EBRD donors back plan to repair Chornobyl’s protective shield

• ICCA has approved a programme to support nuclear safety at Chornobyl
• Decision is a response to the damage caused by a Russian drone attack
• The programme creates solid basis for a later donor decision on NSC repairs

Donors to the International Chornobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA), managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), have endorsed plans for early engineering and procurement works that will pave the way for potential repairs to the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

A Russian drone strike in February 2025 damaged the NSC, the giant structure built to contain the remains of Reactor Four and enable the safe dismantling of the original sarcophagus, which was hastily built after the 1986 accident.

Preliminary assessments by Novarka 2 (comprising the original NSC designer-builder Bouygues Travaux Publics and Vinci Construction Grands Projets) estimated that the corrosion of the steel arch threatened the long-term safety of the NSC, and that work was needed to restore the structure to full functionality by 2030. Repairs could cost at least €500 million.

The endorsed plan is designed to create a solid basis for a later decision on how the construction should proceed. Donors have approved the EBRD’s recommendation to allocate €30 million for this purpose.

The programme will be delivered in three phases, enabling a measured approach that will reduce the risk of redesign, delay and premature commitments.

Phase 1 will consolidate existing technical data, carry out targeted investigations and develop initial repair concepts.

Phase 2 will transform these concepts into engineering solutions and develop the overall repair strategy, in consultation with Ukraine’s nuclear regulator.

Phase 3 will prepare the plan for potential implementation through detailed engineering, procurement documentation and, where justified, early procurement of long-lead items.

Donors to the ICCA currently include the European Union, France, Norway, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Taiwan Business-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, Belgium and Italy.

The ICCA was established by the EBRD at the request of Ukraine. It was set up as a multilateral fund to develop a comprehensive plan for Chornobyl. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the ICCA’s scope was broadened to support nuclear safety not just in Chornobyl, but across all of Ukraine. The EBRD-managed ICCA currently holds some €70 million in donor funds.

The international community has contributed around €2 billion to EBRD-managed programmes for Chornobyl since 1995.