Preparing for the next Chernobyl

It is now accepted that some 56 NPPs (nuclear power plants) in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are in a dangerous condition, and a huge programme of refurbishment or decommissioning is planned. This is a long-term task, which may never be completed. Meanwhile, the new republics, and thus Europe, must rely on alarm systems within NPPs and the current national monitoring networks for early warning of nuclear incidents, on the assumption that notifications will be passed to the west in full and without delay. The author discusses the gamma curtain. This is the start of the ideal situation, which requires the CIS network to link south and westwards across Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech and Slovak republics to the sensor networks of western Europe. The author discusses the systems already in operation and outlines the difficulties experienced due to inadequate communications and economic problems