Ukrainian State Specialised Enterprise Chornobyl NPP has signed a contract for the development of detailed design documentation for reconstruction of parts of the deaerator stack and the turbine hall of the Shelter Object that protrude beyond the enclosing perimeter of the New Safe Confinement (NSC).
The NSC, completed in 2016, is a protective structure built to enclose the Shelter Object (sarcophagus), which was built to cover the remains of unit 4 that was destroyed in the 1986 accident. It was constructed by Novarka, a French consortium formed by VINCI Construction and Bouygues Construction and was handed over to the Ukrainian authorities in 2019. Dismantling of the sarcophagus is taking place inside the NSC.
The NSC was financed through an international effort coordinated by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD). The Chernobyl Shelter Fund, established in 1997 and managed by the EBRD, was the primary vehicle for financing the project. Besides managing the fund, the EBRD has provided over €715m ($844m) of its own resources toward Chornobyl-related safety projects.
A consortium comprising of UTEM-ENGINEERING, the Institute for Nuclear Safety Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the State Research Institute of Building Structures, and the Design and Research Institute of the Security Service of Ukraine has been appointed as contractor for the new works. The activity is financed by contributors to the International Chernobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA) through the EBRD, within the framework of the project Priority Projects to Support the Restoration of Safety, Security and Infrastructure at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant implemented under a February 2024 Grant Agreement. The ICCA was established by the EBRD in November 2020 and currently holds some €25m in donor funds.
The reconstruction is required because, during the construction of the NSC, parts of the Turbine Hall and Deaerator Stack structures remained outside the NSC enclosing perimeter. Preliminary surveys and expert assessments have established that the premises of the protruding parts of the Deaerator Stack are functionally necessary for the operation of NSC-Shelter Object complex and have sufficient structural strength. However, certain structural elements require reinforcement or replacement to ensure reliable long-term operation.
At the same time, the protruding parts of the turbine hall are not in use, and their technical condition does not meet the requirements for long-term safe operation, which necessitates their dismantling.
The development of the detailed design documentation will include elaboration of technical solutions for reconstruction and reinforcement of the structures, determination of the sequence of construction work, definition of radiation protection measures, organization of monitoring and control activities, with the aim of minimizing any impact on the functioning of the NSC. Particular attention will be paid to ensuring structural stability, preventing potential emergency situations, and preserving the integrity of the main protective encasement.
Implementation of this project represents an important step in maintaining the safe condition of the NSC-Shelter Object complex and in creating the necessary conditions for the further dismantling of unstable Shelter Object structures and its step-by-step transformation into an environmentally safe system. “We highly and sincerely appreciate our donors and EBRD‘s continued support in the implementation of these essential projects. We are aware of our responsibility and, despite the difficult situation, continue to work hard to transform the Shelter facility into an environmentally safe system and to ensure safety for future generations,” said Serhii Tarakanov, the SSE Chornobyl NPP General Director.
