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First funding agreed for Chornobyl cover repairs
8/4/2026
News
Some €30mn has been agreed by a consortium of international donors for a preliminary study to repair the huge shield structure covering the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which was damaged by a Russian drone attack last year.
Reactor 4 of the nuclear power plant, now referred to by its Ukrainian name, melted down in 1986, and despite being encased in a concrete ‘sarcophagus’ at the time, continues to leak radiation into the surrounding environment.
Some 30 years ago, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) mobilised to facilitate financing of a cover, called the New Safe Confinement (NSC), over the damaged reactor to protect it from the elements and prevent the ingress of rainwater. The arch, 110 metres high, 257 metres wide and 162 metres long, was slid into place in 2016 and commissioned in 2019.
It was designed, built and installed by French construction contractors Bouygues Travaux Publics and Vinci Construction Grands Projets. The project cost about €2bn.
In February 2025, a Russian drone strike tore a 15 m2 hole in the structure. About 200 m2 of panels were damaged, as was an internal membrane that made the structure airtight. In addition, the internal climate control and internal crane systems were affected.
The damage prevents the shelter from doing its job of containing radiation and facilitating decommissioning of the reactor.
EBRD said: ‘Failure to restore the NSC to its original standard of confinement and ventilation before 2030 would seriously jeopardise its 100-year design life because of corrosion, undermining decades of international investment and creating environmental and safety risks.’
EBRD added that repairs could cost at least €500mn, not just to patch the hole but also deal with corrosion of the internal steel arch within the containment structure.
The project is expected to proceed in three phases: research and investigation, engineering strategy, and detailed engineering and procurement.
Donors to the fund, the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA), which has also funded waste processing work at the site, include the European Union, France, Norway, UK, Canada, Germany, Taiwan Business-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, Belgium and Italy.
The EBRD-managed ICCA currently holds some €70mn in donor funds.
