Obtaining by SSE "Chernobyl NPP" the permission for pilot operation of NSC CS-1

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). Obtaining the specific permission is a condition of the object “Shelter” (OS) operating license.

“Obtaining the specific permission for pilot operation of NSC Commissioning Stage 1 is a successful example of implementing the large-scale international project on completion of unique technological structure that would effectively protect humanity and the environment from the impact of 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 said.

Decision on issuing the indicated specific permission has been taken by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine based on the Conclusion of the State Expert Review of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the declarative documents and positive results of inspection of SSE ChNPP held by the Inspection Commission during July 14-17.

During pilot operation, it should be verified and confirmed that the systems, structures and components of the NSC CS-1 and the facility as a whole are functioning in accordance with the design, the identified defects are eliminated, and the New Safe Confinement is brought to a state of readiness for further safe exploitation.

The NSC, as a structure, fully covers the object “Shelter” and the territory adjacent to it, and is designed to perform the entire range of works on transforming the object “Shelter” into an ecologically safe system.

Within the framework of the NSC design, two Commissioning Stage of the NSC were allocated, namely:

NSC CS-1: protective structure with technological life support systems and necessary infrastructure;
NSC CS-2: infrastructure for dismantling of unstable structures of the object “Shelter”.

Work on creation of technologies and necessary infrastructure for the retrieval of fuel-containing materials and management of such materials (as of high-level waste) are referred to NSC CS-3.

After the commissioning of the NSC CS-1, the set of NSC structures, systems and equipment and object “Shelter” are considered as a “single facility”.

The main protective structure of the NSC is a complex, the main buildings and structures of which are:

- arched structure with suspended structures for crane equipment, west and east end walls;
- bases and foundations of the Arch in the Service zone;
- internal and external cladding of the steel structure of the Arch;
- technological building;
- enclosing structures (walls of pot bearing galleries, east and west reinforced concrete walls);
- ChNPP second stage building structures within the enclosing structures;
- fire subdivisions access lock;
- solid insulating coating of open soil areas inside the NSC.

 

The main protective structure of the NSC is designed for:

- prevention and limitation of the spread of radioactive substances present in the OS outside the NSC in such a way that outside the NSC the protection of personnel, the public and the environment is ensured;
- prevention of ingress of atmospheric precipitation into the NSC and, accordingly, into the OS;
- restriction of condensation of moisture from atmospheric air inside the main volume of the Arch;
- restriction of unorganized discharges of radioactive substances into the soil within the main volume of the Arch;
- creation of the necessary space and conditions for the placement of systems and components for the implementation of activities to transform the OS into an ecologically safe system;
- creation of conditions for the movement of mechanisms and personnel within the NSC;
- creation of conditions for maintenance and repair of the NSC protective structure.

The main safety function of the NSC protective structure is to limit the release of radioactive substances into the environment. This function has to be performed during normal operation, deviations from normal operation, emergency situations and accidents.

Construction of NSC CS-1 of the object “Shelter” was completed in 2019.

On July 10, 2019, the ChNPP signed Deed of NSC CS-1 all facilities hand-over from the French company NOVARKA. On September 27, 2019, Deed of NSC CS-1 Readiness for operation was also signed, which means that the SSE ChNPP departments are fully staffed by NSC operating and maintenance personnel, who have undergone theoretical and practical training and are allowed to work independently.

On November 11, 2019, SSE ChNPP submitted the application to the State Architectural and Construction Inspection of Ukraine for the completed NSC CS-1 facility commissioning and the relevant certificate issuance.

On December 5, 2019, the Chernobyl NPP received a certificate of readiness for NSC CS-1 operation.

It is planned that the pilot operation of the facility will last for one year, and after its successful completion, SSE ChNPP must submit an application to SNRIU for obtaining a license for the NSC operation (within the framework of a separate type of activity - treatment, storage of radioactive waste).