Ground broken for new $1 billion Chernobyl containment structure.

[NNadir]

The Chernobyl disaster is recorded as the worst event in the history of nuclear energy. The original reactor sarchophagus, built under emergency conditions at one of the most radioactive sites in the world, has been decaying and has been a matter of concern for some time.

The Chernobyl area, now one of the richest areas for wild life in Europe, is, interestingly enough, now something of an international tourist destination.

Ground has been broken now for a containment building that will enclose the damaged reactor for many years.

Work on constructing two more RBMK 1000 units at the site came to an immediate halt, but the three remaining reactors continued to operate for some years, unit 2 was shut down in 1991, unit 1 in 1996 and unit 3 in 2000. Their contribution to Ukraine's electicity supply was only recently replaced by the start-up of Khmelnitsky 2 and Rovno 4 in late 2004.

Several major projects are underway at the contaminated site. Most important is the work to isolate the dangerous remains of unit 4 from the environment. Toward that end, a $1 billion international project will see a New Safe Confinement constructed over the decaying Object Shelter erected in the disaster's immediate aftermath by Soviet authorities. Groundwork is underway to prepare for the construction of a massive arch structure which will cover unit 4's reactor building and its section of the shared turbine hall.

At the other units, more conventional decommissioning activities are in progress. The first batch of dismantled equipment from the turbine hall of unit 1 was sent to the Kompleks waste handling facility at the start of April, over 30 months after work began. Only outdoor equipment has been dismantled so far, this providing a relatively simple introduction to the decommissioning of contaminated plant equipment.

The new structure will look like a giant Quonset hut:



As I understand it, the entire building will be built beside the reactor and then slid into place.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. But where will Godzillov sleep?

Oh, the humanity!

Fire-Breathing Radiation Monsters are People, Too!

--p!

[NNadir]

2. I believe one of the turbine buildings will be fitted with a large mattress.

I don't know the fate of the famous carp living in the cooling pond though.

[IDemo]

3. This one?

[NNadir]

4. Ah yes, the television view of nuclear energy.

I don't watch that show, but I have heard plenty about it over the years.

It is a reflection of the level of nuclear education in this country, I would suppose, and no, I'm not criticizing nuclear professionals, who are highly educated sophisticated people, but rather louts who lay around watching the TV and forming their opinions from cartoons.

It is probably about as intellectually challenging to become a nuclear engineer as it is to become a physician, but you wouldn't know that from watching cartoons.