On the 26th of October 2016, ChNPP was visited by Bouygues Company representatives – Chairman & CEO of Bouygues Telecom Olivier Roussat, Deputy CEO of Bouygues Construction Jean-Philippe Trin, and Bouygues Executive Committee member Mark Adler.

As part of the visit, the guests visited the NSC Arch erection site where they received necessary information from Novarka Director Nicolas Caille and ChNPP Director General Igor Gramotkin, as well as reviewed at first hand the progress of works at sites where the most intense works are currently being performed.

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On 22 October 2016, a delegation of Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of US Senate Committee on Budget visited ChNPP site, accompanied by the Embassy representatives. The main purpose of the visit was to review the progress of international technical assistance projects at ChNPP site, and in particular the construction of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) and Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISF-2). The projects are financed from CSF and NSA funds, with USA being one of the largest contributors.

As part of the visit, the guests met with managers of the Shelter Implementation Plan Project Management Unit and discussed the current status of the project implementation. The delegation visited the NSC and ISF-2 construction sites where they could review the progress and pace of works at first hand.

The Director General Igor Gramotkin during a meeting at the Shelter Observation Pavilion thanked the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of US Senate Committee on Budget for the constant support of projects aimed at improving safety at ChNPP site, and expressed hope for further cooperation

Roundtable “30 Years of Shelter Object – 30 Years of Feat” will be held on 07 November 2016 at SSE ChNPP, with participation of government officials, regulatory authorities’ representatives, scientists, international organizations, managers and engineers of the projects, and veterans of Shelter object construction.

The Roundtable is devoted to the 30th anniversary of Shelter object construction and operation. It will discuss the current status of Shelter object, options of further implementation of the strategy on Shelter object transformation into environmentally safe system, and particularly the stabilization and dismantling of structures inside the Shelter, as well as management of fuel containing and radioactive materials.

We invite interested media to cover the event. For accreditation and further information contact the International Cooperation and Information Department, tel. 04593 42254, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

According to the design cooling pools were intended for Spent Fuel Assemblies (SFA) temporary storage and storage of special items, irradiated in a reactor or being in contact with radioactive coolant (spent additional absorbers, control rods, internal monitoring sensors and other equipment). The water in the cooling pools ensures removal of residual heat from Spent Fuel Assemblies, as well as serves as biological protection against the ionizing radiation impact on the staff working in the Central Hall.

Since Units 1, 2, 3 are completely emptied from Spent Nuclear Fuel, including the damaged fuel, as well as taking into account the positive experience in operation of Unit 3 cooling pools for technological channels in the dry mode of special items storage shafts, it was considered possibility of emptying Units 1, 2, 3 cooling pools and storage of active special items in them without water filling, that is, cooling pools operation in dry mode of storage in shafts for special items. 

Within the period from June to October of this year at Units 1, 2, 3 works on the cooling pools emptying were carried out, and above the cooling pools, containing highly active special items, protective coverings were assembled, providing biological protection against ionizing radiation.

Currently, Units 2 and 3 cooling pools are transferred in the mode of dry storage shafts for special items according to the relevant technical solutions agreed by SNRIU. The similar technical solution for Unit 1 is under development.

Cooling pools operation in the mode of dry storage shafts for special items will significantly reduce the cost for water chemistry and temperature maintenance in them, for Main building premises heating with a water-filled equipment in the winter, and will allow reducing the risks of the equipment damage in case of emergency situations in the heating systems of ChNPP industrial site during the winter.

After the work performance radiation situation in the Central Halls is within established limits.

Works related to the cooling pools emptying were performed by SSE Chernobyl NPP personnel.