On January 28-30, a technical meeting was held at IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, where issues were reviewed concerning implementation of the Technical Cooperation Project UKR9030 “Assisting to Ukrainian Enterprises in ChNPP Units Decommissioning, Improvement of an Opportunity for Safe Waste Management in Ukraine and Use of the Best World’s Practice”, as well as planning of support for new cycle of technical cooperation for 2014-2015. The representatives of IAEA, State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management, State Nuclear Regulation Inspectorate of Ukraine, and SSE ChNPP participated in the meeting.

The Ukrainian party provided the detailed information on status of ChNPP Units 1, 2, and 3 decommissioning, radioactive waste management at ChNPP (including Shelter Object), as well as status of activity on assuring safety during radioactive waste management in Ukraine and measures, which should be envisaged for strengthening national strategy on waste management.

The meeting participants estimated the outcomes of the current project (UKR9/030) implementation in 2012, and specified further technical tasks and implementation schedule for 2013.

The tasks and scopes of works for 2014-2015 were also agreed during the meeting. The proposed concept of new project associated with IAEA assistance to the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management and SSE ChNPP was reviewed upon the discussion taking into account the needs of both organizations. The prepared project was approved by the representatives of Ukraine and IAEA. The Ukrainian colleagues will commence detail designing of the project in accordance with the priorities they agreed.

On January 28-30, a technical meeting was held at IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, where issues were reviewed concerning implementation of the Technical Cooperation Project UKR9030 “Assisting to Ukrainian Enterprises in ChNPP Units Decommissioning, Improvement of an Opportunity for Safe Waste Management in Ukraine and Use of the Best World’s Practice”, as well as planning of support for new cycle of technical cooperation for 2014-2015. The representatives of IAEA, State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management, State Nuclear Regulation Inspectorate of Ukraine, and SSE ChNPP participated in the meeting.

The Ukrainian party provided the detailed information on status of ChNPP Units 1, 2, and 3 decommissioning, radioactive waste management at ChNPP (including Shelter Object), as well as status of activity on assuring safety during radioactive waste management in Ukraine and measures, which should be envisaged for strengthening national strategy on waste management.

The meeting participants estimated the outcomes of the current project (UKR9/030) implementation in 2012, and specified further technical tasks and implementation schedule for 2013.

The tasks and scopes of works for 2014-2015 were also agreed during the meeting. The proposed concept of new project associated with IAEA assistance to the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management and SSE ChNPP was reviewed upon the discussion taking into account the needs of both organizations. The prepared project was approved by the representatives of Ukraine and IAEA. The Ukrainian colleagues will commence detail designing of the project in accordance with the priorities they agreed.

Oleh Proskuriakov, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, officially visited the Chernobyl NPP on the 25th of January. Accompanying by the Head of State Agency on Exclusion Zone Management, Volodymyr Kholosha, and the SSE ChNPP General Director, Igor Gramotkin, the Minister and his attendants visited the Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant, Industrial Complex for Solid Radioactive Waste Management, Shelter Object Observation Pavilion, as well as the NSC erection area along the route that was arranged in areas, where construction and assembling activities are not performed at the moment. After the guests were familiarized with the Plant site, a summary meeting with the ChNPP management was held. During this meeting the current and prospective directions of the Plant activity were discussed.

International expert meeting on decommissioning and remediation after nuclear accidents is underway IAEA Headquarters in Vienna from January 28 to February 1, 2013. The conference was attended by over 200 participants from over 20 countries, EU, IAEA.

The program includes an exchange of experiences and lessons learned in the field of remediation and decommissioning of facilities after nuclear accidents, current challenges in these areas, problems of planning and implementation of Decommissioning and Remediation projects, Waste, and Damaged Fuel Management, role of international cooperation in addressing of these issues.

The meeting was attended by the Chairperson and representatives of the State Inspectorate of Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine, Chairman of the State Agency for the Exclusion Zone Management Mr Volodymyr Kholosha, representatives of Chernobyl NPP and scientific institutions of Ukraine. Experience in site remediation and Chernobyl NPP decommissioning, presented as separate report within the Conference Program, aroused great interest among the participants. Representatives from Japan show a special interest in Chernobyl experience, they are working now to overcome the consequences of the Fukushima NPP.

Poster reports, devoted to Chernobyl Cooling Pond decommissioning and Shelter object transformation, are also presented within the Conference.