The radiation protection shield in the area of the former Ukrainian Chernobyl plant known as the New Safe Confinement (NSC) was severely damaged in a Russian drone attack in February and lost its primary security functions.
The warning was made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which placed teams in Ukraine this month to assess the state of the country’s energy facilities, which have been the target of constant attacks by Russia.
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The agency said the attack earlier this year caused a massive fire in the outer shell of the massive steel structure built to prevent radioactive release from the plant’s reactor, destroyed in the 1986 accident. However, it also said there has so far been no permanent damage to the support structures or monitoring systems.
“Limited temporary repairs have been carried out to the roof, but timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Friday.
The IAEA recommended additional work to restore and protect the NSC structure, including moisture control measures and an updated corrosion monitoring program. It was also recommended to upgrade an integrated automatic monitoring system for the shelter object structure built over the reactor immediately after the accident.
Chernobyl is expected to receive 2026 additional temporary repairs to support the reestablishment of the NSC’s containment function, paving the way for full restoration following the end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The program will have resources from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
“The IAEA, which has a permanent team on site, will continue to do everything it can to support efforts to fully restore nuclear safety and security at the Chernobyl site,” Grossi said.
As part of the comprehensive assistance program, the Agency organized three new deliveries of equipment and supplies to Ukraine, bringing the total to 188 since the start of the conflict. The medical unit at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant site received medicines and the Central Enterprise for Radioactive Waste Management received various personal protective equipment. Deliveries were supported with funds from the European Union and the United Kingdom.
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With these deliveries, the total value of equipment and supplies necessary for nuclear safety and security that have arrived in Ukraine since the start of the armed conflict exceeds 21 million euros (around R$130 million).
Regarding visits to other Ukrainian nuclear energy facilities, Rossi highlighted the substations under analysis are essential for nuclear safety and protection. “They are absolutely indispensable for providing the electricity that all nuclear plants need for reactor cooling and other safety systems. They are also needed to distribute the electricity they produce to homes and industries.”
Previous IAEA missions to substations have highlighted continued degradation of the network and increasing challenges to transmission infrastructure. Substations function as installations where voltage levels are transformed and controlled for reliable power transmission. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation from a nuclear safety and security perspective.
