DATE=4/22/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-196122
TITLE=CHERNOBYL CLOSURE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=KIEV
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAY ONE OF TWO REACTORS STILL IN 
OPERATION AT THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WILL BE 
PERMANENTLY CLOSED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.  PETER HEINLEIN IN 
THE UKRAINE CAPITAL, KIEV, REPORTS THE NEWS CAME AS EVENTS ARE IN
PROGRESS TO MARK THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR 
ACCIDENT.

TEXT:  UKRAINE'S ENVIRONMENT AND NUCLEAR POWER MINISTER YURI 
KOSTENKO SAID CHERNOBYL REACTOR NUMBER ONE WOULD BE SHUT DOWN 
WITHIN MONTHS.  THE REACTOR, IN OPERATION SINCE 1977, WILL LATER 
BE FULLY DECOMMISSIONED.

MR. KOSTENKO, UKRAINE'S SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE IN TALKS ON THE 
FLAWED CHERNOBYL PLANT, SAID PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA HAD DECIDED 
DURING THE MOSCOW NUCLEAR SUMMIT TO SET A FIRM DATE FOR THE 
SHUTDOWN.  HE TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE LEADERS AT THE SUMMIT 
PROMISED MONEY WOULD SOON BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FINANCE THE 
DECOMMISSIONING. 

THE MINISTER ALSO SAID A FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD BE COMPLETED BY 
THE END OF THE YEAR ON REPAIRING THE CONTAINMENT STRUCTURE OR 
SARCOPHAGUS AROUND REACTOR NUMBER FOUR WHICH EXPLODED 10-YEARS 
AGO THIS WEEK.

EXPERTS SAY THE HASTILY CONSTRUCTED SARCOPHAGUS IS SHOWING 
DANGEROUS SIGNS OF DECAY YEARS BEFORE ITS NORMAL LIFE EXPECTANCY.

REACTORS ONE AND THREE ARE THE ONLY TWO STILL IN OPERATION AT 
CHERNOBYL.  THEY PROVIDE MORE THAN FIVE-PERCENT OF THE 
ELECTRICITY GENERATED IN UKRAINE.  ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE REACTOR 
SHUTDOWN COINCIDED WITH THE START OF WEEK-LONG OBSERVANCES IN  
KIEV OF THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT.

THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS INCLUDE CONCERTS, PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS, 
CONFERENCES, AND GUIDED TOURS INTO THE EXCLUSION ZONE -- THE 
MOSTLY-DESERTED AREA WHICH WAS EVACUATED AFTER THE EXPLOSION AND 
FIRE AT REACTOR NUMBER FOUR.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PH/JWH/RAE

22-Apr-96 12:27 PM EDT (1627 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.