Recently in Chernobyl Category
On June 27, 2008, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant leadership including General Director Igor Gramotkin, Technical Director Andriy Bilyk, Chief Engineer of the project management group for the planning of Shelter (Sarcophagus) activities Andrei Savin, and Deputy Technical Director for the Sarcophagus Vladimir Kashtanov took a tour of the structure.During the tour they examined industrial and local zones of the Sarcophagus, the platform under construction for the base of the New Safe Confinement (NSC), light roofing, and workplaces of project personnel.
Gramotkin noted the order and cleanliness at the Sarcophagus site and the cleared platform for the southern base of the NSC.
The leadership discussed current problems and immediate plans for the future, particularly work on the installation of new ventilation stacks (VT) and the dismantling of the current VT of the second turn (reactors 3 and 4). The dismantling of the ventilation stack is stipulated as part of the preliminary work of the NSC construction.
Due to high levels of radiation, the visit to the Sarcophagus roof was short, but the leadership did examine the quality of repair work. Roof workers typically work in pairs for 8-20 minutes at a time. New light roofing sheets are fastened with screws, using stand-alone devices that increase efficiency and reduce personal radiation doses.
Photos: ChAES
The “stabilization” consortium led by joint-stock company Atomstroyexport has completed work on the transfer of load from the roof the Sarcophagus to external support structures.
The transfer of 80% of the roof load above Reactor 4’s destroyed central hall from beams B1 and B2 to the external supports has increased the safety of the Sarcophagus. The work was completed in complex radiation conditions at appropriate levels of safety for the construction personnel, as established by the project contract.
Additional work is expected to begin in the near future.
The transfer of 80% of the roof load above Reactor 4’s destroyed central hall from beams B1 and B2 to the external supports has increased the safety of the Sarcophagus. The work was completed in complex radiation conditions at appropriate levels of safety for the construction personnel, as established by the project contract.
Additional work is expected to begin in the near future.
New reports indicate that up to 100 tons of scrap metal are removed from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone every day. Approximately half this amount is legally removed by the government, but the other half is smuggled out to the rest of the world.
Thieves who were caught by the Ukrainian Security Service in May apparently had been operating under the guise of being Security Service personnel. This allowed them to operate undetected for such a long time.
According to the Union of Liquidators of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, over the past two years criminal groups have removed nearly 80,000 tons of ferrous and nonferrous metal from the Zone. Estimates place the remaining amount of scrap metal in the Zone at approximately 1.5 million tons with an estimated value of one billion Ukrainian Hryvnia, or roughly $222,000,000 US.
Well, if you ever wondered why criminals would risk their health to steal scrap metal from the Zone, now you know why.
Thieves who were caught by the Ukrainian Security Service in May apparently had been operating under the guise of being Security Service personnel. This allowed them to operate undetected for such a long time.
According to the Union of Liquidators of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, over the past two years criminal groups have removed nearly 80,000 tons of ferrous and nonferrous metal from the Zone. Estimates place the remaining amount of scrap metal in the Zone at approximately 1.5 million tons with an estimated value of one billion Ukrainian Hryvnia, or roughly $222,000,000 US.
Well, if you ever wondered why criminals would risk their health to steal scrap metal from the Zone, now you know why.
Ukraine's Ministry of Emergency Measures plans to carry out an experiment by bringing bison into the 30 km Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Minister Volodomyr Shandra stated at a recent press conference that there is a clean region in the Zone in which they can create wilderness areas. The government will build enclosures in one of these areas to contain the bison population.I don't understand what is to be gained by this action. We already know from the Zone's multitude of existing wildlife that animals can survive there. What kind of meaningful information can we possibly learn from importing bison into the Zone?
Photo: Henryk Kotowski
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has ordered the mass demolition of approximately 20,000 Soviet-era monuments throughout the country. This program is part of the commemoration of the Holodomor, the great famine of 1932-33. The Ukrainian government claims the famine was orchestrated by the Bolsheviks, targeting Ukrainian nationals. Yushchenko wants to cleanse Ukraine from symbols of the former totalitarian Soviet regime. Apparently five areas of western Ukraine have already completed the dismantling of such monuments.Vassily Vovkun, Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Tourism, has suggested that these Soviet-era monuments should be taken to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where they would be placed in a new museum that would be open for driving tours.
I wish I knew why Vovkun wants these monuments dumped in the Chernobyl Zone. Perhaps he views Chernobyl as a quintessential symbol of Soviet failure and would therefore be the perfect home for these monuments.
But why does he want to create a drive-through museum in the Zone? Has he forgotten that the Exclusion Zone is a controlled area? People need permission to enter and are required to be escorted by a guide. Currently, the cost for preparation of the permission documents and guide for one day is approximately $85, and that does not include transportation costs.
Hopefully Vovkun is not considering this as a money-making enterprise for Ukraine, because people will not want to spend that kind of money to see a bunch of Soviet-era monuments. Not only that, I'm guessing that most people are afraid to enter the Zone due to fears of radiation, so this museum would not get many visitors. I'm also willing to go out on a limb and say that people who do travel to the Zone are not going there just to see a museum of Soviet-era monuments. Some may drive through out of curiosity, but it will not be the primary focus of anyone's visit.
From the “you just can’t make this stuff up” file ...
Ukrainian police have detained several people who were attempting to transport the remains of an Mi-8 “Hip” helicopter out of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. A statement issued by Ukraine’s security service (SBU) indicated the criminals “tried to take an Mi-8 helicopter out of the exclusion zone to use it as an original coffee shop is one of Ukraine’s cities.” At the time the thieves were captured, the helicopter was emitting up to 30 times the legal level of radiation.
Below are 2 photos of Mi-8 helicopters.
For some reason, I just don’t see myself wanting to eat in something like that!
The criminal gang involved in this incident is also responsible for stealing radioactive scrap metal and timber from the Zone. The metal items were melted down for scrap, while the timber was usually reprocessed at underground plants and later sold as construction materials.
Photo Credits:
Mi-8 Chernobyl: Phil Coomes
Mi-8 Ukraine: Максим Брянский
Ukrainian police have detained several people who were attempting to transport the remains of an Mi-8 “Hip” helicopter out of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. A statement issued by Ukraine’s security service (SBU) indicated the criminals “tried to take an Mi-8 helicopter out of the exclusion zone to use it as an original coffee shop is one of Ukraine’s cities.” At the time the thieves were captured, the helicopter was emitting up to 30 times the legal level of radiation.
Below are 2 photos of Mi-8 helicopters.
Ukrainian Military Mi-8
Mi-8 remains in the Chernobyl Exlcusion Zone
For some reason, I just don’t see myself wanting to eat in something like that!
The criminal gang involved in this incident is also responsible for stealing radioactive scrap metal and timber from the Zone. The metal items were melted down for scrap, while the timber was usually reprocessed at underground plants and later sold as construction materials.
Photo Credits:
Mi-8 Chernobyl: Phil Coomes
Mi-8 Ukraine: Максим Брянский
Here is a short video shot during a recent trip to Pripyat in Spring 2008. You can here my friend Lyubov Sirota talking in the background.
Look at the amount of vegetation lining the street. This is Lenin Boulevard, the city's main street. It ran from the city entrance to the main square. Believe it or not, there are high-rise apartment buildings all along the road (you can see parts of a few buildings in the video).
This 2.5 minute video really shows you how much nature has taken over this city.
Look at the amount of vegetation lining the street. This is Lenin Boulevard, the city's main street. It ran from the city entrance to the main square. Believe it or not, there are high-rise apartment buildings all along the road (you can see parts of a few buildings in the video).
This 2.5 minute video really shows you how much nature has taken over this city.
According to a May 19 press release, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has agreed to donate 135 million Euros in support of clean up efforts at the Chernobyl Nuclear Facility in northern Ukraine.
The funds appear to be earmarked for support of two key contracts:
The New Safe Confinement is being funded through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund. Contributing countries include: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Community, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Donations have been made by Iceland, Israel, Korea, Portugal, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
The Interim Storage Facility-2 project is financed by the Nuclear Safety Account. Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Community, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States have all contributed to this fund.
Even with the EBRD grant, there is not enough money to complete these projects. It is hoped that the EBRD grant will be a catalyst for additional financing from donor countries.
Information obtained from May 19, 2008 EBRD Press Release
The funds appear to be earmarked for support of two key contracts:
- Construction of the New Safe Confinement
- Completion of the Interim Storage Facility-2
The New Safe Confinement is being funded through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund. Contributing countries include: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Community, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Donations have been made by Iceland, Israel, Korea, Portugal, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
The Interim Storage Facility-2 project is financed by the Nuclear Safety Account. Belgium, Canada, Denmark, European Community, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States have all contributed to this fund.
Even with the EBRD grant, there is not enough money to complete these projects. It is hoped that the EBRD grant will be a catalyst for additional financing from donor countries.
Information obtained from May 19, 2008 EBRD Press Release
At the Chernobyl Nulcear Plant, personnel of the contractor UTEM recently participated in a two-day training program designed to teach them appropriate skills for repairing part of the Sarcophagus' roof. The training, conducted by Yuri Pasechnikova and Oleg Mihnevicha (from ChAES), involved 20 contractors. The employees were taught how to improve the consistency of fastening the new roofing material and how to use special power tools. Techniques for using personal protective equipment was also discussed.Physical work on the actual roof is scheduled to begin May 20 and be completed within two months. These roofing repairs are designed to:
- Reduce the amount of rainfall currently entering the Sarcophagus' interior
- Decrease the potential outflow of radioactive aerosols into the environment
Photo - courtesy of ChAES
I just stumbled upon a new video/news report by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Al Jazeera) about Chernobyl-affected areas.
What makes this video unique is that it features Karpavichi, an abandoned village in the contaminated areas of southern Belarus, approximately 60 km from the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. Karpavichi used to have 62 houses and was home to approximately 190 people.
The video also features samosel Adam Nikidich, who has returned to his home in the village of Belli Bara. Adam survives on food from passing trucks, fishing and vegetables he grows himself.
What makes this video unique is that it features Karpavichi, an abandoned village in the contaminated areas of southern Belarus, approximately 60 km from the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. Karpavichi used to have 62 houses and was home to approximately 190 people.
The video also features samosel Adam Nikidich, who has returned to his home in the village of Belli Bara. Adam survives on food from passing trucks, fishing and vegetables he grows himself.
