23.05.2007 // Press service of Atomstroyexport

Atomstroyexport has successfully completed the Shelter stabilization project at Chernobyl NPP

The Stabilization consortium, led by Atomstroyexport CJSC, has successfully completed the Shelter stabilization project at Chernobyl NPP.

The chairman of the acceptance committee, the technical director of Chernobyl NPP Andrey Bilyk has signed an act on the completion of the work and the readiness of the Shelter facility for operation.

This unique project is aimed at stabilizing the Shelter facility, a system built after the Chernobyl accident for protecting the environment and preventing new emergencies at the plant. The successful completion of this project is one more step towards the ecological safety of Chernobyl NPP.

As a result of almost three years’ activities, the stability of the “sarcophagus” has been significantly enhanced, while the life of the plant has been prolonged for 10–15 years. This project is a temporary measure before the construction of a new safe confinement.

The project director Viktor Khavrus said: “I can’t say for sure that this project has no precedents at all but I am absolutely sure that nobody in the world has ever done so much work under so hard conditions. And so, this project is certainly unique and innovative.”

The director general of Chenobyl NPP Igor Gramotkin said: “The Shelter project has been the most successful project ever at Chernobyl NPP – due mostly to the effective management of Atomstroyexport and the professionalism of the general contractor, Yuzhteploenergomontazh, and other companies as well as the hard work of hundreds of people – engineers, designers, constructors.”

The director of the SIP Project Management Unit L.Dodd thanked the sides for their efficiency and professionalism.

Dossier

The Russian-Ukrainian Stabilization consortium was led by Atomstroyexport (Russia) and comprised several Ukrainian companies: Yuzhteploenergomontazh, Atomenergostroyproject, Department for Rovno NPP Construction. The contract for the implementation of the project was concluded in 2004 in the framework of the SIP (Shelter Implementation Plan), financed by the Chernobyl Shelter Fund. The manager of the fund is EBRD.

Atomstroyexport is the leading Russian organization implementing inter-governmental agreements on the construction of NPPs abroad. Presently, it is the only company in the world that is simultaneously building seven nuclear power units in China, India, Iran and Bulgaria.