On July 19, the testing of TK-8 docking mechanism started. This unit is one of the most important pieces for handling of Chornobyl NPP spent nuclear fuel.
The docking mechanism was produced by BNG in accordance with Terms of Reference for manufacture and supply of the equipment for the construction project of Chornobyl NPP Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility. Immediately after delivery of all the docking mechanism elements the unit has been assembled and as per the programme of individual tests the pre-commissioning activities are to be carried out next.
In the framework of these tests the compatibility verification is carried out for TK-8 docking mechanism equipment and new TK-700 railcar which has been designed and assembled for this project by Skoda.
Successful implementation of this individual testing will enable in future to shift to the comprehensive tests of the new TK-700 railcar.
The start of “hot” tests at the ISF-2 is scheduled for December 2017.
On July 11, 2017 The Verkhovna Rada adopted a package of draft laws to restore targeted financing and use of the State Radioactive Waste Management Fund (RAW), which will restore its cumulative status and finance the implementation of the state program for utilization of such waste.
In particular, 231 people's deputies (226 votes were required) voted for the adoption of draft law No. 6435 "On Amendments to Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine" On the Management of Radioactive Waste to Improve the Mechanism of Funding the Activities related to the Radioactive Waste Management".
Ivan Rybak, people's deputy, representative of the parliamentary subcommittee on environmental policy, nature management and elimination of the Chornobyl accident consequences, noted that it should be possible by 2019 to move fully to financing of RAW management activities from the budget of the Fund. The funds will be used for the development of the radioactive waste management system, the construction of long-term storage facilities and scientific research.
Deputies also adopted draft law No. 6436 "On Amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine on the Improvement of the Mechanism of Financial Support for Radioactive Waste Management".
Vitaly Petruk, Chairman of the State Agency for Exclusion Zone Management, noted that the adoption of these draft laws will restore the accumulative status of the fund, that means, money in the fund will accumulate from year to year (on condition of limited use), to provide funding for the construction of very expensive storage facilities or other units.
The situation with the fund was commented on by Igor Gramotkin, General Director of the Chornobyl NPP: "What opportunities does the RAW fund give us? Contributions to the fund will be made both by enterprises that produce radioactive waste, and Ukraine. The Fund will provide funding for RAW management and ChNPP decommissioning projects. This means that we are moving away from direct budget funding. The RAW Fund will be an accumulative fund, which means that we will be able to plan our activities for several years ahead, instead of annual planning, as was the case during direct budget financing".
As of July 12, general construction works have been completed at the Interim Storage Facility (ISF-2). The tower crane has already been dismantled, which will enable the completion of activities related to the improvement of the territory in the near future. Finishing works in most of premises have also been completed. The works on equipment installation are now coming to an end.
Commissioning works are intensively continuing in the building of the Spent Fuel Processing Facility (SFPF). Tests of ISF-2 equipment and systems are proceeding at full throttle. Individual tests have been competed and the relevant documents have been issued for acceptance of approximately 15% of the total number of equipment after individual tests. 9 out of 24 load-lifting mechanisms have been tested under load. The state labour inspectorate issued permissions of operation of 8 load-lifting mechanisms.
Autonomous tests of the automated systems equipment have been performed, in particular, equipment of the Automatic Radiation Monitoring System (ARMS) and the Nuclear Materials Control and Accounting System (NMC&AS). Comprehensive tests of the NMC&AS have also been completed. Autonomous tests of equipment of the radiation monitoring system and the physical protection system are in progress. The complex test has been completed and documents for the acceptance of the compressed air preparation and supply system have been issued.
The Assembly of Chernobyl Shelter Fund (CSF) contributors and Nuclear Safety Account (NSA) donors is held at the London Headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 5 July through 7 July.
Members of the Ukrainian delegations have informed that participants of the Assembly of CSF contributors highlighted fulfilling all financial and organizational actions on implementing the Shelter Implementation Plan according to the approved plan and schedule. The Assembly approved the financing for developing a technical part of the design to dismantle unstable structures of the Shelter Object over which the New Safe Confinement (the Arch) was installed in November 2016. Besides, the Assembly also agreed to allocate funds to procure the required equipment for performing these works and dismantling the Shelter Object's unstable structures.
It is an important decision for Ukraine that yet again demonstrates the support to Ukraine from the international community in overcoming consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.
The next Assembly of CSF contributors and NSA donors will be held in December 2017 in Ukraine, at the Chernobyl NPP site. According to the schedule, the NSC acceptance for operation is planned for that time.
As of 27.06.2017 due to the cyber attack: the SSE ChNPP's official website was not accessible, servers for controlling the local area network and auxiliary systems of SSE ChNPP information resources (mail server, file-sharing servers, Internet resources' access server, electronic document flow system server) were switched off. There was partial failure in operation of personal computers of workplaces of operators of individual radiation monitoring systems without loss of the control function as a whole.
From the time of the attack the compensation measures to monitor radiation situation of the ChNPP industrial site have been developed and are under implementation. The monitoring is performed by the instruments. Changes in the radiation situation parameters have not been recorded. The control levels are not exceeded.
At the moment (29.06.2017) all other technological systems, including the Integrated Automated Monitoring System of Shelter Object (IASK), Integrated Shelter Database (ISDB), Module «Karma» - operational account of personnel radiation doses, personnel access control system to ChNPP (SKDP), and other technological systems are operated in routine regime.
Operation of the website and servers, main and auxiliary services has been restarted; the Internet access was resumed. Testing and performance restoration of information systems and personnel workplaces are underway.