Ukraine is looking for solutions for the damaged Chernobyl confinement vessel, according to the minister

Ukraine is actively pursuing solutions to address the damage inflicted by a Russian drone strike on the containment vessel at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, as stated by a government minister on Saturday.

Svitlana Hrynchuk, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, made her remarks outside the decommissioned facility during the launch of a 0.8-megawatt solar power project, which precedes two upcoming conferences focused on Chornobyl and other nuclear power-related topics.

She indicated that Ukraine is collaborating with experts to identify the most effective methods for restoring the functionality of the containment vessel, also known as the arch, following the drone attack on February 14. “Regrettably, the arch has partially lost its functionality due to the attack. I anticipate that by May, we will have the results of the ongoing analysis,” Hrynchuk noted.

She mentioned that the analysis involves the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, along with scientific institutions and companies that were part of the installation of the arch in 2019, which was designed to cover the leaking “sarcophagus” hastily constructed in the aftermath of the 1986 Chornobyl disaster.

“We expect to receive the initial findings of this analysis in a few weeks,” she added. “We are diligently working on this matter… It is imperative that we restore the arch to prevent any leaks, as ensuring nuclear and radiation safety is our top priority.”

Officials at the plant reported that the drone strike created a significant hole in the outer cover of the new containment structure and resulted in an explosion inside. At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the incident at Chornobyl as “a provocation.” The containment vessel was designed to encase the extensive and deteriorating steel and concrete structure that was erected after the catastrophic explosion of the plant’s fourth reactor, which released radioactivity across much of Europe during the largest nuclear disaster in history.

The facility is located within the 30-kilometer (18-mile) exclusion zone established following the accident, where abandoned high-rise residential buildings and an amusement park remain in the vicinity.

Hrynchuk emphasized that the solar power plant is crucial for sustaining the electricity supply to the inactive station and marks the beginning of efforts to advance renewable energy in the region. “For many years, we have advocated for the transformation of the exclusion zone into a renewal area,” she stated. “This region, more than any other in Ukraine, is ideal for the development of renewable energy initiatives.”