Tjernobyl (Ukrainsk: Чорнобиль, Chornobyl) er en by i Central Ukraineog kendt berygtet for ulykken i det nærliggende atomkraftværk den 26. april 1986. Omfanget af afhjælpsindsats (officielt likvidation af ulykkesefterslaget) og efterfølgende tekniske udfordringer såsom konstruktion af den ikoniske reaktor sarkofag, har tiltrukket mange nysgerrige rejsendes interesse i de følgende årtier. Tjernobyl blev besøgt af ca. 70.000 turister årligt før COVID-19 udbrud, et tal, der nu er faldet til omkring en fjerdedel. Stråling fra ulykken forbliver rundt om stedet, hvilket gør adgangen stærkt begrænset og giver ingen tvivl om, at området er et farligt sted og bestemt ikke en forlystelsespark. Et besøg i området er dog en unik oplevelse og giver et indblik i katastrofens videnskabelige, teknologiske og humanitære aspekter.
Forstå
| “ | - Det store dosimeter fra pengeskabet, det med 1.000 röntgen kapacitet ... - Hvad var antallet? - Der var ingen. Måleren brændte ud, det andet det blev tændt. | ” |
—Tjernobyl, HBO-serien | ||
Navnet Tjernobyl henviser til området omkring Tjernobyl atomkraftværk (ofte forkortet til ChNPP) i den nordlige del af Ukraine grænser op Hviderusland. Tjernobyl er en by 15 km syd for kraftværket og var den nærmeste bosættelse, som de vestlige medier vidste, der eksisterede i 1986, da der opstod en katastrofal ulykke i et af kraftværkets 4 reaktorer. Byen Pripyat, bygget til at huse kraftværksmedarbejdere, ligger faktisk lige ved siden af kraftværket og dermed meget tættere end Tjernobyl, men var en lukket by på det tidspunkt og således ikke kendt i Vesten. Ulykken blev således kendt som Tjernobylkatastrofe i stedet, og navnet sidder fast.
Ulykken forurenede et stort område omkring kraftværket med radioaktivt nedfald, og disse områder blev efterfølgende evakueret. Det her Alienation Zone blev udvidet flere gange, da ulykkens størrelse blev klar og til sidst dækkede et område på 2.600 km2, omtrent størrelsen på Luxembourg. Der blev indført særlige procedurer for at minimere spredning af radioaktivitet, og adgangen til området var begrænset. Det blev kendt som Tjernobyl-udelukkelseszone. De eksakte grænser for eksklusionszonen er blevet justeret flere gange for at tilpasse dem bedre til faktiske radioaktive forureningsniveauer, men området forbliver stort set det samme som i 1986. Meget af nedfaldet faldt i Hviderusland snarere end i Ukraine. Så langt væk som i Sverige (hvor det skete med regn) blev svampe- og rensdyrkød anset for at være usikre på grund af nedfaldet.
Da radioaktivitet naturligt henfalder over tid, er strålingsniveauerne faldet i løbet af de sidste 32 år. I byen Tjernobyl er strålingsniveauer for eksempel omtrent det samme som i Kiev, og den engang forladte by er nu beboet igen. Det meste af udelukkelseszonen forbliver øde, dog et stort set skovområde med søer og floder, oversået med forladte bosættelser og industrielle installationer. Selvom det ikke længere er så farligt som det engang var, forbliver det en nuklear ødemark der trækker nysgerrighed fra rejsende fra hele verden. Udelukkelseszonen er blevet vist i populære medier, især mainstream computerspil som FORFØLGER og Call of Duty, der spredte mysterierne i eksklusionszonen til den bredere offentlighed. Tjernobyl-udelukkelseszonen er sandsynligvis det tætteste, ethvert sted i verden kommer til de digitale spilverdener, der ses i Falde ud serie, der forklarer dens popularitet som turistattraktion.
Selvom adgangen til ekskluderingszonen stadig er begrænset, guidede ture er organiseret, de fleste inklusive transport fra Kiev til og fra eksklusionszonen. Det blev besøgt af 72.000 turister i 2018.
Historie
Kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl
Kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl blev bygget mellem 1972 og 1977 på bredden af Pripyat-floden, ca. 100 km nord for den ukrainske hovedstad Kiev. Dens placering blev valgt på grund af den sikre afstand fra hovedstaden, det tyndt befolkede område og nærheden til vand til køling. Anlægget har 4 massive atomreaktorer af RBMK-typen med en samlet elproduktion på 4 GW - nok til at drive omkring 4 millioner mikrobølgeovne. Anlæggets design var for tiden innovativt med brintkølede generatorer med integrerede elektrolyseceller til generering af det nødvendige brint på stedet samt avancerede computersystemer. Maskinhallen med møller og generatorer er en af de længste bygninger i Europa med en længde på 600 m.
Eksperimentet
Bortset fra nukleare og elektroniske innovationer implementerede anlægget også automatiske kontrol- og sikkerhedssystemer, som skulle testes i marken i et levende produktionsmiljø, som det var almindeligt med al sovjetisk teknologi på det tidspunkt. Af særlig bekymring var sikkerhedssystemet, der håndterer en såkaldt station blackout, en situation, hvor eksterne faktorer fører til et fuldstændigt tab af elektrisk kraft til kraftværket. Reaktorerne, hver med et termisk output på 3,2 GW, skal afkøles aktivt i en sådan situation for at undgå, at deres kerner smelter, og for at gøre det installeres der kraftige pumper til at pumpe kølevand til reaktorkerne. Backup-dieselgeneratorer var tilgængelige for at generere den krævede elektricitet til at køre vandpumperne, men på grund af deres store størrelse tog de over et minut at komme op i hastighed - et minut, hvor kernerne ville forblive ukølede. Dette blev betragtet som en uacceptabel sikkerhedsrisiko. Ingeniører kom med en klog løsning og foreslog at bruge det resterende momentum af de massive møller og generatorer, der fungerer som kæmpe svinghjul, for at holde pumperne i gang, indtil backup-dieselgeneratorerne producerer nok strøm til at overtage ansvaret for at afkøle reaktorerne. Idéen fungerede i teorien, men var aldrig blevet testet, og reaktor 4 i kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl blev valgt til at verificere teorien med et eksperiment.
Ingeniører udtænkte et testscenarie, hvor udgangseffekten af reaktor 4 ville blive reduceret til et meget lavere niveau, hvor damprørene mellem reaktoren og dens turbiner ville blive lukket for at lade turbinerne svinghjulet ned. Der blev installeret måleudstyr til at logge generatorernes udgangseffekt, og besætningen i reaktorkontrolrummet blev orienteret om de tekniske detaljer i testen. Da lukke dampventiler blev fortolket af de elektroniske sikkerhedssystemer som fatale indtrængen, der forårsagede en automatisk nedlukning af reaktoren, blev det besluttet at deaktivere disse sikkerhedssystemer og overføre manuel kontrol til operatørerne i kontrolrummet. Beregninger viste sikker drift på alle tidspunkter, testen blev godkendt og planlagt til aften den 26. april 1986. Da ukrainerne gik i seng og strømforbruget faldt, begyndte testen, og udgangseffekten fra Reactor 4 blev nedbragt efter planen.
En uventet fiasko i en anden understation andetsteds i Ukraine krævede dog, at kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl overtog elproduktionen, og elnettestyringer krævede, at reaktor 4 blev bragt tilbage til fuld udgangseffekt. Udførelsen af eksperimentet skulle udsættes. På det tidspunkt, hvor problemet blev løst, og eksperimentet kunne genoptages, havde skift i kontrolrumspersonalet ændret sig: dagskiftet var længe gået hjem, og aftenskiftet forberedte sig på at forlade og aflevere reaktorkontrol til natskiftet. På grund af den uventede forsinkelse af testen var natskiftoperatører ikke blevet orienteret, og i stedet for at skulle overvåge henfaldsvarmen i en ellers lukket reaktor, fik de til opgave at udføre testen i stedet for deres kollegaer om aftenskiftet.
En række menneskelige fejl fra de relativt uerfarne natskiftoperatører resulterede i, at reaktoren næsten blev lukket helt ned, hvilket igen fik eksperimentet til at blive udsat. Det blev besluttet at deaktivere de sidste tilbageværende automatiske sikkerhedssystemer for at få reaktoren tilbage online så hurtigt som muligt, og alle kontrolstænger blev trukket manuelt tilbage. Dette efterlod reaktoren i en ekstremt ustabil tilstand, som ikke var tilladt af operationelle procedurer. Da eksperimentet endelig startede, forårsagede lukning af dampventilerne en positiv feedback i reaktorens udgangseffekt, men alarmer blev ignoreret af operatørerne i kontrolrummet. Uden automatiserede sikkerhedssystemer, der modvirker udsving i reaktoreffekt, steg udgangseffekten eksponentielt til over 11 gange dens maksimale nominelle effektniveau.
Reaktor 4 eksploderer
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Den enorme varme produceret af reaktoren på kort tid fik det resterende kølevand i reaktorkernen til at blinke til damp. Den resulterende stødbølge blæste dækslet fra reaktoren, og den ekstremt varme reaktorkerne brændte, når den blev udsat for udeluft. Flygtige radioaktive materialer og små reaktorpartikler blev ført ud i luften af ildkraften og begyndte at regne ned i et stort område omkring reaktoren. Stykker af reaktorkerne blev skubbet ud af reaktoren og landede i dens nærhed, inklusive taget af tilstødende reaktor 3, og startede brande overalt. Taget på reaktor 4 blev fuldstændig ødelagt og efterlod den brændende reaktorkerne udsat for miljøet og udsendte dødbringende niveauer af stråling.
Midt om natten var det svært at vurdere den nøjagtige størrelse af ulykken. Brandbekæmpelsen fra kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl og brigaderne fra Pripyat og Tjernobyl blev samlet til den brændende reaktor i et forsøg på at slukke ilden. Ingen forventede, at reaktoren ville blive beskadiget, da det var den første ulykke af sin art i historien. Få strålingsdetektorer var tilgængelige, og ingen havde et område, der var tilstrækkeligt højt til at måle de strålingsniveauer, der udsendes af den brændende reaktorkerne. Brandmænd vidste kun, at der var høje strålingsniveauer, men ingen nye præcis, hvor høje de var. Først da situationen blev vurderet om morgenen af en helikopter, blev det klart, hvad der var sket, da helikopterbesætningerne så den brændende reaktorkerne fra luften.
Smeltningen
Uden noget at afkøle reaktorkernen smeltede den og blandede den med beton, stål og andre dele af reaktoren i det, der er kendt som en nedsmeltning. Den stærkt radioaktive masse, der havde en lavalignende konsistens, begyndte at smelte sig gennem bunden af reaktoren. En øjeblikkelig bekymring var denne radioaktive lava, nu kaldet "corium", der kom i kontakt med vand i reaktorbygningens oversvømmede kælder. I en sådan situation vil vandet øjeblikkeligt blinke ind i damp, hvilket forårsager en anden dampeksplosion, der potentielt sender endnu flere radioaktive materialer ud i atmosfæren. Et team af frivillige blev samlet til en selvmordsmission med det samme mål at finde ventilerne i kælderen og åbne dem for at dræne vandet. Med kun begrænset strålingsbeskyttelse og grundlæggende dykkerudstyr lykkedes det ingeniørerne at finde ventilerne i mørket i den oversvømmede kælder og fuldførte deres mission med succes. I modsætning til medieindberetninger på det tidspunkt vendte holdet tilbage i live, og kort derefter smeltede corium sig ind i kælderen som forudsagt. Uden at stoppe lavastrømmen ville kontakt med grundvand være uundgåelig. Ingeniører kom med en plan, der aldrig har været prøvet før: frysning af jorden under reaktorbygningen. Et team af kulminearbejdere blev kaldt ind og fik til opgave at tunnelere under reaktoren og installere rør til injektion af flydende nitrogen (ved -196 ° C) i jorden for at fryse det. Da korium spredte sig, var henfaldsvarmen alene ikke længere tilstrækkelig til at holde det flydende, og det meste størknede i kælderen. Strukturen blev kendt som Elefantfod efter dens form. Det er så radioaktivt, at det aldrig er blevet observeret af mennesker direkte; de eneste billeder, der blev taget, blev taget rundt om et hjørne med et spejl, fordi intens stråling øjeblikkeligt ødelægger kameraudstyr. Med at se på det, der betyder en bestemt død, blev Elephants Foot benævnt Medusa af Tjernobyl.
Evakuering
Da det var blevet tydeligt, at den brændende reaktor vedvarende spydede radioaktive materialer ud i atmosfæren og på ingen måde ikke kunne lukkes for miljøet, befalede myndighederne evakueringen af alle byer, byer og landsbyer omkring kraftværket. Først var omkredsen kun 5 km, men blev hurtigt udvidet til 10 km og derefter 30 km i dagene efter ulykken. Da vinden oprindeligt var gunstig og styrede det mest radioaktive nedfald fra befolkede områder, blev forholdene hurtigt forværret efter 3 dage og truede byen Pripyat med 50.000 indbyggere kun 3 km nord for kraftværket. En evakuering i stor skala blev beordret med tog og over 1.000 busser, der ankom byen for at koordinere evakueringsindsatsen. Man troede oprindeligt, at en metode til at indeholde radioaktiviteten hurtigt kunne findes, og beboerne i Pripyat fik at vide, at evakueringen kun ville ske i et par dage. Vi forventede hurtigt at vende tilbage, men alle de mest dyrebare personlige ejendele blev efterladt, og da evakueringen blev permanent, blev Pripyat og alle andre byer og landsbyer frosset i tide.
For at stoppe plyndring overtog militæret sikkerheden i de evakuerede områder, der var en del af Udelukkelseszone. Jagtgrupper blev sendt til byer og byer for at eliminere efterladte kæledyr, og rengøringshold gik dør til dør for at indsamle madrester, der blev tilovers for at forhindre udbrud af epidemier og skadedyrsangreb. De fleste tidligere beboere i eksklusionszonen blev genbosat andre steder i Sovjetunionen, og med næsten nul økonomiske muligheder inden for zonen var der kun få, der nogensinde vendte tilbage. Udelukkelseszonen er stadig et øde nukleart ødemark i dag.
Likvidatorerne
De umiddelbare omgivelser af det, der var tilbage af reaktor 4, var blevet ekstremt radioaktive. Meget radioaktivt affald, blandt hvilke dele af selve reaktorkernen, var blevet kastet hundreder af meter væk af dampeksplosionerne, og flygtige radioaktive forbindelser fordampet af den intense varme fra den brændende reaktor havde regnet ned i et bredere område. Gravemaskiner, gravemaskiner, bulldozere og specialiserede robotkøretøjer blev samlet til stedet for at hjælpe med oprydningsindsatsen. Mange af opgaverne skulle stadig udføres af mennesker, især i områder med de højeste niveauer af radioaktivitet, hvor selv robotter blev deaktiveret af den intense stråling. Det mest berygtede arbejde, der skulle udføres, var oprensningen af taget af Reactor 3, fyldt med klumper af ulmende grafitmoderator og stykker nukleart brændsel. Frivillige fra hæren var klædt i blyrustning som rå beskyttelse mod stråling og sprintede derefter over taget for at skovle affald over kanten tilbage i det gapende hul, hvor Reaktor 4 plejede at være. Intens stråling begrænsede arbejdstiden på taget til kun 40 sekunder, hvorefter strålingssygdom begynder. De faktiske doser var meget højere end de målte, og mange af disse Likvidatorer - det uofficielle navn til personale, der har til opgave at afvikle ulykkeskonsekvenserne - indgået strålingsinducerede sygdomme et stykke tid bagefter.
I et forsøg på at stoppe kædereaktionen lod de bedste helikopterpiloter i Sovjetunionen pilotere de tungeste lasthelikoptere, der eksisterede på det tidspunkt over den brændende reaktor. De faldt sand, beton og borsyre ned i reaktoren for at lukke den ned og udsatte dem direkte for reaktorens glans under, de fleste af luftbesætningen modtog dødelige doser stråling. En af helikoptrerne ramte kabler fra en nærliggende konstruktionskran og styrtede ned i reaktoren og dræbte besætningen. Bortset fra reaktorkontrolrumsoperatører dræbt af dampeksplosionerne var disse de eneste registrerede direkte dødsfald forårsaget af ulykken - hundreder mere blev syge i dagene og ugerne efter deres oprydningsskift og til sidst døde af strålingsforgiftning. Selvom ikke alle likvidatorer døde, blev udtrykket et synonym for selvmordsmissioner i et forsøg på at indeholde den radioaktive forurening. Tragisk nok blev det afsløret år senere, at de fleste nyttelast, der blev droppet af helikopterbesætninger, gik glip af deres mål, hvilket gjorde piloter forgæves ofre.
For at afhjælpe forureningen omkring den ødelagte reaktor blev områderne med den værste forurening bulldozeret. Træer modtog så høje strålingsdoser, at hele skove døde og gjorde dem røde. Disse såkaldte Røde skove blev bulldozed og træerne begravet i skyttegrave. Bygninger blev jævnet og murbrokkerne også nedgravet, de mest radioaktive områder blev betonet for at forhindre radioaktive materialer i at flygte. I udkanten af Røde Skov, direkte vest for Pripyat byskilt, kan der findes mange betonpletter i græsset som gravsten, der forsegler deres farlige begravelser. Køretøjer, der blev brugt i likvidationsindsatsen, såsom lastbiler, APC'er, bulldozere, helikoptere osv. Blev samlet på en køretøjs kirkegård ved Buriakivka. Kirkegården kunne besøges indtil 2008, hvor myndighederne anså det for farligt. Nogle af køretøjerne forbliver dødbringende radioaktive selv fra og med 2019. Nogle af køretøjerne er siden blevet skrottet og genanvendt. Nogle køretøjer blev begravet med hast, og dele af dem kan stadig ses stikke ud af jorden. Personligt beskyttelsesudstyr, der anvendes af likvidatorer, for det meste gummistøvler og handsker, blev dumpet overalt og forbliver radioaktive hot spots i dag.
Sarkofagen
Med resterne af den slukkede reaktor udsat for regn og vind blev radioaktive materialer fortsat frigivet i atmosfæren. At forhindre yderligere frigivelse af forurening var en prioritet, og inden den 20. maj 1986, blot 20 dage efter ulykken, havde ingeniører færdiggjort designet til en indeslutningsbygning for at forsegle reaktorresterne fra omverdenen. Et massivt anlægsprojekt fulgte i et forsøg på hurtigt at konstruere det, der snart blev kaldt sarkofagen. Byggeri tog 206 dage under ekstreme forhold, hvor bygherrer blev udsat for dødelige strålingsniveauer. Over 400 000 m³ beton og 7 300 tons stål blev brugt til konstruktionen af Sarcophagus, der er designet til at indgrave 250 tons reaktoraffald og radioaktivt støv. Da sarkofagen var ved at være færdig, var dens inderside blevet for radioaktiv til svejsning, og dermed kunne ikke alle hulrum forsegles ordentligt. Sarcophagus blev designet til at vare i mindst 30 år, hvilket gav ingeniører god tid til at komme med en mere permanent løsning. Sammen med den tilstødende skorsten blev Sarcophagus det mest ikoniske syn forbundet med ulykken og den mest fotograferede struktur i Ukraine efter Sovjetunionens opløsning.
Fremmedhedszonen
Man ved ikke meget, at de andre 3 operationelle reaktorer i Tjernobyl Atomkraftværk fortsatte med at producere elektricitet længe efter ulykken, fordi den ukrainske regering ikke havde råd til at miste produktionskapaciteten. Efter uafhængigheden af Ukraine i 1991 dog lande, der grænser op til Ukraine og europæiske Union medlemslandene blev bekymrede over tilstanden for de tre atomreaktorer, der fungerer, og den mulige mangel på vedligeholdelse, de modtog efter tilbagetrækning af sovjetiske forskere fra stedet. Det politiske pres blev øget for at lukke reaktorerne, og Reaktor 3 - ironisk nok den ved siden af den ødelagte Reaktor 4 - var den sidste, der blev taget offline i december 2000, over 16 år efter ulykken havde fundet sted. Det sidste tilbageværende personale blev evakueret, og personalet i Udelukkelseszonen blev reduceret til et skeletbesætning bestående hovedsageligt af brandmænd og sikkerhedsvagter. Med næsten alle andre, der er gået, de 2.300 km2 Udelukkelseszonen blev virkelig øde og betegnet som Alienation Zone.
Den nye sikre indespærring
Når de besøger kernekraftværket i Tjernobyl i dag, får besøgende hverken se den ikoniske skorsten eller sarkofagen, sidstnævnte er nu indkapslet i en kæmpe omkring 100 m høj bue kaldet Ny sikker indespærring bygning, ofte omtalt som NSC. Dens konstruktion var en fælles international indsats, færdig i slutningen af 2018. I modsætning til Sarcophagus er NSC designet som en permanent løsning med det eksplicitte formål at tilbyde faciliteter til fremtidig nedmontering af eksisterende strukturer og endelig afhjælpning af stedet - når som helst det vil være. Skorstenen blev revet ned for at give plads til NSC, og med det har Tjernobyl atomkraftværk mistet sine mest berømte og genkendelige interessepunkter. NSC blev bygget 140 m vest for Sarcophagus og blev skubbet over Sarcophagus på skinner ved hjælp af hydrauliske stempler. Med en længde på 270 m og en bredde på 150 m er NSC den største landbaserede bevægelige struktur på planeten.
Guidede ture stopper stadig ved et monument ca. 200 m fra NSC, dedikeret til de arbejdere, der ofrede deres helbred i opførelsen af sarkofagen. Meget i modsætning til 1986 er strålingsniveauerne omkring kraftværket meget lave i dag (aldrig mere end 5 µSv / h) og derfor meget sikre at besøge.
NSC inkluderer robotsystemer til at hjælpe med demontering og nedlukning af sarkofagen og resterne af reaktor 4, hvorfor ingen af disse oprydningsindsatser vil være synlige for besøgende. Med den nøjagtige størrelse af oprydningsindsats, der stadig er meget tilbage at bestemme, lover NSC's skinnende metalform at dominere landskabet i de kommende år.
Nuværende status
Pripyat er en fryseramme fra det sovjetiske liv i 1980'erne. Propagandasloganer hænger stadig på vægge, og børns legetøj og andre ting forbliver som de var. Bygninger rådner, maling skræller, og plyndrere har taget alt, der måtte have været af værdi, væk. Træer og græs genvinder landet uhyggeligt. Udelukkelseszonen er noget af et makabert turistmål. I 2002 åbnede det for turisme, og i 2004 var der 870 besøgende, et antal der steg til 70.000 i 2018, en stigning på 20.000 fra 2017. I et forsøg på at fremkalde stemning fra turister har guider desværre været fristet af at manipulere Pripyats historie , for eksempel ved at efterlade halvt forfaldne bamser visse steder.
Selv 33 år efter ulykken er der stadig en debat om dets samlede antal dræbte. Af frygt for dårlig PR forbød Sovjetunionen i flere år lægebehandlere at angive stråling som dødsårsag. Skøn over dødsfald i forbindelse med ulykken spænder fra 56 til 1.000.000! Verdenssundhedsorganisationen antyder, at det endelige tal kan nå 4000 civile dødsfald, en figur, der ikke inkluderer tab blandt likvidatorer fra de sovjetiske militærstyrker. Tallene, der er præsenteret for konsekvensdød fra strålingseksponeringsinduceret sygdom og kræft, varierer betydeligt, hvor Greenpeace giver estimater på mere end 200.000. EN Russisk offentliggørelse konkluderede, at der mellem 1986-2004 var 985.000 for tidlige kræftdødsfald verden over som følge af radioaktiv forurening fra Tjernobyl.
Den største beboede bosættelse i eksklusionszonen i 2019 er byen Tjernobyl, hvorefter atomkraftværket blev opkaldt. Omkring 3.000 mennesker bor der, og næsten alle arbejder i udelukkelseszonen på en 15-dages-i-15-dages fri rotationsplan. Inkluderet turister og embedsmænd (UAEA-inspektører, ingeniører, forskere) varierer antallet af udelukkelseszoner nu mellem 5.000 og 7.000, så du vil bestemt ikke længere være alene, når du besøger.
Læs
- Svetlana Alexievichs Stemmer fra Tjernobyl: Den mundtlige historie om en atomkatastrofe giver personlig indsigt i beboernes liv før og efter nedsmeltning. ISBN 0312425848.
- UNSCEAR's vurderinger af strålingseffekterne.
Byer og byer
Med undtagelse af selve byen Tjernobyl er alle byer i udelukkelseszonen officielt opgivet. I virkeligheden håndhæves dette kun i områder inden for 10 km alienationszonen omkring reaktor 4, og da strålingsniveauer naturligt er henfaldet, bliver nogle landsbyer i udkanten af eksklusionszonen besat af bosættere.
- 1 Tjernobyl (Ukrainsk: Чорнобильська атомна електростанція) - Den eneste beboede by i eksklusionszonen, hvorefter kernekraftværket blev opkaldt.
- 2 Pripyat
(Ukrainsk: При́п’ять) - Engang en lukket by bygget til ansatte i kernekraftværket, og evakueret fuldstændigt i dagene efter ulykken. Berømt omtalt i mange computerspil og et populært turistmål inden for Exclusion Zone. - 3 Buryakivka (Ukrainsk: Буряківка) - By omkring 20 km fra atomkraftværket og en af bosættelserne i den direkte vej til den radioaktive nedfaldsky. Det blev evakueret og forladt. Flere bygninger er tilbage i varierende grad af forfald. Strålingsniveauer varierer mellem 1 µSv / h på veje og 3,5 µSv / h i skovområder fra og med 2019. Der er også en forladt jernbanestation 2 km nordvest for byen.
- 4 Poliske - By nær Hviderusland grænse, officielt evakueret, men beboes fortsat af omkring 20 mennesker.
- 5 Opachychi
- 6 Vilcha - Forladt by med et sikkerhedskontrolpunkt for besøgende, der kommer ind i eksklusionszonen fra Hviderusland.
Der er et par forladte landsbyer i udelukkelseszonen, og de er ekstremt interessante at se. Besøgende kan se bondegårde, små hytter og masser af vegetation. Vær forsigtig med at komme ind i et af disse områder, da vegetation altid bærer langt højere niveauer af resterende radioaktivitet end betonområder. Guider vil altid fortælle dig, at du ikke skal træde på mosen, og støvet i udtørrede vandpytter har tendens til at koncentrere radioaktivitet. Derudover skal du være opmærksom på, hvor du går, da de fleste bygninger er blevet beskadiget på grund af en kombination af forsømmelse og på grund af aktivt beskadiget af mennesker.
Hop ind
| “ | Kan vi faktisk - Vi kan ikke gå der, kan vi? | ” |
—James May, Top Gear, "Ukraine Road Trip" | ||
For at få adgang til eksklusionszonen kræves en tilladelse. Den nemmeste måde at få en af disse på er gennem en rejsearrangør, hvoraf mange er baseret i Kiev. Hvis du tager en tur, er det obligatorisk at reservere på forhånd, men flere rejsearrangører tillader online registrering. Nogle rejsearrangører kræver effektivt at booke mindst en uge i forvejen for at undgå stejle priser eller ingen tilgængelighed, men nogle ture kan muligvis være tilgængelige et par dage i forvejen.
Udlændinge skal have deres pas på sig for at komme ind i eksklusionszonen sammen med deres tilladelse udskrevet. Fremvis pas og tilladelse på 1 sikkerhedskontrolpunkt, hvorefter vagter scanner QR-koden på tilladelsen og verificerer identiteten. Under verificeringsprocessen skal besøgende vente uden for deres køretøj, så klæd dig passende, inden du ankommer til kontrolpunktet. De større kontrolpunkter har informationsskærme, der kan hjælpe besøgende, og kan også omfatte souvenirbåse, der spiller sange fra Fallout-spilserien for at gøre den fordybende oplevelse komplet! Undgå at tage fotografier af sikkerhedskontrolpunkter, officerer eller soldater, da dette kan resultere i, at kameraer konfiskeres og / eller slettes.
Regeringsagentur med jurisdiktion over stedet i regulativ nr. 1157 fastsætter, at en anmodning om en zontilladelse skal anvendes i mindst 10 kontordage (hvilket kan vare op til 14 kalenderdage) inden det planlagte besøg.
- Chaes-tour.com, 1/36, Bastionnaya str., Kiev, ☏ 380 94 928-15-88. ChAES-tour giver dig mulighed for at vide på førstehånd, hvad der skete i den nu lukkede zone i Tjernobyl NPP & Pripyat by, røre ved dens hemmeligheder og begivenheder, for at finde ud af, hvad der er en snigende stråling og lære at vinde den. 1-, 2- eller flere dages lange planlagte grupperejser og ture efter anmodning, alle typer kan være tematiske. Prisen inkluderer den maksimale tid i Tjernobyl-zonen (afgang fra Kiev kl. 08:00, retur kl 20: 00-21: 00), et omfattende besøgsprogram i Tjernobyl-ekskluderingszonen, forfatterens tilsyn med Sergej Mirnyi, en likvidator og forfatter eller af guider, der er specielt uddannet af ham, og som lærer at overleve ved forhøjet baggrundsstråling, ser dokumentarfilm om Tjernobyl samt forsikring, en behagelig bus med aircondition, rutekort, personlige certifikater, der beviser dit besøg i Tjernobyl. Fra US $ 89 1-dages tur til US $ 787 5-dages tur pr. Person.
- Tjernobyl-tur, Polupanova str., 1, Tjernobyl, ☏ 380 44 383 4588. M-F 10: 00-18: 00. Ture er baseret på den mest avancerede viden om Tjernobyl og stråling og er brugervenlig og behagelig. De viser i dybden både rig Tjernobyl-historie og zonens natur og lærer strålingsoverlevelsesfærdigheder. 1-, 2- eller flere dages lange planlagte grupperejser og ture efter anmodning, alle typer kan være tematiske. 1-dages tur - 116-160 $, 2-dages tur - 265-314 $ pr. Person. Prisen inkluderer officiel Zone adgangskort, en engelsktalende guide, Kiev afhentning og aflevering, transport, kort over ruten og zone. Mulighed for at leje personligt dosimeter-radiometer.
- TjernobylTrip.com. Økologiske ture til Tjernobyl-zonen og Pripyat. Du rejser med en professionel engelsktalende guide. Tjernobyl-tur inkluderer overførsel til og fra Tjernobyl-zonen, frokost og udflugt i Tjernobyl og vandrerhjem i tilfælde af en 2-dages tur.
- Chernobylwel.com. Disse ture giver mulighed for at se steder, der normalt forbliver uset, herunder køletårne 5 og 6, møde med lokale borgere og besøge teknikernes kirkegård. De tilbyder også 2-dages ture til € 200-250 for ture fra Kiev.
- Gamma rejse. Organiserer guidede udflugter til eksklusionszonen, enten som enkelt dagsture eller i flere dage med arrangeret overnatning i Tjernobyl. €89.
- Lupin rejse, ☏ 44 19 4270 4525, ✉[email protected]. Et UK-baseret firma, der tilbyder 1-, 2- og 4-dages Chernobyl-ture inklusive valgfri lufthavnstransport og lejlighedsophold i Kiev. For overnatninger bringes madkrav ind uden for Zone. Omkostninger til at deltage i en gruppetur er fra € 139 / person.
- [dødt link]Pripyat.com. Organiserede ture til Tjernobyl-udelukkelsen Zone og Pripyat by udført af tidligere beboere. Inkluderer formelle ture med udtalelser, historier og minder om ulykkesdage fra mennesker, der boede i regionen. De laver meget interessante, informative ture, og alt gøres lovligt.
- SoloEast rejse, kontor 105, # 10 Proreznaya St., Kiev, ☏ 380 44 279 3505. En af de første rejsearrangører til Tjernobyl. Obligatorisk forsikring (US $ 10) og valgfri strålingsmonitor (US $ 10) er ikke inkluderet i den annoncerede pris. 79 $ / person.
- Star Sky Travel, ☏ 380 68 364 1424. Ture til Tjernobyl-zonen for grupper og individuelle turister; lufthavn og jernbane overførsel; VIP-service; støtte til turistvisum, invitation til studerende, forretningsinvitation
- Tour2chernobyl.com, Illinska street 12, Kiev (De mødes normalt deres grupper kl. 09:00 på et mødested i Kiev, går på en bus og rejser til Tjernobyl), ☏ 38 096 785 43 63, momsfri: 1 808 226 10 85, ✉[email protected]. M-F 09: 00-18: 00. Du kan kontrollere de tilgængelige datoer for grupperejser på vores hjemmeside. Denne tur inkluderer Tjernobyl-zonen, Ghost Town Prypyat og Radar Duga. Denne tur er officiel og blev godkendt af det ukrainske sundhedsministerium. Skype: tour2chernobyl.com fra $ 49 pr. person.
- UkrainianWeb. A North America based firm offering all-inclusive, English speaking guided tours to the Zone. Tours include a Kyiv pick-up and drop-off, Zone access pass, transportation and lunch. Friendly service, fast and convenient booking with various payment options.
Safety rules
All visitors are given a list of safety rules, which must be read and signed before entering the Exclusion Zone:
- Do not act as in an amusement park: It is the site of a nuclear disaster and still dangerous, so act reasonably and responsibly.
- Do not take pictures/footage of security measures: Police, guards, checkpoints, CCTV cameras and systems of physical protection are not the right place for cool selfies.
- Do not touch anything and do not sit on the ground: Try to avoid any contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. When you sit on the ground or any place, you significantly increase the risk of contaminating yourself.
- Avoid additional exposure: It is forbidden to wear shorts, t-shirts, skirts or other open types of clothing during a visit.
- Do not take items that originate from the Zone: It is not only very dangerous for your health but also strictly prohibited by the Law.
- Do not eat or drink at open air: You can swallow radioactive dust along with food, and they will remain inside your body.
- Do not consume alcohol and/or drugs: While in the Zone, you must be sober and in adequate condition. No exceptions.
- Do not smoke anywhere except designated places: Smoking often causes fires, and remains add trash.
Komme omkring
Public transport facilities in the Exclusion Zone are limited to bus services only. During day time there are regular services between the 1 Central bus station in Chernobyl town and the 2 Administrative building of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Many of the tourist attractions (Duga radar, Buriakivka, Kopachi, ...) are not served by the public transport services, so it is recommended to hire a vehicle with driver to get around.
The distances inside the Exclusion Zone are vast, roads are in a deplorable condition, and there are no sidewalks or bike lanes. Private motorized vehicles are the only realistic alternative to public bus services.
When leaving the Zone of Alienation, the area within 10 km of the exploded reactor, every vehicle will be checked with a radiation detector at a 3 checkpoint. All passengers need to leave the vehicle and must pass through a detection portal to check for any radioactive contamination on hands, body, clothes, or shoes. The detection portals are completely automated: simply step in sideways, placing feet on the bottom detectors and hands on the detection plates on either side of the portal. The barrier will unlock after a few seconds if no contamination is detected.If radioactive contamination is detected on clothes or shoes, they must be taken off and washed off. If contamination can't be removed then these clothes must be left behind. If contamination is detected on your body, you will be asked to take a shower before being rechecked by the radiation detection portal.
 | ADVARSEL: Radioactive contamination is taken very seriously in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, so expect guards armed with AK-47s at the checkpoint. Do not make photographs or video recordings of the checkpoint or its staff. Likewise, if you are found to have set off the radiation detection portals by trying to smuggle "souvenirs" out of the Zone of Alienation, you will be arrested because it is illegal to bring radioactive materials out of the area without explicit permit. |
| (Information last updated Aug 2020) |
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- 1 Monument to the Chernobyl Liquidators (Робототехника участвовавшая в ликвидации аварии) (across the street of the fire station). 24/7. A memorial inaugurated for the 10th anniversary of the disaster in 1996, dedicated to the liquidators -- firefighters who risked their lives in an attempt to put out the fire in the burning reactor during the days following the reactors explosion, and while dealing with the removal of its consequences. Many received deadly doses of radiation while trying to get the fire under control, largely unaware of the lethal radiation levels they were exposed to, and with no adequate protection against it whatsoever. The inscription of the monument reads "To Those Who Saved the World". Ledig.
- 2 New Safe Confinement (NSC). A 100-m-tall arch designed to replace the iconic sarcophagus as confinement structure to keep radioactive materials contained. It can be seen from a distance of kilometres away. You'll not be able to get too close, but the nearest 3 observation point is 200 m away. The only way to get closer is if you are a scientist or a film maker that has had months of preparation in advance. Although radiation levels here will be much higher than elsewhere in the region, you will not be able to pick up a significant dose during your stay.
- 4 Monument to the Constructors of the Sarcophagus. 24/7. A monument dedicated to the thousands of workers who put their lives and health at stake during the construction of the Sarcophagus. Ledig.
- 5 Bridge of Death. 24/7. Bridge between Pripyat and the Nuclear Power Plant. According to urban legends, on the night of the accident, people gathered on the bridge to watch the blue glow of ionizing air above the burning reactor, without knowing the dose rate was a deadly 500 R/h. The myth was propagated by journalists and stuck, whereas in reality the dose rate was much lower and no direct casualties were recorded among observers. Ledig.
- 6 Mechanic yard (МТС (машинно-тракторная станция)). 24/7. A mechanic workshop where agricultural vehicles were maintained, refurbished, and scrapped for parts before the accident. During the cleanup it was used for the maintenance of vehicles used by liquidators, and the site has been abandoned ever since. Fertilizer machines, corn harvesters, and numerous other agricultural vehicles are now rusting away in a birch forest that is overgrowing them. There is a pick up truck with a trefoil logo on its door, a great place for a souvenir photo. For those interested, there are numerous radiation hot spots in and around the workshop, which can be found with a Geiger counter. Ledig.
- 7 Concrete Mixing Plant. 24/7. A roadside concrete mixing plant with 4 hoppers and supporting facilities that transferred and produced the concrete that was used for the construction of the Sarcophagus. Some rubble with white tiles has been dumped on the site after the completion of the construction work, and is noticeable radioactive (~ 5 µSv/h). Ledig.
- 8 Vehicle Cemetery Buryakivka (Кладовище техніки ПЗРВ "БУРЯКІВКА"). appointment only. After the worst debris and fallout was cleaned up, a large number of highly radioactive vehicles were left scattered around the Exclusion Zone. They were relocated to a patch of concrete in the middle of the forest, near the town of Buryakivka. This vehicle cemetery features hundreds of vehicles including armoured transport vehicles, diggers, tankers, cranes, bulldozers, and the remains of 8 of the largest Soviet transport helicopters. The most interesting "residents" of the vehicle cemetery are 3 robots used on the roof of reactor 3 to clean up radioactive debris. The most iconic one, the West German "Joker", is contaminated with nuclear fuel particles and remains dangerously radioactive. Ledig.
- 9 The Claw (Гейферний ковш) (behind the Special Engineering Service building). A crane gripper used to remove radioactive debris in the aftermath of the accident. It remains measurably radioactive, and is often cited in popular culture as the most radioactive object in Pripyat by. Because of the natural decay of radioactive isotopes, the claw can nowadays be approached safely but should not be touched to avoid contaminating oneself. Ledig.
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The power plant, home to four decommissioned RBMK-1000 reactors, offers amazing insight into Soviet nuclear and architectural engineering practices for those able to arrange in-depth visits. Commercial tours stop only at the Reactor 4 observation pavilion. Visitors wishing to experience the interior of the plant must request permission via a letter faxed to the plant's general director (Igor Gramotkin) as outlined on the plant's website. The letter should introduce you or your group, and explain in detail what you want to see. Admission, by no means guaranteed, presumably favors professionals employed in relevant fields. Visitors are issued badges and indirectly-read TLD-type dosimeters at the power plant entrance, then pass through a modern security checkpoint in the ABK-1 administrative building, and thereafter are given cotton coats, caps, and booties in preparation for entering the radiological control zone. A higher standard of dosimetry and personal protective equipment may be issued for some areas, such as the "Sarcophagus." Visitors' own dosimetry devices are not allowed inside ChNPP. Always be mindful that this is a fueled nuclear facility and security is taken seriously. Strictly follow directions from plant personnel about photography, and never attempt to rest anything on the floor (it may be confiscated due to contamination). The exit portal monitors at ChNPP are thankfully much less sensitive than those found in most American nuclear plants, but still it's a good idea to wear fresh clothes and shoes rather than articles that may have been contaminated elsewhere in the Zone. In 2011, visitation was allowed to Unit 3 main circulation pump rooms, the live 750-kV switchyard control room, the Unit 1 control room, the Phase 1 dosimetry panel, and the memorial to engineer Valery Khodemchuk in the ventilation building between Reactors 3 and 4, among other places. The turbine hall was closed due to excessive radioactivity in 2011, but was accessible in 2010. A particularly interesting place is the bunker under ABK-1 that is used as an emergency response center (as it was in the 1986 accident).
The power plant has a cafeteria that serves freshly-prepared and appetizing Ukrainian food.
Some commercial tours may stop to feed bread to the monstrous catfish living in the condenser cooling channel that flows under the railroad bridge near ABK-1. Do not take pictures in the direction of the power plant from this location. (Your guide will probably make this rule abundantly clear.)
ChNPP has its own train station, 1 Semikhody. Trains travel without stopping between Semikhody and Slavutych. The service is free. As there are no stops while the train passes through Belarus, there are no border controls. Visitors exiting the Exclusion Zone via Semikhody must pass through a portal monitor and their personal belongings may be frisked for radionuclide contamination.
- 10 Cooling Towers. 24/7. At the time of the accident, 2 more reactors of the same type as no. 4 were under construction to the south east of the existing 4 reactors. Construction was efforts were suspended indefinitely after the accident, and the nearly completed reactors were never fuelled. The structure is being dismantled as of 2019, but its half completed cooling towers remain. The northern tower is about twice as tall as the southern tower and can be seen from a distance. The concrete rebar sticking out from the top rim is a silent witness of the abruptness with which construction was halted. Ledig.
- 11 Fish hatchery. 24/7. On the shore of the lake near the cooling water intake canal entrance is a fish hatchery with supporting buildings. Fishery was an economically interesting opportunity in the lake because it never froze over due to the elevated temperature of the water being used to cool the 4 operational reactors. This meant fishing was sustainable year round, and the fish caught were larger than elsewhere. The fish hatchery was abandoned after the accident, and one of the few buildings within a 5 km radius around reactor no. 4 that are not related to the power plant itself. The hatchery is not fenced off and can be visited, along with the remains of its floating dock. The shore offers a nice viewing point for the lake. Ledig.
- 12 Atomskaya Mural. 24/7. The largest mural in the Exclusion Zone, depicting Przewalski horses living in harmony with the power of the atom in the hand of mankind. Ledig.
- 13 Red Forest. 24/7. A strip of birch and pine forest that was contaminated with the worst fallout, killing off most of the vegetation because of the intense radiation and turning trees reddish brown — hence the name. Trees were felled and buried in trenches by liquidators, then covered over with soil and occasionally concrete slabs.
The Red Forest is still the most radioactive area in the Exclusion Zone, and marked with radiation warning signs but not fenced off in any way. As of 2019, radiation levels vary between 4 µSv/h (microsievert/hour) and 15 µSv/h, with local hot spots reaching 40 µSv/h. Spots where material is buried have considerably higher dose levels. It is recommended to stay no longer than 90 minutes around these hot spots (equivalent to a daily accumulated those of 60 µSv which is the threshold for radiation workers). As the most radioactive outdoor area in Europe, exploring the Red Forest is an experience on its own, but adequate safety measures must be taken. Wear protective wellies, carry an electronic dosimeter (PED) with warning threshold set no higher than 20 µSv/h, and do not touch anything. When leaving the Red Forest, protective wellies must be decontaminated (washed off).
If possible, take a geiger counter or similar radiation measurement device with you into the Red Forest to compare activity levels at different locations. Birch trees and lichen are particularly prone to absorbing radioactive Cesium (accounting to the majority of radiation after 32 years), and often read much higher radiation levels with peaks up to 3,000 counts per second not exceptional. Make sure the probe of the geiger counter does not touch any of the vegetation to avoid contaminating it! Ledig.
Pripyat
The famous abandoned city, which once housed 50,000 residents. Sights to see are the schools, kindergarten, public buildings and the amazing cultural palace which contains a swimming pool, cinema and gymnasium, and overlooks the famous ferris wheel. Hazards are the crumbling buildings, and decaying wooden floors in places – so be careful. The government has deemed all buildings in the town condemned, so most tours will not let you enter the buildings*.
*As of 2019, entry into all buildings in Pripyat is banned, because as the buildings age they become structurally unstable, and the government and most tour groups would rather not deal with the results of a tour group being caught in a cave-in. Experienced guides in nogle tours, however, know which buildings are "safe" (stable enough) to enter, and will take groups in for photos. If they do, only go where they go as they know what parts of the buildings are stable and what parts aren't. Generally this is limited to the sports facility (the pool) and the roof of an apartment tower. Most of the buildings were 'cleaned' of their radiation during the liquidation process and now contain amounts similar to downtown Kyiv, so the dangers come not from radiation but from the buildings themselves. Places like the amusement park and the main square are still accessible because they don't involve entering any buildings.
Minibus day-trips from Kyiv typically stop in the town's center, at the west end of Lenin Street near the Palace of Culture. Short-term visitors are confined to the pavement at ground level; if you join one of these tours, your risk exposure is minimal, but so too is your exposure to the vast cultural reliquary that is Pripyat. A more in-depth visit (several days, staying overnight at the InterInform hotel in Chernobyl, eating meals at the InterInform stolovaya) costs about US$200 per person per day in a group of four (2011). The long-term visitor is rewarded with considerably more freedom to explore, accompanied of course by an InterInform guide.
Decades of neglect have resulted in a physically-hazardous ex-urban environment in which radiation is of distant, secondary concern. Hazards include uncovered manholes in the middle of barely-recognizable streets, open elevator shafts, flooded basements, decayed wooden floors, collapsed roofs, large amounts of broken glass, challenging footpath obstructions in dark hallways, and quite possibly asbestos. Flashlights are essential to exploring interiors. Although radiation isn't a relatively major concern, the "hotter" spots in town would most certainly be off-limits to the public in the United States or Western Europe. As an example, the basement of the Polyclinic contains first responders' clothing (firefighters' clothes, boots, helmets, etc.) and presents external gamma exposure rates approaching one roentgen (R) per hour (June 2010). As of October 2017, the only access into the hospital basement is by crawling through a hole dug after the basement access was deliberately buried. Some other hot spots are well known to guides and they can either help you avoid these places or find them if so inclined. The hot spots most commonly visited by tours are mostly marked with radiation signage. These hot spots are generally either places that were not decontaminated previously, contaminated objects, or locations where radioactive materials have collected together due to rain runoff. The most important precaution concerning radioactivity is to avoid ingesting loose contamination. Although your guide might eat snacks or smoke in Pripyat, you should not – particularly if you have been handling things or visiting places like the hospital basement. Buy an ample supply of drinking water at one of the magazines in Chernobyl before going to Pripyat (obviously there is not potable water there). Water can also be used to rinse contaminated shoes before re-entering vehicles.
- 14 Duga Radar. 24/7. Within the 10 km zone is a large former secret radar installation that the Soviet government used to detect missiles, the Duga 3 Radar. From Pripyat, it is easy to see in the distance, if looking from a point of elevation. Ledig.
Gør
- 1 Test a radiation detector. Although radiation detectors (Geiger counters, etc.) tick at many places in the Exclusion Zone, most of the measured activity is very close to natural background levels or slightly above. There are however notable hot spots, where radiation levels are many hundreds or even thousands of times higher than background radiation. If you've never heard a Geiger counter tick, then these are perfect locations to test them out! If you're brave, a good location is this waste separation facility, with radiation levels of ca. 1 mSv/h close to the ground. The radiation is concentrated in an area of about 10 x 10 m. It's recommended to stay no longer than 5 minutes in the area, which should be more than sufficient to make a video recording of a ticking Geiger counter!
Købe
Since all goods, including food and beverages, are imported into the Exclusion Zone from elsewhere in Ukraine, anything you purchase in the Exclusion Zone is more expensive than in the rest of Ukraine. The only shops are convenience and grocery stores, of which there are quite a few in Chernobyl town. They all sell very similar items: water, sodas, spirits, sausages and dried meats, canned foods, frozen foods, and a limited selection of convenience items and dairy products. Fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find in the Exclusion Zone.
As a general rule, shops in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone only accept cash. There is an 1 ATM at Radianska, but the amount of cash that can be retrieved is limited per transaction.
Food and beverages
- 1 Central bus station, Kirova 2б. Grocery store in the main building of the Central bus station, to the left of the entrance.
- 2 Вечный Зов, Lenin Street. Convenience store next to the fire station. They have a variety of drinks, biscuits, and food. During summer months they also have some ice cream!
Souvenirs
With tourism in the Exclusion Zone booming after the 2019 HBO series on the Chernobyl accident, it is no surprise that a variety of nuclear themed souvenirs are available. The most popular ones are t-shirts, mugs, and coins. They can be purchased in most shops and restaurants in Chernobyl town.
- 3 RadioProActive, Чорнобильінтерінформ, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho. A selection of shirts (male and female, various sizes) can be purchased from a vending machine. A share of the revenue is automatically donated to settlers in the Exclusion Zone. To buy mugs with a trefoil logo on it, ask at the bar. They also sell some post cards, but usually no stamps. 500 грн.
- 4 Tamianske, Radianska 74. Copper or gold plated commemorative coins with a trefoil embossed on the face side and the iconic chimney of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on the back side. 40 грн.
- 5 Community Centre, Rabkorovska. Various nuclear themed t-shirts and other memorabilia.
Spise
There are no formal restaurants or snack bars in the Exclusion Zone, so normally all food must be brought in from outside the Exclusion Zone. If you're looking for pizza, noodles, or sushi, then your only options are restaurants outside the Exclusion Zone. There are shops selling meats, dried fish, and canned vegetables as alternative to restaurants within the Exclusion Zone.
- 1 Desjatka, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho. Canteen for maintenance crews working in the Exclusion Zone, and occasionally also for tourists. Some guided tours stop here for lunch. When staying overnight in Chernobyl, the canteen is your only option for a warm meal.
Berries and fruits found in the forests within the Exclusion Zone all likely absorbed radioactive materials from the soil and are radioactive in varying degrees. Do not eat anything found in the Exclusion Zone. Mushrooms in particular tend to have a strong affinity towards radioactive substances and tend to accumulate respectable activity levels.
It is prohibited to consume food in open air within a 10-km range around the power plant.
It is recommended by tour agencies to only consume food and drink while on the buses/cars/vans and not while out on tour, to avoid exposing the consumables to potentially radioactive dust particles in the air.
Drikke
All surface water in the Exclusion Zone is unsafe for drinking or washing because of radioactive contamination of the aquifer, so assume that all lakes and rivers are polluted with radionuclides. Stick to bottled water, which in Ukraine is predominantly sparkling.
Spirits, most commonly vodka and derived alcoholic drinks, are abundantly available in every grocery store in Chernobyl and relatively cheap.
A special Chernobyl beer is sold in select venues in Chernobyl. The beer is humorously said to improve communication between like-minded people, and helps to 'decontaminate' organisms in the Zone of Alienation. The bottles are easily recognizable by the green labels with a picture of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after the accident printed on them.
Søvn
- 1 ChornobylInterinform Agency Hotel, Bohdan Khmelnytsky Blvd 1A (at the former intersection of Khmelnytsky Blvd and Polupanova Street). Indtjekning: (by arrangement), udtjekning: (by arrangement). ~US$40 (double occupancy), July 2011.
Visitors have one (legal) option for spending the night in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and it is the government-run hotel in central Chernobyl. Any of the tour companies mentioned elsewhere on this page can, in principle, make bookings for visitors at the hotel as part of the process of registering the tour with the InterInform Agency. Rules are constantly in flux; if you want to stay overnight in Chernobyl, ask your tour operator about it and make sure to plan early.
If you are accustomed to lodging standards in Kyiv, you will find the InterInform Agency hotel surprisingly affordable for the level of comfort provided. The buildings are prefabricated structures installed after the 1986 accident. Many rooms are actually suites, some larger than others. Some rooms have useful amenities like refrigerators, dining tables, sofas, or dishes—luck of the draw. Each room has its own bathroom and shower. Tap water is potable. No WiFi (2011). The buildings are not air-conditioned, but (hopefully!) the windows will be unlocked and screened in the summer. The main Interinform office building has the largest suites, while the annex to the east contains more rooms and even a chapel on the first floor with faux-stained-glass windows. Radiation levels at the InterInform Hotel are close to Kyiv background.
Hotel guests are not permitted to leave the premises without an authorized guide! This includes innocuously walking 500 m down the street to buy drinks, snacks or batteries at one of the magazins. If the very-abundant police catch you out on the town without your guide, you can expect a pleasant little march over to the police station near the Lenin statue and old Dom Kulturi, where they have an open-air gazebo set up with folks like you in mind. There you'll wait in contrition until your guide retrieves you.
The InterInform Agency canteen on the ground floor of the west building offers prix fixe dining by reservation only. Reservations made when the tour is booked with InterInform are about US$10 for lunch or dinner, but if meals must be arranged on the day of service, higher prices are charged. The canteen serves three meals a day at fixed times. Dinner is a multi-course, freshly-prepared, traditional Ukrainian set meal with very large portions and typically paired with a traditional beverage like kompot; even after a day of strenuous exploration in Pripyat, it may be hard to eat all the food they bring you, at the pace they bring it. Chances are nobody will check you for contamination or remind you to wash up before eating, but that would be a very good idea to do on your own.
- 2 Hotel 10, Kirova St. Refurbished Soviet-era barracks used as basic accommodation for longer stays in the Exclusion Zone. Up to 5 consecutive nights are allowed. The rooms have shared bathrooms with shower and toilet. There is a kitchen on the ground floor but no restaurant -- meals must be procured elsewhere. Probably the cheapest accommodation in the Chernobyl town. 200 грн.
Backcountry camping
As radiation levels in most of the Exclusion Zone continue to drop, backcountry camping is gaining more popularity as an alternative to spending the night in one of the designated hotels in Chernobyl town. Exploring the Exclusion Zone on foot and spending the night outdoors is probably the closest you'll ever get to a Fallout game experience. Spending the night in a tent in the world's most famous nuclear wasteland is a unique opportunity, but not for the faint of heart! It is strictly prohibited to make a camp fire due to the risk of forest fires, so electric torches are the only way to fend off wild animals—wolves and bears roam around at night. Rather than setting up your tent outside, it is recommended to set it up indoors instead, in one of the may abandoned warehouses or barns dotting the Exclusion Zone.
When traversing the Exclusion Zone off-road, make sure to bring an up-to-date radiation map, a compass, and/or rent a mobile satellite navigation system. Bring a radiation detector to verify radiation levels where you want to set up your camp, keep in mind that you'll be spending at least 6 to 8 hours here, so absorbed doses can accumulate fast. Aim for a dose rate of 10 µSv/h or lower where you set up camp. Setting up camp in or close to the Red Forest (the area with the highest radioactivity levels) is a bad idea, spending the night there may cause radiation sickness.
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Urban exploration
- Se også: Urbex
If in Pripyat, exercise caution when entering buildings—the ground around entrances to, and inside buildings will generally be littered with broken glass, concrete and debris. Be sure to take care inside buildings as the flooring can be somewhat uneven (and sometimes unstable), handrails are missing, and elevator doors be left open with no elevator present. Watch your footing—a decent pair of shoes or boots would be a good idea. Tours are no longer allowed to enter the buildings due to an accident occurring involving a floor collapsing injuring several tourists. All visitors sign written acknowledgements of the Exclusion Zone rules, including the rules prohibiting structural access. However, it remains routine (2017) for in-depth custom tours to enter Pripyat structures and forested areas at the discretion of the guide.
Although some of the switch gear and power line infrastructure has been decommissioned after the shutdown of the 3 last reactors in the late 1990s, electrical power is supplied to the nuclear power plant site, Chernobyl, and many air quality monitoring stations from outside the Exclusion Zone. Do not touch electrical cables or other electrical infrastructure, even if they're laying on the ground, as many of these still carry live voltages.
Dyreliv
Withdrawal of almost all human activity from the Exclusion Zone allowed nature to retake the area. Boars and bjørne are common as evidenced by hoof and paw prints in mud, and might attack when they feel cornered and/or threatened. Bears particularly enjoy the shelter of abandoned buildings, so make sure to make lots of noise when approaching buildings and never obstruct the path to/from a door to provide an easy escape route for animals that feel trapped.
Packs of wolves also roam through the Exclusion Zone, have grown in numbers, and are not afraid to venture into human occupied territories like the Chernobyl town. Inhabited properties are often fenced off with tall walls to keep wolves out, and it is common for doors to be locked at night. If you decide to bring smaller dogs or other pets into the Exclusion Zone, do not leave them outside at night!
Fotografering
Rising political tensions with neighbours Belarus og Rusland have increased security around the nuclear power plant, with armed guards at security checkpoints and patrolling soldiers a common sight in the direct proximity of the plant. Do not make photographs of the checkpoints or whoever guards them. When photographing the NSC or any of the former power plant structures, avoid putting the 2 spent fuel storage facility and its supporting structures in view, as this tends to make guards nervous. When caught, your camera might be confiscated or your SD card formatted.
Bliv sund
- Se også: Nuclear tourism#Stay safe
Beside the invisible radiation danger, there are the too small to easily notice ticks, which can be encountered in abundance in grassy areas and grasslands. When bitten by a tick there is a chance of contracting Borreliosis (Lyme disease), with risk of severe permanent consequences such as paralysis of limbs. When venturing into grasslands, cover as much skin as possible (long trousers and sleeves), and wear high wellies rather than regular shoes. If you spot ticks on clothes, wipe them off before they can reach down to your skin. If red concentric circles appear after three days up to a month after visiting, you might be infected and should consult a doctor immediately. Tick bites can not always be felt, so inspect your skin meticulously when undressing!
As of September 2020, there is an active rabies outbreak in the Exclusion Zone. Any contact with wild animals should be avoided, and a rabies vaccine is recommended.
Most forested areas should be avoided. Whereas areas accessible to tourists near the reactor and Pripyat generally has low radiation in most areas (but notably not in the hospital basement), forested areas may have higher levels of radiation, in part because no decontamination was attempted in those areas.
Do not ingest any material found within the exclusion zone as it may be radioactive. Food and drinks at the canteen do not come from the exclusion zone, so they should be safe.
Radiation hygiene is a very important consideration for in-depth visits, both for your safety and because radioactive contamination discovered on visitors at the Zone checkpoints is construed as prima facie evidence of rules violations (entering structures and straying from paved areas). If you go to the Zone with the goal of exploring and wallowing in the most contaminated areas (e.g. the Pripyat polyclinic or the "Red Forest"), pay attention! As of 2013, the Lelev checkpoint at the 10 km boundary is operational and all visitors must pass through the portal monitors while a police officer scans the vehicle and its interior contents with a scintillator; thus, it is no longer possible to plan on cleaning up at accommodations in Chernobyl in order to pass inspection at the 30-km boundary. You must be radiologically pristine (well, almost!) before getting back in the vehicle after going exploring. Take the following hygiene equipment, which you should have in easy reach for when you return to your vehicle:
- Pancake thin-window Geiger-Muller survey instrument. Cover the probe with a plastic bag to avoid contaminating it.
- Disposable gloves
- An abundance of carbonated bottled water, purchased at one of the small stores in Chernobyl before you head out to explore
- A cleaning brush with long bristles
- Pocket knife for cutting contaminated spots out of shoe soles (disposable shoe covers are a nice idea but they always break)
- Scissors for cutting contaminated hair
- A change of clothes and/or a disposable Tyvek coverall
Wear gloves while exploring to avoid contaminating hands. After exploration in contaminated areas, remove any obviously-contaminated outerwear like coverall or gloves or street clothes and pack it out in your luggage like a good citizen (low levels of contamination on these articles will be detected by the personnel portal monitors, but will not be noticed in luggage by the wand detectors the police use). Pass the GM probe over your body slowly and identify any spots exceeding about 500 CPM. First, attempt to wash as much of the contamination in these areas off by means of water and brushing. Contaminated hair or shoelaces should simply be cut off, as washing these will prove futile. Shoe soles are sometimes resistant to washing, in which case the offending spots should be reduced by cutting off with a knife. Your goal during cleanup should be to eliminate any spots on your body where the count rate exceeds 500 CPM on the pancake instrument, with particular attention to feet and hands. Avoiding contamination in the first place would in theory be preferable, but if you're reading this, you probably didn't come to Chernobyl to sit around staying clean.
The levels of radiation on guided tours are relatively small; radiation levels in most places are less than those of being in an aircraft flying at 30,000 ft. The main danger is not in the radiation, but in particles of radioactive materials that may remain on your clothes or items. Those who actually follow the rules (stay on pavement, out of buildings) will almost never trigger the portal monitor alarms at Dytyatky and can safely ignore the in-depth "radiation hygiene" discussion above.
A lethal dose of radiation is in the range of 3–5 Sv (sieverts) (300–500 roentgens) when administered within an hour. Levels on the tour reportedly range from 0.15 to several microsieverts (µSv) per hour (fifteen to several hundred microroentgens an hour). A microsievert is one-millionth of a sievert.
Example: On a six-hour trip arranged in October 2008 the total dose was 4 microsieverts according to the meter (400 microroentgens). This was less than the total dose of the connecting two-hour flight, which was 6 microsieverts (600 microroentgens). Radiation levels by the power plant were 1.7 microsieverts per hour (170 microroentgens per hour) and they varied between 0.4 and 9.5 µSv per hour (40–950 microroentgens per hour) in the Pripyat amusement park. Thus, risks are pretty much non-existent as long as you avoid hot spots and don't get yourself contaminated.
 | Bemærk: Stay on roads; the radiation levels on areas covered by vegetation are significantly higher. Even more important, the risk for contamination when walking amongst vegetation is higher because it is more difficult to avoid touching or inhaling anything. Follow common sense if you are on your own; if you see an area marked with a radiation sign, the meaning is clear: don't go there. |
The International Council on Radiation Protection has a recommended annual limit of 50 mSv (5 rem) (uniform irradiation of the whole body) for nuclear plant workers.
Clinical effects are seen at 750–2,000 mSv (75–200 rem) when administered in a short time scale.
Since the levels are microsieverts (10−6) the general exposure level is very low. But it is still possible to be in contact with some very hot surfaces, so caution should be stressed.
One rem is equal to 1.07 R (roentgen), or 0.01 sieverts or 10 millisieverts.
Opret forbindelse
There was no mobile communication infrastructure in the Exclusion Zone at the time of the accident, and none has been built ever since, so don't count on wireless reception. Notable exceptions are the area around the power plant and Chernobyl, which have 3G connectivity, and are the only places where you can get online.
There are no internet cafes, and there is no postal service in the Exclusion Zone. Post cards are for sale at the canteen in Chernobyl for 15 грн, but you'll need to take them out of the Zone to post them.
Respekt
When visiting the Exclusion Zone as tourist rather than for research or scientific purposes, keep in mind that this is still a disaster area that only just started its long way toward recovery. Some of the locals have lively memories of how the accident unfolded, and almost everyone has been affected by it: people have been forced to evacuate, and many have lost relatives due to radiation induced effects.
Do not expect to be welcomed warmly into the Exclusion Zone. Tourists are only tolerated because they bring revenue into an area where virtually all other economic activities have ceased since 1986. This is not a safari park but the site of the worst civilian nuclear disaster in the history of mankind, so behave accordingly when interacting with locals. Being interested and asking questions is okay, but excitement is misplaced.
Gå videre
It's not possible to cross the border with Belarus from the Ukrainian side because the border runs through the Exclusion Zone and there are no manned border crossings. Onward travel options are: