On March 22, 2002 the State Nuclear Regulation Committee of Ukraine issued to SSE ChNPP the License for Chernobyl NPP decommissioning. Earlier, in December 30, 2001, the License for Shelter object operation and its transformation into ecologically safe system has been received.
Chernobyl NPP Units decommissioning has been started in the extremely unfavorable conditions: absence of ChNPP decommissioning project and necessary infrastructure is not available. At the date the significant scope of works on operational -engineering documents revision is executed. It is possible to refer to revised and anew developed following basic documents:
· Chernobyl NPP Units 1,2,3 shutdown programs
· Quality Manual for ChNPP Units shutdown stage.
· Operational Regulations of ChNPP Units 1,2,3 at shutdown stage.
· Maintenance and Repair Regulations for Units 1,2,3 at the shutdown stage.
· Regulations of inspections and tests of systems important for Units 1,2,3 safety at the shutdown stage.
· Classifiers of systems and elements, important for Units 1,2 safety. Classifier for Unit 3 is developed and submitted for agreement in State Nuclear regulatory body.
· The program of dry conservation of Unit 2 multiple forced circulation circuit.
· In 2004 Fuel and Energy Ministry has ratified Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Concept agreed with State Nuclear Regulation.
· Integrated program of Radioactive Waste Management at Chernobyl NPP shutdown stage and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system, entered in force 29.08.2003 has been modified.
· Draft of the National Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Program and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system. The Draft of the National Program was modified according to Cabinet of Ministers comments and currently it is submitted as the bill on Verkhovna Rada review.
· Terms of Reference on Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Project at he final shutdown stage.
In 2002 – 2004 collection of information and studying of nuclear installation decommissioning practical experience in Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Lithuania, Russia, USA is carried out at assistance of IAEA, World Association of Nuclear Operators, Rosenergoatom.
Construction of infrastructure facilities for ChNPP decommissioning is implemented within International Projects.

Stages of ChNPP decommissioning:
- shutdown (till 2008)
- final shutdown and preservation (till 2013)
- weighting time (reactors weighting time during 80 - 100 years and adjacent contaminated equipment during time necessary for radio-activity level reduction, but not longer the time assuring preservation barriers integrity);
- dismantling.

Following tasks should be solved during ChNPP decommissioning:
· Ensuring of consistent decrease of decommissioned installations influence on the personnel, the population and environment by stage-by-stage works performance.
· Minimization of wastes generation.
· Consistent liberation of Units 1, 2, 3 from ionizing radiation sources being subject to the control, up to levels of the limited release of the regulating control.
· Consistent liberation of Units 1, 2, 3 from fire-dangerous materials;
· Remediation of resources valuable materials and the equipment for economic usage.

Definition of final ChNPP status (according to Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Concept).
Total restrictions cancellation for ChNPP site, which is at Exclusion Zone territory closely to Shelter object is not achievable in the prospective future.
Because of ChNPP location at Exclusion Zone territory contaminated with radioactive substances as a result of accident in 1986, and Unit 3 has the common building constructions with Shelter object, taking into account absence of possibility to construct new energy or other industrial facilities at the site, it seems inexpedient Chernobyl NPP decommissioning up to a "green lawn" condition.
Based on this, the most acceptable final goal of ChNPP decommissioning is the status, which can be conditionally determined as "brown spot". The main criterion of the specified final goal is achievement of the levels of limited materials release from the regulating control, accepted for the facility.
Thus, taking into account location of Chernobyl NPP in 10-km Exclusion zone most contaminated with long-lived radionuclides and big quantity of building constructions presence at the territory of Exclusion Zone it seems inexpedient to implement complete dismantling of building constructions within the framework of ChNPP decommissioning. This problem should be solved within the framework of Exclusion Zone remediation.
Thus, a final status at Chernobyl NPP decommissioning is dismantling of the equipment, not necessary for SSE “ChNPP” activity and clearing / decontamination of building constructions up to levels of the limited release from the regulating control.
Release levels in the form of specific activities relatively to big amounts of radioactive substances, such as contaminated metals and constructions, generating during NPPs reactors decommissioning, contaminated soil in places of old accidental contamination are established by the special normative documents authorized by Health Protection Ministry of Ukraine. Such levels should be established in process of ChNPP decommissioning project development. Numerical values of levels define RAW quantity, which will be produced during ChNPP decommissioning. At this stage, at absence of such levels it is stipulated, that all contaminated equipment is RAW.

Planning and organization of works.
Currently planning and organization of works are carried out on the basis of the Comprehensive Program of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning. The Comprehensive Program is approved by the Resolution ¹1747 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated November 29, 2000 and determines prospects only for the nearest 5 years, i.e. till 2008.
The Comprehensive Program comprises 3 of 5 stages of ChNPP decommissioning. Shutdown stage is developed in details enough and formalized as the duly approved programs for each unit. The consolidated plan - schedule of works with indication of funds necessary for its performance is annually developed.
Construction works and infrastructure facilities commissioning for ChNPP decommissioning are reflected in Comprehensive Program and works during the period between 2005 and 2008.
Comprehensive Program contains also Shelter Implementation Plan - SIP that anticipates performance of a complex of works till 2008. After SIP realization the Shelter object condition and the requirement to its operation will be changed.
Thus, the program of works for nearest 5 years is known. It allows to carry out comprehensive annual planning of the main activity at ChNPP site and to increase Chernobyl NPP ecological safety during principal activity implementation.

Chernobyl NPP Units shutdown

The shutdown stage will come to the end in 2008 after nuclear fuel removal from Units.
The final shutdown of systems and equipment is the principal type of works implementing actually at units.
Works on 188 systems and subsystems final shutdown are completed actually and 23 of them in 2004. Works on 4 systems final shutdown are conducted.
355 units of equipment have been released from registration in supervising bodies in connection with termination of works on a final shutdown.

2483,93m3 solid RAW was removed from power units since the beginning of 2004 and 17950 m3 sewage water were processed.

Actually works on working mediums and potential hazardous substances removal from a 201 systems and separate equipment are completed. Unit 2 and Turbine halls of all three Units are completely exempted from fire dangourose mediums.
The complex engineering and radiation investigation of Unit 3 proceeds. Complete inspection termination is planned at the beginning of 2005 year.