Our second day seen most of our time spent in the actual powerplant itself. As I said before, it was in operation as a nuclear plant until 2001, but is still in use today, as pictures will show, for use as a sub-station. We started our tour with entering through side doors, where we are one by one sat in an old office chair with the biggest sensor I have ever seen and it records all the radiation leaving your body, this happen when you enter and leave to ensure you didn’t not inject or inhale any particles… or maybe too many particles? We also receive a second monitor just for inside. Our trip starts with visiting the emergency shelter from the soviet era for nuclear attacks, there is everything, diesel gensets, fresh water, medical rooms. This is all kept in operating condition still as well, I mean look what Russia did right?
Right after this little tour we are told it is time to suit up, all men in 1 area, Asareh gets a room, everybody strip! Honestly best ice breaker for being on a tour. Lol. We only have a small group, 6 in total, I think. We get given all the white clothing, gloves, shoes, hard hats and mask. This will be the only tie in my life I wear a mask willingly. We go through the first scanner and enter the main hallway, which is aptly named the golden mile, due to the colour.
Our first stop will see an old room with classic computers and even ticker tape. Asareh has a read and states the plant is running fine. The phone has a mask next to it for emergency use and hilariously, once we find out we can switch buttons on and off Asareh is on a raid, all you hear is taka taka taka on all the old keyboards, then she sees it! Like a moth to flame, a big 50Kw breaker, slam, she shuts it off…. nothing happens, she struggles and pushes it back up, right as the actual power plant lights come on. Oh NO! are we supposed to be doing this? This is not the end of the button pushing charade. Very neat old computers, and hardware to view.
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- Neat-o
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- Off
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- ON!!!!
Stop number 3 is the still in operation substation, it’s just like in the movies, all the employees are wearing the white garments and smoking ciggies, we snap a few photos before moving on quickly as they are actually working.
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- Still at work
The rest of the photos below are from the walkways looking out, obviously its very dirty but it gives a glimpse at what it all looks like, some areas I am not allowed to take photos.
The rest of the photos are from the surround area outside:
From here we are able to see, yet not visit reactor 5 and 6 which were still in construction in 86 which have been abandoned, the cranes sit idlily by.
We also tour around the plant on foot, walking to rail bridge that crosses the massive cooling rivers. There is some serious water available to cool these plants when needed. Next to this area is a statue of Prometheus, who in ancient tales, stole fire from God to give to humans, and has been spun around the advancement of these technologies we have and how they must be respected or forever face the consequences. Next to this is the wall of memories of the people who have lost their life officially during the accident.
Our final outside stop is of course in front of the new sarcophagus that protects us all from any excess radiation getting out, but that’s for the next blog.
