Construction of NSC to Start This Spring

Ukraine's Ministry of Emergency Measures announced on January 24, 2008 that construction of the New Safe Confinement structure at the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station will begin in earnest this spring.  Minister Volodymyr Shandra said, "I believe that in spring we'll start work to build a safe shelter and the construction of this facility will be completed in 2012."

Ukraine signed a contract with France's Novarka in September 2007 to build a new structure to cover the remains of Reactor 4.  Another deal was also signed with U.S. company Holtec International for the construction of a "dry storage" facility at the Chernobyl pant for spent nuclear fuel.