An all-plant emergency response drill with radiation safety elements was run at the Chernobyl NPP site on July 10. A Plant Shift Supervisor, representatives of Emergency Preparedness and Response Department, Regime and Physical Protection Department, Radiation Safety Shop, Radioactive Waste Management Shop and other specialists of the enterprise took part in this drill. Besides, military personnel of the ChNPP Military Unit No. 3041 were involved into this activity.
As per the legend, gamma-spectrometer calibration works were underway at the Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant (LRTP), during which there was theft of ionizing radiation source — radioactive material Cesium-137 was stolen.
The drill started at 10:00 with the command of the Plant Shift Supervisor. Headquarters of the Site Emergency Response Manager promptly notified about strengthening of radiation control within the LRTP rooms. The access to and exit from the facility was strictly restricted. An emergency team of the ChNPP Military Unit No. 3041 arrived to the LRTP.
Following the formation of a search team for the stolen radioactive material (Cesium-137), the second phase of the drill, i.e. the search, began. Based on the drill’s results, at 11:04 the Site Emergency Response Manager reported that the ionizing radiation source was found and taken under control.
Head of the ChNPP Emergency Preparedness and Response Department Dmytro Kondratov comments: “The drill’s objective was to master practical skills of personnel emergency response. In the course of the drill, the ChNPP Emergency Response Plan was launched. All actions of the emergency teams were coordinated and performed in a prompt manner. The search team finished its work in professional way. Interaction with the Military Unit was also efficient. The drill completed successfully”.
