Environmental impact assessment of the drawdown of the Chernobyl NPP cooling pond as a basis for its decommissioning and remediation

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Date
2019
Authors
Bugai, D.
Dubas, V.
Shcherbak, Volodymyr
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Abstract
Many States experience problems with the decommissioning of nuclear installations and the remediation of radioactively contaminated sites. Under the terms of its Statute, the IAEA is authorized to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information on peaceful uses of atomic energy. In response to the needs of its Member States dealing with problems of radioactive contamination of the environment, IAEA efforts are directed at ensuring that environmental issues are given appropriate consideration, and relevant problems are addressed and managed in a safe, technically sound and efficient way. One important mechanism for sharing experiences and promoting best practice in decommissioning and environmental remediation is to exchange information among specialists through publications. This publication presents technical and scientific information and data on the radiation monitoring, radioecological research, management and decommissioning of the cooling pond at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was severely contaminated with radioactive material released from Unit 4 during the accident. The IAEA provided assistance to the cooling pond decommissioning project in 2012–2013 through a sequence of expert missions, workshops and a number of modelling and risk assessment analyses supporting the feasibility study and the preparation of environmental impact assessments. This publication focuses on the assessment of radiological impacts resulting from the drawdown of the water level in the cooling pond as a basis for planning its decommissioning and remediation activities. This publication also summarizes the practical experience gained in the first few years of the cooling pond decommissioning project, which started in 2014 and is still ongoing. Although specific to the cooling pond at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the findings, conclusions and recommendations presented by the international scientific community will be of benefit to all States. Many of the safety issues and challenges posed by the decommissioning of the cooling pond are similar to those encountered in the decommissioning and remediation of similar facilities and sites; and the lessons from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant can serve as a guide to decision makers. The IAEA gratefully acknowledges the Ukrainian experts responsible for drafting and reviewing this publication and the contributions from the international scientific community. The IAEA officer responsible for this publication was H. Monken-Fernandes of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology.
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Keywords
the Chernobyl NPP, cooling pond, climate changes, book
Citation
Environmental impact assessment of the drawdown of the Chernobyl NPP cooling pond as a basis for its decommissioning and remediation / [Bugai D., Dubas V., … Scherbak V. i. e. Shcherbak V. et al.] ; International Atomic Energy Agency. - Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency, 2019. - 173, [4] p.