The EBRD is releasing exclusive new footage from inside the Chernobyl New Safe Confinement today. The images provide a fascinating glimpse of what is happening inside the giant arch erected since 2010 and moved into place in late 2017. The structure houses the destroyed reactor 4 in Chernobyl with its radioactive inventory and creates a barrier to the environment and the conditions for the dismantlement.
The New Safe Confinement is the largest moveable, land-based structure ever built and is 108 metres high and 162 metres long. It has a span of 257 metres and weighs some 36,000 tons. It is the most prominent element of the joint plan by Ukraine and the international community for Chernobyl to transform the site of the 1986 accident into a safe and secure environment.
After the successful construction and sliding of the structure, the New Safe Confinement is now fitted with equipment and installation for future operations. Final commissioning and regulatory approval are expected by the end of the year.
The structure will cost €1.5 billion and is financed through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund. The EBRD manages the fund and is the largest single donor to Chernobyl-related projects. The Chernobyl Shelter Fund received contributions from 45 donors to date.
A new video (credit EBRD) is available for download and photos (credit Chris Booth) are available here.
The material is free for use, but we would appreciate on-screen credit.