A press conference was held at the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency to discuss
the implementation of the SIP program at the Shelter facility at the Chornobyl
nuclear power station.
A similar topic was discussed during the visit to Ukraine by the US
Deputy Secretary of Energy T. Jay Glauthier. As part of the Chornobyl station
safety-building project, the US Department of Energy finances 18 programs
worth about $50 million. This includes building a compensating commercial
heating boiler room ($20 million), commissioning a safety metering system
and a simulator for operators, funding a part of work to reinforce the
Shelter, etc.
The American guest talked about the partnership of both countries' nuclear
experts with Vitaly Tolstonohov, general manager of the Chornobyl nuclear
power station. T. Jay Glauthier and US Ambassador in Ukraine Steven Pifer
attended a demonstration of the radiation-proof remote control mobile robot
Pioneer near the Sarcophagus. Mr. Glauthier discussed cooperation plans
with Slavutych Mayor Volodymyr Udovychenko, participated in a direct space
video link with the US city of Richland and in the inauguration ceremony
of the International Radioecological Laboratory. A document was signed
on Ukraine's affiliation with the Globe program initiated in 1994 by US
Vice President Albert Gore, The Day's Volodymyr KOSTENKO
reports.






