Building of the first sarcophagus and closure of the Chernobyl reactor complex.
|
|
|
Fig. 10: The ruined reactor building is enclosed in a reinforced concrete shelter. This sarcophagus is intended to contain radioactivity. As it was an interim measure, a second shelter is planned.
© Chernobyl Interinform
|
|
|
|
| (3.11) | Wolfgang Botsch: Untersuchungen zur Strahlenexposition von Einwohnern kontaminierter Ortschaften der nördlichen Ukraine, Universität Hannover, 2000, p. 19 | | (4.5) | Gabriele Mraz, Antonia Wenisch: Der Reaktorunfall in Tschernobyl. Darstellung der Folgen für Umwelt und Gesundheit aus der Sicht verschiedener Interessengruppen, Austrian Institute for Applied Ecology, Wien, 1986/87, p. 21 | | (24.1) | Strahlentelex 362-363/2002, Inhaltsangabe des Films: Tschernobyl - Der Millionensarg, ZDF, Mainz, März 2002, p. 2 |
|
|
|
|
Further literature
|
|
|
| (134) | Chernousenko, Vladimir M.: Chernobyl, Insight from the Inside, Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 1991 |
|
|
|
|
Sarcophagus and closure
Within seven months the ruined reactor building and its molten core had been enclosed within a reinforced concrete casing. This shelter, or sarcophagus, was supposed to absorb the radiation and contain the remaining fuel. The sarcophagus was considered to be an interim measure. It was designed with a lifetime of only 20 to 30 years in mind. The greatest problem is a lack of stability: it was hastily constructed, and there is a risk of beams rusting.
In 1997, the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) was launched by the G7 countries plus Russia, the EU and Ukraine together with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The new shelter is intended to safely confine radioactive substances for at least 100 years.
This 20,000 tonne structure will enclose the residual waste contained within Chernobyl's reactor no. 4. According to official sources, the 768 million euro project will be completed by 2008 (3.11; 4.5; 24.1).
Three years after the nuclear accident, the Soviet government halted construction of the fifth and sixth reactor units at the Chernobyl nuclear power complex. After prolonged international negotiations, the entire complex was closed on 12 December 2000.
|
Sitemap
Contact 
