The official ceremony of placing the Arch of New Safe Confinement (NSC) into the design position took place on 29th November 2016. On that day the Arch covered the Chernobyl NPP symbol and memorial to the most expensive error ever made by mankind — i.e. Shelter Object.
“Many people had doubts, did not believe… But I congratulate you, My Dear Friends! Yes, we did it! Let today the whole world see what Ukraine and the world can do if united, — the most prominent phrase of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko that was quoted by all news media of the world.
45 donor-countries joined their efforts with Ukraine to construct the NSC. They collected more than 1.5 billion Euros. 10,000 workers from 40 countries across the world, 5,000 out of them are Ukrainians, were involved into the project activities.
The General Contractor of the construction is a Joint Venture “NOVARKA” — Consortium of two French companies: VINCI Construction Grands Projects and Bouygues Travaux Publics.
Currently the works are in progress. The NSC’s basic equipment installation has already been completed at the facility. It is under checking and testing.
Works to seal a space under the Arch are underway. The workers are installing a custom-made polyurethane membrane containing the annular space. The membrane is capable to withstand the stretching up to 55% of the initial size and wind load capacity of 300 km/h. As of today, the sealing is completed by 85%.
On 8th November the Chernobyl NPP accepted for operation the NSC’s “enclosing perimeter”. The project envisaged the reinforcement of existing walls of Unit 4 and construction of two new walls along both sides of it. It was necessary so that the ChNPP structures, which had been weakened by the explosion, withstand the Arch sliding and ensure the further operation of the NSC.
About 2,500 Ukrainian specialists pulled the project off. 1,300 out of them were directly involved into the construction activities.
Creation of the enclosing perimeter is equally important to the successful implementation of the project as the construction of the very Arch. The Arch, enclosing perimeter and membrane between them create the very New Safe Confinement.
The Arch sliding made positive impact on the radiation environment. Based on the measurement results, gamma levels in the former area of the Arch erection and radiation levels decreased ten times on average.
Also the Arch covered the Shelter Object from precipitation. As a comparison, amount of radioactively contaminated water pump out from the Shelter in the first half of 2017 decreased more than four times on average in comparison with the same time period of previous years.
In addition, the release of radioactive aerosols through gaps in the Shelter Object came down. The Arch excluded the direct exposure of the Shelter to sunlight and wind that had created air flows inside the Object and had spread radioactive aerosols outside it. Total volume of the releases decreased five times on average.
In line with the work schedule, the NSC commissioning is planned for mid 2018. After the commissioning, there will be a phased dismantling of the Shelter Object. The design service life of the NSC is 100 years.
Around 2,000 people continue to work at the facility. More than 1,500 out of them are Ukrainian citizens. Follow the construction progress on our website.
