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    During the meeting of the Assembly of Contributors of the Nuclear Safety Account held in Kyiv on April 25, 2016, an agreement was reached regarding attraction of financial resources for settlement of a shortage amounting to €105 million for construction of the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility. Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Public Utilities of Ukraine, declared this during the joint press-conference giving the comments about results of the Assembly meeting.

    He noted that Ukraine meets the commitments being responsible to the world community. “It was decided to pay €3.58 million which Ukraine had to pay as early as in 2011. It was also agreed about additional contribution of Ukraine amounting to €1.4 million. This is our important message to the world community regarding readiness of Ukraine to solve Chernobyl problem”, Hennadii Zubko noted.

    According to him, notwithstanding all difficulties, Ukraine meets the commitments relating to construction of key Chernobyl facilities. “It is important for us that world public would give our State an ability to complete strategic projects not losing momentum”, he said.

    He expressed gratitude to the international partners of Ukraine who did not leave our State face to face with ChNPP problem. “I do consider that international project on completion of the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility is successful. This important experience proved the efficiency of international efforts in solving such global tragedies as ChNPP disaster”, Hennadii Zubko emphasized.

    He also noticed a necessity to optimize a model of future development of the Exclusion Zone together with donor-countries and other international partners. “We have to look forward together. We must change a tragic 30-year Chernobyl paradigm. A positive perception of this global event is increasing gradually. The basis for this new perception is a development of the Exclusion Zone, scientific innovations, investment attraction, and development of capacities to generate alternative energy. We already see the desire of investors to invest funds into development of trends being strategic for the Exclusion Zone development”, Hennadii Zubko pointed out.

    PRESS-SERVICE OF THE VICE PRIME MINISTER OF UKRAINE

    On April 23, awarding of the veterans-participants of Chernobyl accident consequences mitigation took place in Slavutych. On the eve of those tragic events, Mykola Tomenko, ex-Head of the Committee came to present appreciation certificates of the Committee of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Environmental Policy, Natural Resource Management and Mitigation of Chernobyl Accident Consequences.

    On 15th April, 4 special canisters were discharged within the frame of the above-stated activities. They are placed according to the technological process for transportation to a “wet type” Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (ISF-1). 

    An individual permission of Series No.000040/9 for performing these activities was issued by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine on April 14, 2016, based on the results of reviewing the SSE Chernobyl NPP’s statement and a set of substantiating documents, as well as taking into account the positive results of the applicant’s inspection carried out during 06.04.2016-08.04.2016. 

    On April 14, 2016, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine made a decision on issuing an individual permission of Series No.000040/9 for performing works and operations on discharge of damaged spent nuclear fuel from Power Units 1 and 2 and its transportation to a “wet type” Interim Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (ISF-1) to be safely placed and stored. The decision was made based on the results of reviewing the SSE Chernobyl NPP’s statement and a set of substantiating documents, as well as taking into account the positive results of the applicant’s inspection carried out during 06.04.2016-08.04.2016.

    According to the aforesaid individual permission, in the nearest time the SSE Chernobyl NPP will start works aimed to release Power Units 1 and 2 from the damaged spent nuclear fuel and transport it to ISF-1. After the completion of these works and operations, the next step will be a decision of the operating organization (i.e. SSE Chernobyl NPP) about loss by these Power Units of a nuclear facility status and their recognition as facilities meant for radioactive waste management, which will be followed by activation of the Chernobyl NPP decommissioning activities.

    On 30th March the Chernobyl NPP was visited by the Ambassador of France Mrs. Isabelle Dumont. During the meeting of Mrs. Dumont with the management of the State Agency of Ukraine on the Exclusion Zone Management (SAEZM) and SSE ChNPP, the French side expressed satisfaction with the Ukrainian contribution into the construction of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chernobyl NPP. 

    The Ambassador of France Mrs. Isabelle Dumont also met with the team and management of the French company NOVARKA – that is the General Contractor of the NSC construction project, which has been financed by 28 countries along with France.

    1. Press-tour dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe
    2. Press tour for the Ukrainian and foreign journalists to the Chernobyl NPP
    3. Visit of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Natural Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany Mrs. Barbara Hendricks to ChNPP
    4. SSE Chernobyl NPP obtained an individual permission for operation of the Shelter Integrated Automated Monitoring System

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