Drone attack on Chornobyl NPP: fire on the shelter lining is localized
15 February 00:14
At the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, rescuers have localized a fire in the outer lining of the arch of the new safe confinement (NSC), which was caused by a Russian drone strike. This was reported by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk, Komersant ukrainskyi reports
“At 21:30, we managed to localize the fire of the aggregate of the outer skin of the NSC Arch,” the minister said.
Despite the incident, the radiation level in the Exclusion Zone does not exceed the permissible levels. The radiation situation is constantly monitored using an automated monitoring system that operates continuously at 39 sites.
“The data is sent to the control center once an hour around the clock, and in an emergency – every minute. The control levels of ambient dose equivalent power have not been exceeded. The radiation situation is under control,” Hrynchuk said.
The official also thanked the rescuers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the workers of the exclusion zone for their prompt response and selfless work in difficult conditions.
As a reminder, the sarcophagus built over the exploded fourth power unit was gradually collapsing, which could have led to a catastrophe. In March 2004, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced a tender for the design, construction and commissioning of a new sarcophagus for the Chornobyl NPP.
The main function of the new arch is to limit the spread of radioactive substances contained in the Shelter. This condition must be met both in normal operation and in the event of an accident (destruction) of the existing Shelter. The project envisages that the new structure will be operated for 100 years.
The new sarcophagus at the Chornobyl NPP was built by about 3,000 workers starting in April 2012. The builders worked in shifts to avoid exceeding the permissible radiation dose. Almost three billion dollars were allocated for its construction by the European Union and the United States. The new sarcophagus was put into operation in July 2019.
