Sarcophagus: April 2008 Archives

Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station General Director Igor Gramotkin announced on April 23, 2008 that work has been completed on the reinforcement of the original Sarcophagus, which was hastily built following the 1986 accident at the plant's Reactor 4. Gramotkin stated that the structure can now withstand forces from an earthquake registering up to 6.0 on the Richter scale.

Another contract was signed on April 3 by the administration of the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station. This contract with the Ukrainian company Yutem («ЮТЭМ») is to perform additional on site work in preparation for construction of the New Safe Confinement (NSC).  The Chief Engineer of this project (POM) is Andrey Savin.

This aim of this venture is to remove all above-ground structures that currently exist within the area that will be affected by NSC construction. Any foundation structures located at the southern and northern extent of the current Sarcophagus will also be removed. Included in this effort will be the removal of the foundation used for the installation and support of the crane used to build the original Sarcophagus in 1986-1987.

Approximately 30 thousand cubic meters of reinforced concrete are expected to be cleared away. If workers encounter any highly radioactive materials during the course of this work, extraction, transport and disposal will be handled by the appropriate divisions of the Chernobyl AES.

Physical work for clearing the area is scheduled to begin in September 2008, with the digging of NSC foundation areas to start in November. All work under this contract is expected to be complete by the end of 2009.

According to the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station's Information Department, by April 25, 2008, 80% of the load carried by beams B1 and B2 in the original Sarcophagus will be transferred to newer external supports. Repairs to the structure's roof are expected to be completed this summer.

Following the completion of the above work, preparations for the physical construction of the base for the New Safe Confinement can begin. Chernobyl Plant Director Igor Gramotkin hopes that work connected with the New Safe Confinement will not only go according to plan, but even proceed ahead of schedule.

The current plan is for physical construction of the New Safe Confinement to begin in April 2009.

Here are two more videos from CBS News covering the 22nd anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster:

Chernobyl's Abandoned City (1:11)



Sealing Chernobyl's Reactor #4 (3:10)