to completely dismantle Unit 4; the contaminated materials
will be temporarily buried in accordance with international standards.
To prevent soil and water contamination, the proposed project calls for
"the immediate construction of a hermetic membrane to contain the water
found under the affected reactor." ["The Sarcophagus. Transforming the 'Covering ' Project
at the Chornobyl Nuclear Electric Power Station into an Ecologically Safe
System," Zelenyi svit, 12/94, No. 15, p. 3; in "Plan to Dismantle Chornobyl
4th Reactor Explained," FBIS-SOV-95-028, 2/10/95.]
2/2/95:CHORNOBYL MINISTER SAYS THE 30 KM EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND
CHORNOBYL SHOULD BE REDUCED A proposal to rehabilitate the 30 km exclusion zone around Chornobyl has
been rejected by a group of 200 Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian scientists,
who maintain that the region is far more valuable as a "scientific experiment
ground." Minister of Chornobyl Volodymyr Kholosha has stated that the 2,000
square km. exclusion zone cannot be kept indefinitely and work must begin
to reduce it. [Alex Brall, "Chornobyl Scientists Oppose Rehabilitation
of 30-km Zone," Nucleonics Week, 2/2/95, p. 13.]
1/29/95:ONE MORE LEAK AT UNIT 3 A small leak in the emergency cooling system at Unit 3 caused workers to
shut the reactor down but reportedly there was no release of radiation.
The operators were unsure of the severity of the problem when an alarm
went off and they shut down the unit. A similar accident caused the shut-down
of the same unit last October. Workers trying to adjust the water levels
in the emergency cooling system triggered the automatic shut-down system.
Unit 3 is scheduled to return to operation in two days. Experts from the
Kurchatov Institute stated that the cause may have been a defective sensor,
which has caused 10 similar incidents in the past year. Sources: [1] "Chernobylskaya AES v Yanvare," Vestnik Chornobylya,
2/95, p. 2. [2] Marta Kolomayets, UPI, 1/30/95; in "Chernobyl Reactor
Shut Down," Executive News Service, 1/31/95. [3] "Chornobyl Reactor Shut Down," Ukrainian Weekly,
2/5/95, p. 2. [4] Igor Dvinskiy, "Trety energoblok ChAES otklyuchen
po oshibke," Segodnya, 1/31/95, p. 7. [5] Chrystyna Lapychak, "Panicking Workers Shut Down
Chornobyl Nuclear Reactor," OMRI Daily Digest, No. 22, Part I, 1/31/95.
11/30/94:TWO UNITS WILL BE OPERATIONAL Unit 1 is to be returned to operation on 12/2 after a routine maintenance
shut-down that began on 10/8. Unit 3 went operational on 10/22 after being
shut down on 10/17 for repairs on a cooling pipe. ["East Europe N-Plants Revving Up for Winter. "NUCNET,
No. 571, 11/30/94.]
11/17/94: SEMINAR HELD AT CHORNOBYL A nuclear power safety seminar was held at Chornobyl at which Ukrainian
officials from Derzhkomatom and Derzhatomnahliad assured the seminar's
other participants that the Chornobyl power plant is functioning reliably
and safely. Further cooperation is planned between operators at Chornobyl
and experts from the IAEA. Dr. Friedrich Niehaus, head of the IAEA's Safety
Assessment Department, stated that the IAEA was not trying to tell Ukraine
how to run Chornobyl, but rather the goal of the three-day seminar was
to share plant operating experience from other countries in an effort to
improve the safety culture at Chornobyl. Chornobyl plant manager Serhiy
Parashin demonstrated that Chornobyl operators adhere to all international
safety standards. Other sources state that the IAEA found "serious safety
deficiencies" at the plant, including problems with design, inspection,
fire protection, and radiological protection. Sources: [1] Mayak Radio Network, 11/17/94; in "Chernobyl
Officials, IAEA Hold Safety Talks," FBIS-SOV-94-222, 11/17/94. [2] "Plan Set For Improving Chernobyl Safety," NUCNET,
11/18/94, No. 558. [3] Source Book: Soviet-Designed Nuclear Power Plants in
Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic,
Hungary, and Bulgaria, 1996, pp. 148-49.
11/94: UPGRADING CHORNOBYL-1IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE According to Nikolai Steinberg, Ukraine has three generations of NPPs.
Chornobyl-1 is the only first generation NPP in operation and it does not
have a full-scope safety system in accordance with international standards.
To upgrade this unit to acceptable safety levels would be "a very complicated
and expensive task, and may be unrealistic," according to Steinberg. Unit
3 requires sufficient safety improvement measures to be taken in the near
future. Safety reassessment has begun at the Chornobyl NPP. ["Nuclear Safety And Nuclear Regulatory Process In Ukraine.
Status And Problems," Nikolai Steinberg, presented at the 1994 annual American
Nuclear Society Meeting in Washington DC, 11/11-17/94.]
10/13/94:NO REACTORS AT THE PLANT ARE IN OPERATION After a crack was discovered in one of its fuel channels, Unit 3 was shut
down. According to officials, however, no radiation escaped. Unit 1 was
shut down on 10/8 for maintenance, which meant that no reactors at the
plant were in operation. [Ustina Markus, "Another Chornobyl Reactor Temporarily
Closed," RFE/RL Daily Report No. 199, 10/19/94.]
8/94:AMERICIUM-241 NEAR CHORNOBYL: SCIENTISTS DETECT, OFFICIALS
DENY It has been reported that americium-241 has been detected near Chornobyl.
Viktor Sedletskyi, President of the Association of Independent Scientists
of Ukraine, said the amount of americium discovered is rather substantial
and can be linked to inaccurate data regarding the amount of nuclear fuel
that was discharged into the atmosphere during the 1986 accident. Some
sources have said that americium-242 has also been detected, and is accumulating
in the cement of the sarcophagus surrounding the damaged Unit 4, causing
damage to the structure. However, a scientist from the Ukrainian Interdepartmental
Radiation Control Commission says the reports on the presence of americium
are false. [ITAR-TASS, 8/5/94; in "Further On Contamination,"
FBIS-SOV-94-151, 8/5/94, p. 29.]
7/94:RADIATION LEAKING FROM SARCOPHAGUS According to a report by the German Institute for Economic Research, radiation
is leaking from the sarcophagus surrounding Unit 4. Radioactive contamination
of ground water may be occurring as a result of the sarcophagus' foundations
sinking into the ground. The Ukrainian government estimates that building
a new concrete casing could cost as much as DM3.5 billion. [DDP/ADN (Berlin), 7/6/94; in "German Study Highlights
Dangers Of Nuclear Power Stations," FBIS-SOV-94-130, 7/7/94.]
7/94:FRENCH CONSORTIUM WILL CONDUCT STUDY ON SARCOPHAGUS The French consortium "Alliance" won a bid issued by the European Commission
to conduct a feasibility study on the sarcophagus surrounding Unit 4. The
study will focus on reinforcing the existing containment dome, as well
as construction of a new one. [Le Figaro, 7/28/94, in "French Consortium Wins Bid to
Conduct Feasibility Study on Chernobyl," JPRS-TEN-94-020, 9/18/94, p. 51.]
4/11-22/94:IAEA: FUEL HANDLING A PARTICULAR SAFETY CONCERN An IAEA Mission went to Chornobyl to evaluate safety operation at the plant
and found that fuel handling was a particular safety concern. The fuel
route is operated manually and relies on well trained, highly proficient
operators. [Source Book: Soviet-Designed Nuclear Power Plants in
Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic,
Hungary, and Bulgaria, 1996, pp. 148-149.]
4/21/94:IAEA DECLARES CHORNOBYL TO BE UNSAFE The IAEA has declared Chornobyl to be unsafe. According to IAEA General Director
Hans Blix, the safety norms at Chornobyl do not meet even the least stringent
international standards. This conclusion was reached after Blix, Morris Rosen,
Head of the Nuclear Safety Department at the IAEA, and a group of nuclear safety
experts visited Chornobyl in April 1994. [Ostankino Television First Channel Network (Moscow),
4/21/94, 1100 GMT; in "IAEA Declares Chernobyl Power Station Unsafe," FBIS-SOV-94-078,
4/22/94, p. 57.]
4/21/94: FRENCH AND GERMAN NUCLEAR SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS INSIST ON CHORNOBYL
SHUTDOWN French and German nuclear safety organizations, the IPSN and the GRS, released
a joint statement saying that Chornobyl was unsafe and should be shut down
early. ISSN and GRS have been assisting Ukraine in the nuclear safety field
for the past 2 years through their joint operation "Riskaudit." In the
statement they said that Units 1 and 3 were unstable due to departure of
trained personnel to Russia, difficulty in obtaining spare parts, and disruptions
in the maintenance program due to conflicting decisions. It further noted
that the sarcophagus around Unit 4 is deficient. The statement was made
at an IAEA sponsored conference in Vienna on the safety of Chornobyl. Due
to Ukraine's dependence on power generated by Chornobyl, Ukrainian officials
would rather receive technical assistance to improve safety conditions
than shut the plant down. Sources: [1] "French And German Safety Officials Favor Chernobyl
Shutdown," ENS NUC NET, 4/21/94, p. 25. [2] "International Experts Review Chernobyl Safety,"
ENS NUC NET, 4/22/94.
4/20/94:SARCOPHAGUS AROUND UNIT 4 IS IN DANGER Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Shmarov stated that the sarcophagus
around Unit 4 was in danger of collapsing and that nearly one-fifth of
the trained personnel working at Chornobyl had left in 1993. Ukraine maintains
that it will cost between $6-8 billion to close down Chornobyl completely. [David R. Marples, "Nuclear Power in Ukraine: A Look
at a Troubled Industry," Ukrainian Weekly, 1/1/95, p. 2.]
4/94:TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AT UNITS 1 AND 3 Units 1 and 3 were temporarily shut down due to technical problems shortly
after top officials decided that they would be permanently decommissioned
as soon as possible. Unit 3 suffered from a severe problem--there was a
defect in the cooling system--and Unit 1 had a minor problem--there was
a fuel spillage when a container was dropped by a crane. [David R. Marples, "Nuclear Power in Ukraine: A Look
at a Troubled Industry," Ukrainian Weekly, 1/1/95, p. 2.]
11/93:OECD WILL GO AHEAD WITH SAFETY REVIEW The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) has decided to go ahead with an international
safety review of plans to construct a new shelter over Unit 4 at Chornobyl. ["OECD/Ukraine: Sarcophagus Safety Consultation Planned,"
Nucleonics Week, Vol. 34, No. 46, 11/18/93, pp. 17-18.]
7/93:SECOND FIRE STOPS CHORNOBYLOPERATIONS After the second fire at Chornobyl in 1991, the Verkhovna Rada decided
to stop all activity there by the end of 1993. Given the economic hardships
the country is facing, specialists from Chornobyl are insisting that the
Supreme Rada made its decision prematurely and should reexamine the situation.
Economically speaking, they argue, Chornobyl provides great amounts of
energy at relatively little expense. Ecologically, the general manager
of Chornobyl claims that his plant meets, and in some cases exceeds, all
safety standards. The plant manager also claims that shutting down Chornobyl
will exacerbate the ecological situation because more coal or fuel oil
will have to be burned to compensate for the loss of nuclear energy. [Khreshchatyk, 7/20/93, p. 5, in "Ukraine: Future
of Chornobyl AES Said to be Uncertain," JPRS-TEN-93-021, 8/21/93, pp. 36-37.]
Last Updated 9 November 1997 This file is no longer being updated. For information on
developments in the nuclear power industry, please see the
Ukraine: Reactor Safety Developments section.
This file is no longer being updated. For information on
developments in the nuclear power industry, please see the
