Ukraine, showing good will and confirming the intention, stated in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ukraine and G7 countries Governments and Commission of the European Union, dated December 25, 1995, made the decision on ahead of schedule Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Chernobyl NPP) decommissioning.

On December 15, 2000 at 1.17 p.m. by the order of the President of Ukraine Chernobyl NPP Unit’s 3 reactor was forever shutdown by turn of a emergency protection key (A3-5). Since that minute the Plant ceased electric power generation.

The State Specialized Enterprise “Chernobyl NPP” was created on the basis of the Chernobyl NPP according to the Decree 1084/2000 of the President of Ukraine dated September 25, 2000 and the Resolution 399 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated April 25, 2001. The new enterprise was registered in June 11, 2001.

The State Spesialized Enterprise “Chernobyl NPP” (SSE ChNPP) is the enterprise dealing with nuclear power plant stations units decommissioning and transformation of the object “Shelter” into an environmentally safe system.

The Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated November 17, 2001 the enterprise is appointed as operation organization (operator) of Nuclear Installations of Chernobyl NPP.

On March 22, 2002 the State Nuclear Regulation committee of Ukraine has issued given the License to SSE ChNPP for ChNPP decommissioning. Chernobyl NPP Units decommissioning has been started in the extremely unfavorable conditions: absence of ChNPP decommissioning program and design and necessary infrastructure (facilities for accumulated during operation RAW processing).

For today the significant scope of works on decommissioning documentation revision and development is performed. Following main documents were revised and developed:

• Concept of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning.
• Regulations Chernobyl NPP Units 1,2,3 operation for the shutdown stage.
• Clarifier of systems and elements important for the safety at Units 1,2,3 shutdown stage.
• Program of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning.
• National Program of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system.
• Quality Management for ChNPP’s Units Shutdown stage.
• Integrated Radioactive Waste Management Program for Chernobyl NPP shutdown stage and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system.
• Strategy of Long-lived and High level solid Radioactive Waste Management for ChNPP Units shutdown and decommissioning stages and Shelter object transformations into ecologically safe system (phases 1,2).
• Final Report based on Units 1, 2, 3 complex engineering radiation investigation (CERI) results.
• Program of Radioactive Waste Management at Chernobyl NPP Final Shutdown stage.
• Radiation Protection Program for the stage of Chernobyl NPP Units final shutdown.
• Quality Assurance Program for Chernobyl NPP Units final shutdown stage.
• Terms of Reference for Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning Design development for the Final Shutdown and Preservation Stage.

Construction of infrastructure facilities (ISF-2, LRTP, ICSRM, SRAW primary packing and concrete containers manufacturing) is under way within the framework of the international technical assistance according to the Memorandum of 1995 for ChNPP decommissioning needs.

ChNPP decommissioning stages

Shutdown stage is the last stage of power units operation (preparatory stage for decommissioning) during which nuclear fuel removal and transportation in spent nuclear fuel storage facility intended for long-term storage will be carried out. Time for completion - not earlier than 2013.

According to the Concept of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning, approved in 2004 there are following decommissioning stages:

• Final Shutdown and Preservation of reactor installations. Reactors and most contaminated equipment will be preserved (tentatively till 2022) at this stage;
• Safe Enclosure of reactor installations during the period necessary for natural decrease of radiation up to the acceptable level (tentatively till 2045);
• Dismantling of reactor installations. At this stage Dismantling of the equipment and clearing of the site will be carried out with the purpose to remove maximally restrictions and to release from regulatory control (tentatively till 2065).

Decommissioning tasks

According to the requirements of General provisions of Safety assurance during Nuclear Power Plants and Research Nuclear Reactors decommissioning, the following tasks should be performed during ChNPP decommissioning:

1. Safety assurance during Units 1,2,3 decommissioning.
2. Protection of the personnel, population and environment against harmful influence ionizing radiations and protection of the future generations.
3. Bringing of power units 1,2,3 in a condition excluding possibility of subsequent use of this power installations for the purposes for which they have been constructed.
4. Performance of a complex of measures to achieve at the territory occupied by units 1,2,3 and auxiliary constructions, conditions which as much as possible reduce restriction for utilization of this territory. That stipulates:

Defining final status of ChNPP

As ChNPP is being within Exclusion Zone contaminated with radioactive substances due to 1986 accident, and Unit 3 has a common building structure with the Shelter, full removal of restrictions for ChNPP site is inaccessible in near future.

Taking into account the lack of prospects for constructing new energy or other economic facilities on site, the bringing of Chernobyl NPP area to “green field” condition is accepted as inexpedient.

On this basis, Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning Concept is accepted, where the most reasonable final purpose is a condition, which could be conditionally defined as “brown spot”. The main criterion of mentioned final purpose is achieving the levels of restricted material release from regulating control accepted for this facility.

At this, considering Chernobyl NPP location within 10-km Exclusion Zone contaminated with long-lived radionuclides, and availability of bulk building structures within Exclusion Zone, it is inexpedient to perform full dismantling of building structures under ChNPP decommissioning. Such task should be solved under Exclusion Zone remediation.

Thus, the final status during Chernobyl NPP decommissioning is dismantling of equipment unnecessary for ChNPP activity and clean-up/decontamination of building structures to the levels of restricted release from regulating control.

Such levels are prescribed by special normative documents approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Numerical values of levels define RAW amount to be generated during ChNPP decommissioning.

Planning and organization of works

According to accepted Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning Program, the completion of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and Shelter transformation into ecologically safe system will require about 70 years.

Planning and organization of works at the stage of ChNPP shutdown is currently carried out in accordance with Integrated Program of Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning.

“State Program of Chernobyl NPP Decommissioning and Shelter Transformation into Ecologically Safe System” (further as SDP) will come into force on January 1, 2010, accepted by the Law of Ukraine #866-VI dated January 15, 2009.

SDP contains primary measures to be implemented during 2009-2012 at the stage of Chernobyl NPP shutdown and Shelter transformation into ecologically safe system. The main source of SDP financing is State Budget of Ukraine.

As a result of the Program implementation till 2013, the following is provided:

• Complete operation of Chernobyl NPP Units and obtain a permission for implementing Final Shutdown and Preservation stage;
• Create efficient system for radioactive waste management at Chernobyl NPP;
• Complete construction and commissioning of new storage facility for spent nuclear fuel (ISF-2);
• Complete construction and commissioning of New Safe Confinement over the Shelter;
• Improve system of social protection for Chernobyl NPP employees;
• Provide transparency of issues related to safety of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and Shelter transformation into ecologically safe system for the public.

The shutdown stage is developed in details and documented as programs approved in prescribed order for each Unit. Consolidated work schedule is developed annually, where means, terms and responsible persons necessary for its implementation are mentioned.

Therefore, the work plan for the nearest 5 years is known. It enables performing comprehensive annual planning of activity and improving ecological safety on ChNPP site.

Shutdown of Chernobyl NPP Units

Started in December 15, 2000, Chernobyl NPP shutdown stage will be completed in 2013 after removal of nuclear fuel from Units 1, 2 and 3.

The main activities currently carried out at Units are final shutdown of systems, equipment and partial dismantling of decommissioned equipment.

There are 312 systems and subsystems being finally shutdown, 33 of them were stopped in 2008. Due to completion of works on final shutdown, 152 equipment items were out of registration from supervisory bodies since 2008.

As on January 1, 2009, activities on bringing reactor facilities of Units 1 and 2 into condition of “finally shutdown” are performed.

Works on SNF discharge from Unit 3 core are completed. Activities on bringing Unit 3 reactor facility into condition of “finally shutdown” are performing (measures on implementing Decision “About Final Shutdown of SSE ChNPP Unit 3 Reactor Facility after Nuclear Fuel Discharge from Reactor”). Work completion is scheduled for 2009.

During 2008, in accordance with approved schedules for CERS1 data actualization, activities on engineering and radiation survey of equipment, systems and premises of ChNPP Unit 1 were carried out. Works on engineering survey of equipment and premises were completed in 2008. More than 1,000 premises and their equipment were surveyed. Works on CERS1 data actualization (radiation survey) are continuing in 2009.