Chernobyl and the NSC

[llewop]

Chernobyl and the New Safe Confinement (NSC)

Okay, as discussed/requested elsewhere (Top Gear thread as it happens) here’s a thread on Chernobyl and the New Safe Confinement.

In my line of work (radiation protection) this has been a fascinating place for a long time and in the end irresistible when an opportunity came to work there.

The New Safe Confinement (NSC) is a project to construct a new structure over the existing shelter (sarcophagus) and include a decommissioning capability so that the shelter and the remains of unit 4 can be demolished. Wiki webpage for NSC.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_New_Safe_Co...

I worked on the project for about 4.5 years from its start to mid 2012 but I’m still in touch with a number of friends working there. The NSC is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2015, current progress can be seen on the ChNPP (Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant) website: http://www.chnpp.gov.ua including live webcam. You can see current work on the 2 halves of the arch being carried out one above the other.

The NSC project is internationally funded through the EBRD http://www.ebrd.com/pages/homepage.shtml So that includes us!

Project languages are Russian and English but with a lot of French thrown in, not least as the JV partners are 2 French construction companies. Having said that at my last count there were at least 25 nationalities involved in working on it.

The inevitable places people want to see when thinking of visiting include Pripyat, so a few piccies....








The 30km exclusion zone is mostly safe (for those tempted by the day trips/tours), follow the instructions of your guide and things should be fine, high radiation levels are mostly near (in!) the shelter and a few other places, mostly off the beaten track.

For those that do make it there, don’t forget to visit the visitors centre which overlooks the construction site and the shelter then go to the souvenir shop in Chernobyl town for something to remember your trip

Finally, at this time I can't ignore the trouble in Kiev and elsewhere in Ukraine. What brings it very close to home is Maidan/Independence Square was where we visited most often when we went down to Kiev, including staying in the hotel that overlooks the square that the BBC and probably other journalists are reporting form.

[SydneyBridge]

Excellent, thank you.
if you don't mind me asking. How did you get into radiation protection as a career ?

[anonymous-user]

I recently watched a fishing programme (river monsters with Jeremy wade) and he caught loads of Zander and some pretty big catfish in the cooling channels. He was wandering around there for a couple of days

[llewop]

SydneyBridge said:

Excellent, thank you.
if you don't mind me asking. How did you get into radiation protection as a career ?

Don't mind at all - degree in chemistry but didn't want to work in a lab doing the same thing day. From there did a training scheme to become a health physicist, which is the generic profession of radiation protection. I enjoy the mixture of work which in part is based on the science behind it but also is largely interpreting regulations and trying to help people understand radiation in context with other hazards and issues.

I can't complain as it's got me to some fairly unusual places in the world, not least Chernobyl!

[llewop]

MonkeyMatt said:

I recently watched a fishing programme (river monsters with Jeremy wade) and he caught loads of Zander and some pretty big catfish in the cooling channels. He was wandering around there for a couple of days

Which channel did you see that on? I know of the film but never saw what they ended up doing/showing.

[jurbie]

llewop said:

Which channel did you see that on? I know of the film but never saw what they ended up doing/showing.

Here it is and still available on catch up.

https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/river-monsters/serie...

It all seemed a bit hysterical to me even digging up some professor who claims the wildlife is all mutating in the zone, well all except the fish that were caught which all seemed perfectly fine.

[Megaflow]

Very interesting, thank you.

When did they build the external support for the current containment? I have been doing some research in it but I can't find a date.

[BlackpoolRock]

Thanks for that llewop. I've wondered though, how will the work so close and around the reactor building when doing the arch ? Thanks.

[llewop]

Megaflow said:

Very interesting, thank you.

When did they build the external support for the current containment? I have been doing some research in it but I can't find a date.

Western wall stabilisation was completed in 2008, which until the NSC came on the scene was the most visible of the remediation works.

[llewop]

BlackpoolRock said:

Thanks for that llewop. I've wondered though, how will the work so close and around the reactor building when doing the arch ? Thanks.

See the picture below from the ChNPP website - the wall on the left has been built to protect the workers who are constructing facilities that will be part of the completed NSC. The arch assembly area was selected to ensure the dose rates were lower and would allow workers to work effectively.


you may also notice the stack above the building is new - the original one that is in all the archive pictures of the site has been removed - it would be in the way of the arch once in its final position.

[Simpo Two]

Can you not just drop multiple loads of concrete on it from above with those big Russian choppers?

[dudleybloke]

do you think the unrest over there will have any effect on the chernobyl containment project?

[hidetheelephants]

Simpo Two said:

Can you not just drop multiple loads of concrete on it from above with those big Russian choppers?

You could, but building a big tin shed around it and dismantling it seems a more responsible thing to do.

[anonymous-user]

llewop said:

Which channel did you see that on? I know of the film but never saw what they ended up doing/showing.

I think it is still available on ITVplayer (River Monsters - Atomic assassin)

[moleamol]

llewop said:

Also, hopefully, the guy with contacts with a company that arranges tours will add that too

I think that is possibly me and the site is http://www.lupinetravel.co.uk/chernobyl-holidays-a...

The guy that runs it is brilliant and his interest in this stuff is what drives him to create these tours. You might as well contact them directly but if there anything you want to ask feel free and I'll ask him.

[llewop]

dudleybloke said:

do you think the unrest over there will have any effect on the chernobyl containment project?

It will have an effect, if only because of the various companies involved moving their people about for their safety. I know some have been told to leave Kiev and I know others are withdrawing from Ukraine. Whilst I'm not sure it will affect day to day work on site, it will affect other things such as management of progress, although with the time of year and potential weather, there probably isn't that much being done on site right now anyway. Certainly if all the expats were to leave it would pretty much halt things.

[Pints]

Interesting. Thanks.
Does the safety aspect (from radiation) not bother you at all?

[Megaflow]

llewop said:

Western wall stabilisation was completed in 2008, which until the NSC came on the scene was the most visible of the remediation works.

Interesting, what other remediation works have been done?

Until I started reading up on it 12-18 months ago, I always thought it was basically entombed in concrete, I didn't realise it was basically just a steel covering over the top of the destroyed reactor, very much open to atmosphere in places.

As I understand it, nuclear decommissioning normal involves removing the fuel, stabilising the reactor to allow it to be left until safe and demolishing anything not required to keep the reactor safe.

Considering the state of reactor 4, and the fact the fuel is everywhere but the core, how do they propose to decommission it?

[hidetheelephants]

Megaflow said:

As I understand it, nuclear decommissioning normal involves removing the fuel, stabilising the reactor to allow it to be left until safe and demolishing anything not required to keep the reactor safe.

Considering the state of reactor 4, and the fact the fuel is everywhere but the core, how do they propose to decommission it?

Very slowly with the aid of robots. The main previous experience of dealing with corium(melted and then solidified fuel) was at Three Mile Island, where the corium was contained inside the reactor vessel and water shielding allowed humans to get access overhead and control manipulator arms directly; that won't be possible here, so other remote handling techniques(which have moved on a lot since 1985-6 when TMI was first examined) are the order of the day. If TMI is anything to go by, jackhammers, waterjets and disc cutters will be needed to break the melted stuff out.

Edited by hidetheelephants on Friday 21st February 13:00

[llewop]

Pints said:

Interesting. Thanks.
Does the safety aspect (from radiation) not bother you at all?

In a word no. It's what I've done for a living for over 25 years so I'm used to it & part of my job is to help others understand it and work with it safely and legally. Advantage of radiation over many other hazards and risks out there is we can measure and monitor it pretty well (most of the time - there are a few black arts that are tricky!) so doesn't bother me at all.