On January 15-16, 2013, a meeting was held at ChNPP with participation of Mr. Terje Johnson, Head of Software Development Department of the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), Norway, regarding the extension of bilateral cooperation. The cooperation between ChNPP and IFE started in 2006. It was aimed at creation of Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning Visualization Center.
The Center will be used for planning, training and implementation of the procedures for personnel, demonstration of decommissioning processes to the government authorities and public. It will also give an opportunity to plan and control exposure doses, and get visualization of radiation scenarios during planning and training to perform different tasks. This will enable to reduce men-hours significantly, dose loads to personnel, increase efficiency and safety of dismantling works, and management of radioactive materials.
The activities on center creation were suspended due to lack of corresponding agreement between Ukraine and Norway. The Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation between Norway and Ukraine in Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning and the Shelter Transformation into Ecologically Safe System was signed in Oslo on November 30, 2012. This gave the green light to complete the works on visualization center creation, and to implement new common projects as well.
During the meeting, the Parties discussed organizational and technical issues to be solved for creation of the Chernobyl Decommissioning Visualization Center. The representative of the Institute for Energy Technology visited ChNPP site, where he got familiar with the progress on ChNPP decommissioning and Shelter transformation, and presented to SSE ChNPP Management new developments and technologies of the institute, which could become a basis for future cooperation.
For information
The Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) is the international research institute in the field of energy and nuclear technology. The IFE mission is to conduct research and developments in energy sector, oil producing and oil processing industry, and in the field of alternative energy sources. The institute was established in 1948. The annual turnover is approximately NOK 775 million, and about 600 employees work in IFE. The basic tasks of IFE are: development of profitable, safe and environmentally friendly technologies in the area of renewable energy sources, oil production; preservation and further development of national experience in reactor safety, radiation protection and nuclear technologies based on reactors Halden and JEEP II. The institute is leading Norwegian expert center for nuclear technologies. The Halden Reactor Project, being in charge of the Institute for Energy Technology, is a basis for international cooperation in reactor safety research.