The protective shield built over Chernobyl’s Reactor 4 has cracked, raising fears that deadly radiation could begin to escape.
Following the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986, a $2 billion protective shield, officially known as New Safe Containment (NSC), was built over Reactor 4 to contain radiation.
For context, the World Nuclear Association describes the Chernobyl nuclear disaster as an accident that occurred in 1986, the result of a faulty reactor design, operated by insufficiently trained personnel.
According to the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a Russian drone strike in February seriously damaged the dome, which has already lost its main security functions.
A security assessment conducted earlier this month found that while the dome remains intact and its surveillance systems are functioning, it has lost its containment capacity.
IAEA Director Rafael Mariano Grossi stressed the need for a comprehensive restoration process to ensure long-term nuclear security.
The agency also suggested improvements to the shield, equipping it with:
- Advanced corrosion monitoring
- A high-tech automatic system to keep the radioactive reactor under control
- Improved humidity control
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine puts the facility at high risk.
Grossi said the IAEA would do everything in its power to support and restore nuclear safety and security at the Chernobyl nuclear site.
Additional temporary repairs to the site are expected to take place in 2026.
