The railway tracks in the exclusion zone of Chornobyl NPP are ready for transportation of spent nuclear fuel, the first test train passed through the reconstructed section, the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia reported, with reference to the acting chairman of the board Ivan Yuryk.
“We’ve checked the readiness of the tracks for transportation and launched the first test train through the section. All tests were successful and the paths to the Chornobyl exclusion zone are fully ready for operation. We are waiting for the first train with spent nuclear fuel,” he said.
The reconstructed section will be used to transport spent nuclear fuel from three nuclear power plants: Rivne, Khmelnytsky, and Yuzhnoukrainsk to the centralized storage facility in the Chornobyl exclusion zone.
It is noted that in the course of the work, 24.56 km of tracks were replaced and reconstructed, another 4.3 km of tracks were repaired. The work involved 95 railway workers from the center for the construction and repair of tracks of Ukrzaliznytsia and the necessary track equipment.
All work was carried out in accordance with the radiation safety rules when carrying out work in the exclusion zone and the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement, approved by order No. 179/276 of the Ministry of Health dated April 4, 2008.
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers on Feb. 3 by resolution No. 91-r transferred the Vilcha-Yaniv railway track (the exclusion zone, Ivankiv district of Kyiv region) to Energoatom’s balance sheet.
