PNNL

Abstract

This paper summarizes their presentation for readers who were unable to attend the conference. The paper describes the accident at Chernobyl, a unique building called the New Safe Confinement (NSC) that will soon be constructed to cover the destroyed nuclear facility, and the specialized bridge cranes inside the NSC that will be used for deconstruction and safe disposal of the accident consequences. The description of NSC cranes presented here is based upon the conceptual design completed by a consortium of Bechtel, Electricité de France, and Battelle Memorial Institute. NSC detailed design is currently being performed by a consortium, Novarka, composed of Vinci Grands Projets and Bouygues Construction. The final design may differ from this description. All four RBMK units of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant can be seen in the aerial photograph above. Unit-4, which was destroyed by the accident, is the left-most structure and is covered by the Object Shelter. The New Safe Confinement will be constructed to the west of the Object Shelter, and then slid over it. North is the upper righthand corner of the photo. The abandoned city of Pripyat is at the top of the photo.