"The steel structure sealing off the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site has suffered so much damage that it's no longer containing radiation effectively, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday. The agency, or IAEA, wrote in an update that its team had visited the protective shield in the prior week and found that it "had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability.""
"The NSC, which cost $1.75 billion to install, was urgently needed because the Sarcophagus had an estimated lifespan of 30 years and wasn't airtight, allowing radioactive dirt and gas to escape. Now, the IAEA said its team confirmed that the NSC can't do its job after being "severely damaged" by a drone strike in February. The strike, which Ukraine has said was caused by a drone belonging to Russia, set fire to the steel structure's outer cladding."
The New Safe Confinement (NSC) at Chernobyl has lost its primary safety functions, including confinement capability, after being severely damaged by a February drone strike. The IAEA team visited the structure and confirmed the loss of containment. The NSC, installed in 2016 for $1.75 billion, fully encases the original Soviet-era Sarcophagus built after the 1986 Reactor Four explosion. The Sarcophagus had an estimated 30-year lifespan and was not airtight, allowing radioactive dirt and gas to escape. Damage to the NSC increases the risk of radioactive leaks and dispersal of hazardous gas and dust. Limited temporary roof repairs were carried out, but comprehensive restoration is essential to prevent further degradation.
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