OREANDA-NEWS. October 4, 2011. Chernobylskaya NPP confirmed the readiness of “Shelter” facility fire protection system to be commissioned. The system construction was performed under the management of JSC Atomstroyexport (JSC ASE), a company of the State Corporation Rosatom. The relevant Acceptance Certificate has been signed by the commission of SSE “Chernobylskaya NPP”. The developed system was delivered to commissioning 3 months earlier the scheduled date. Such objective has been achieved for the first time during the whole implementation period of SIP International Program – Action plan at “Shelter” facility, approved by G-7 nuclear security Working group and the Government of the Ukraine. 

In compliance with the Ukrainian national construction regulations, standards and rules all the works specified in the design documentation were completed, systems and equipment were incorporated, installed and approved after necessary testing. 

Once again, the construction-installation works at such a unique and complicated “Shelter” facility of Chernobylskaya NPP was performed under JSC Atomstroyexport management on a very high safety level: no exceedance in personnel radiation control levels, established for the works on system construction, were observed and the levels are 30% lower than the rated limit. According to the project manager of JSC Atomstroyexport, Vitaliy Dragunov, such result has been achieved by the contractor due to the absolute priority of safety issues over other project figures and assistance of Chernobylskaya NPP specialists in safety activities implementation.

The construction contract for “Shelter” facility fire protection system was signed in February 23, 2009 following the results of the International tender held within SIP international Program and financed from the funds of “Shelter” International trust, the administrator of which is the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Currently, JSC Atomstroyexport in cooperation with the Ukrainian

partners is carrying out the guarantee period maintenance the duration of which is 24 months.

About the project on fire protection system construction (FPSC)

The purpose of FPSC at “Shelter” facility is a quick fire detection and suppression as well as maximum reduction of its impact consequences on the personnel, environment and material assets considering that a fire could become an initial event of a radiation accident.

For quick fire detection and suppression at the earliest stage of its development the fire alarm system and the system of automatic fire fighting (aerosolic units) were installed, fire prevention sections and compartments were created.

To ensure the conditions at which the emerged fire will not become an initial event for any radiation accident, dismantling of inoperable cables, various partitions made of flammable materials, doors, floor plasticate was performed at ChNPP, that is all flammable materials which are solid radioactive waste, fire load of the facility was reduced.