**Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s Confinement Damaged in Russian Drone Attack: Can it be Fully Restored?**
A photograph taken on May 29, 2022, shows the New Safe Confinement at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant which cover the number 4 reactor unit in Ukraine. The structure has been damaged for almost three months after a Russian drone hit it in February.
The confinement over the fourth nuclear reactor at the Chornobly Nuclear Power Plant was not functioning properly as a protective shield, after a Russian drone exploded upon impact with the structure and created a 15-meter hole on February 14. The attack sparked a fire that took about three weeks to extinguish.
According to Svitlana Hrynchuk, Ukraine’s environmental protection and natural resources minister, “it was the pinnacle of cynicism and irresponsibility” on the part of the Russians to attack the facility, which is a high-level risk one. The restoration of the facility could take months or even years and will cost millions.
The drone, flying too low at an altitude of 85 meters, damaged the confinement’s outer shell and inner lining, protecting it from moisture and rust. Fortunately, the direct damage was to the outer part of the structure rather than the layer over the reactor, which helped avoid a disaster. However, experts have not recorded a rise in radiation at the facility.
The attack also caused a fire that lasted for three weeks, with emergency workers making about 200 holes in the outer layer of the structure to extinguish the smoldering waterproof membrane inside. The total area of the fire was approximately 50 square meters.
**Can the Confinement be Fully Restored?**
Ukraine now needs to restore the shield over the reactor unit. According to Hrynchuk, the goal is to renew it 100%. The first step will be to close the hole in the shield and protect everything underneath from precipitation and environmental calamities. After that, the most challenging stage – restoring full functionality of the confinement.
It’s too early to say exactly when the work on the structure will be completed and how much it will cost. However, Hrynchuk emphasized that for the international community and Ukraine, it is a priority (to restore the confinement).
**Expert Analysis**
Kateryna Hodunova, News Editor at the Kyiv Independent, says that the attack was a demonstration of Russia’s lack of concern for atomic safety in Europe.
“The drone hit damaged the confinement’s outer shell and inner lining, which protected the structure from moisture and rust. It’s fortunate that the direct damage was to the outer part of the structure rather than the layer over the reactor,” Hodunova said.
Hodunova added that the restoration of the facility will be a complex process involving experts from all over the world. “The facility is quite complex, and considered a high-level risk one. So, all experts who can contribute to making this work as fast and high-quality as possible are involved.”
Read More @ kyivindependent.com
