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    On 19 May, nuclear and radiation safety issues of Object Shelter were discussed during an online meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management.

    Participants of the discussion, in addition to members of the Committee, included Acting Director General of SSE Chornobyl NPP Valeriy Seyda, Head of the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management Serhii Kostiuk, Director of the Institute for NPPs Safety Problems Anatolii Nosovskyi, Chairman of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine Hryhorii Plachkov, and other experts on NPP safety.

    The meeting was primarily focused on the issues regarding probability of self-sustained chain reaction in fuel-containing materials (FCM) of Object Shelter. 

    Due to the news published in the media and wide public discussions of the potential risks of “an uncontrolled release of nuclear energy” from the fuel-containing materials located inside the Shelter after the NSC was put into the design position, we communicate the following.

    Following installation of the NSC Arch into its design position over the Shelter, certain IAMS sensors were tracking increase of neutron activity in the accumulations of fuel-containing materials (FCM) located in room 305/2 in subreactor slab melting area. This situation had been predicted by the ISPNPP before the NSC Arch was slid over, and was taking place due to drying of overmoistened environment of black lava-like FCM (LFCM) layer which is located higher (at elev. +9.00 ÷ + 9.70) than potentially nuclear-hazardous FCM (NFCM). ISPNPP experts predict that the NFCM will be further constantly contributing to the neutron activity level registered by the IAMS sensors. The total neutron activity will continue to slightly rise due to decrease of water content in LFCM layer located above the NFCM, until an optimal ratio of water and fuel is achieved. Should the environment be further dried, the neutron flux density is predicted to be slightly decreased or there will be abnormally long period of constant values of neutron flux density.

    All the SSE ChNPP facilities, equipment and machinery are operated in line with the established procedures and instructions.

    No operational disorders were observed.

    Nuclear and radiation monitoring systems operate in full.

    Neutron flux density and gamma dose rate values inside the premises of the Shelter Object do not exceed operational limits.

    No radiation and nuclear hazardous activities were performed within the specified period.

    On April 29, the OSCE representatives, namely Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, and Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Mark Etherington visited Chornobyl NPP with a technical tour.

    Our guests went to the New Safe Confinement (NSC) Central Control Room and inside the main space of the NSC Arch. There they were told about peculiarities of this unique facility functioning and current work progress on ChNPP industrial site including NSC.

    «The mission has been working in Ukraine for over 20 years and we have done quite a lot of work in the environmental protection and recovery field. And we decided to have a look at one of the biggest environmental projects in the world whose intention is to protect the nature from the consequences of unprecedented human and environment catastrophe. We are very thankful to the ChNPP management for this opportunity,» — Mr Villadsen noted.

    1. Former Prypiat’s residents planted roses in Prypiat town
    2. ICCA: New Chornobyl support fund
    3. International conference INUDECO-2021 — started
    4. President of Ukraine took part in ceremonial presenting the license for operation of ISF-2

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