Alex Kleimenov reports from Ukraine on the closure of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, more than 14 years after the world's worst nuclear accident there. The last remaining reactor shut down today, one day ahead of schedule. For most people, the name Chernobyl will forever be associated with the explosion and fire that killed dozens of workers in the immediate aftermath and caused thousands of cases of cancer. But for the people in the nearby town of Slavutich, it the power plant been a faithful employer. High quality housing, good salaries and other amenities have made Slavutich something of a workers' paradise, and residents say it's been worth the health risk to live there.
Copyright 2000 NPR