Protective shield of Chernobyl cannot contain radiation— IAEA
This assessment follows an inspection triggered by a February drone strike — the first significant attack on the structure since its installation. Each side in the conflict has accused the other of carrying out the strike.
The attack punctured the exterior of the New Safe Confinement (NSC), the enormous steel arch that covers the remains of Unit 4, and started a fire. Although the initial incident did not cause a radiation release, the latest evaluation concludes that the physical breach has weakened the structure’s long-term containment capability.
On Friday, the IAEA confirmed that the NSC — a 36,000-ton steel shell built over the wrecked reactor — “had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability.”
Completed in 2019 at a cost of roughly €1.5 billion (around $1.6 billion), the NSC was engineered to isolate radioactive material and reinforce the older concrete “sarcophagus” erected after the 1986 catastrophe.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that while the shelter’s structural frame and monitoring systems continue to operate, “limited temporary repairs have been carried out … comprehensive restoration is urgently required.” Additional nuclear safety experts have now been sent to the location to determine the full scope of the damage.
Russian officials have meanwhile accused Ukraine of striking nuclear facilities multiple times, labeling such actions “nuclear terrorism.” In late September, a Ukrainian drone reportedly hit an auxiliary building at the Kursk plant during Grossi’s visit to Moscow.
Around the same time, artillery fire was said to have damaged power lines connected to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), forcing it to rely on backup generators. Russia has controlled the ZNPP since March 2022, after which the region voted to join the country. Ukraine denies involvement in the Kursk incident and claims Moscow is responsible for attacks on the ZNPP.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
