The 7-th International Scientific and Practical Conference “Nuclear Facilities: Reliability and Safety” was hosted in Slavutych on September 20-23

During September 20-23 the 7-th International Scientific and Practical Conference “Nuclear Facilities: Reliability and Safety”, organized by the International Chornobyl Center and SSE “Chornobyl NPP” under support of U.K. Department of Trade and Industry and U.S. Department of Energy, was held in Slavutych.

The participants of the Conference were greeted by Yevgen Garin, Coordinating Director of the Chornobyl Center, Igor Gramotkin, Director of SSE “Chornobyl NPP”, Bernard Swift, Leader of Nuclear Safety Activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Ian Downing, Director for International Nuclear Policy and Programmes of the U.K. DTI; Riaz Awan, Energy Attache, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine; Sergiy Parashin, Director of The Exclusion Zone Administration’s Department of the Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine; Yuriy Solomatin, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) Committee. The honorable guests wished the Conference delegates fruitful discussions, efficient work and further collaboration. They also emphasized that the Conference initialized a set of activities to commemorate the 20-th anniversary of the Chornobyl catastrophe.

The Conference gathered more than 230 scientists, experts, official representing 17 countries of the world: the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Argentina, Korea, Slovakia, Poland, Pakistan, Iraq, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The following issues were discussed during the Conference’s sectional meetings:

• Nuclear Power Facilities: Safety Improvement, Prolongation of Operational Life;
• Prevention of Radioecological Terrorism;
• Chornobyl NPP: Problems and Solutions;
• RAW Treatment.

Importance of solving these issues requires no arguments. Today the whole world joins its efforts to struggle against any kind of international terrorism. The Chornobyl NPP is the object of rapt attention of the world community, and its tasks, in most cases, are unique. During the Conference, the most important safety aspects at all stages of nuclear facilities life cycle and a set of issues regarding RAW management were discussed.

At the plenary session much attention was paid to the role of technical support in improving nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine, the DTI’s social programs progress in Ukraine, scientific and technical maintenance and support of nuclear energy in Ukraine, RAW management problems, stabilization activities at the Shelter Object and to many other issues.

During a press conference, the reporters put a number of problematic questions to the management of the Chornobyl NPP and Chornobyl Center, representatives of profile Ministries and Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, foreign and international organizations.

Outcomes and prospects of the projects on mitigation of the ChNPP closure consequences currently being implemented in Slavutych were presented to the guests and participants of the Conference.