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What happened to the New Safe Confinement in 2025?
On 14 February 2025, a high-explosive Russian drone struck the NSC at Chornobyl. The attack caused a 15 m² breach in the inner and outer cladding and damaged around 200 m² of panels. It also affected critical systems needed for safe operation inside the structure.
The damage compromised two of the NSC’s most important functions: containing radioactive material and enabling the dismantling of the unstable original sarcophagus built in haste after the 1986 accident over Reactor Four.
Immediately after the Russian drone strike in February 2025, the EBRD began coordinating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant officials. We briefed donors and began mobilising support for urgent stabilisation works, underscoring the urgent need for the international donor community to come together once again to safeguard Chornobyl’s long-term safety and security.
According to plant monitoring, radiation levels remained within acceptable limits after the strike. Even so, the damage created urgent technical and financial challenges for the long-term safety of the site.
The NSC was designed to:
- prevent radioactive material from being released into the environment
- protect the site from external impacts
- allow the safe dismantling of the unstable concrete sarcophagus built quickly after the 1986 disaster
- reduce the risk of radioactive contamination for at least 100 years
Constructed by VINCI and Bouygues through the NOVARKA consortium, the arch was assembled away from the reactor to reduce workers’ exposure to radiation. It was slid into place in 2016 and fully commissioned in 2019, when it was formally handed over to Ukraine.
What is the EBRD doing at Chornobyl?
The EBRD has been at the centre of international Chornobyl work since 1995, helping to mobilise funding, coordinate major technical programmes and manage long-term nuclear safety and decommissioning efforts.
To date, the Bank has mobilised more than €2.5 billion in international contributions and provided more than €700 million of its own resources for nuclear safety and decommissioning projects linked to Chornobyl, including the NSC.
Following the 2025 drone strike, the EBRD is:
- coordinating with the government of Ukraine and Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
- working with the original NSC designers on technical assessments
- engaging with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- briefing donors and mobilising support for urgent stabilisation and repair work
- preparing for longer-term reconstruction of the NSC’s full functionality
The EBRD’s Nuclear Safety Department oversees these efforts, ensuring technical leadership, donor coordination and the safe delivery of complex engineering and decommissioning activities across the site.
How the EBRD supports donor coordination
The EBRD manages key international funding mechanisms for Chornobyl:
- The Chernobyl Shelter Fund (1997–2019) financed the Shelter Implementation Plan and construction of the NSC. The donors were: the European Commission, the United States of America, France, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Austria, Kuwait, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Kazakhstan, Czechia, the Slovak Republic, Türkiye, Australia, India, South Korea, Romania, Slovenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Portugal, Croatia, Lithuania, Iceland, Estonia, Liechtenstein and Argentina.
- The International Chernobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA), established in 2020, supports long-term planning for safety and decommissioning, and now the restoration of the NSC’s functionality. Current donors are: the European Commission, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, Belgium and Italy.
- Recent contributions to the ICCA from France, the European Commission and the United Kingdom have brought total funds to more than €70 million.
Key facts about the damage to Chornobyl’s New Safe Confinement
International support and next steps
The ICCA established at the request of the Ukrainian government, now supports a broader set of safety and security activities across the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone following Russia’s invasion. Restoring the full functionality of the NSC is one of its highest priorities.
The ICCA current donors are: the European Commission, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, Belgium and Italy.
What donors can do next
Restoring the NSC is now one of the ICCA’s highest priorities.
Priority next steps include:
- urgent mobilisation of resources for NSC reconstruction
- multi-year donor commitments to support long-term site safety
- continued transparent and accountable oversight of funds and implementation
The EBRD stands ready to administer new contributions and coordinate the international response.
The long-term international effort at Chornobyl:
The Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) was carried out in two main phases:
Phase I (1998–2002)
- engineering studies
- emergency stabilisation
- selection of the future confinement concept
Phase II (2002–2020)
- major construction
- delivery and commissioning of the NSC
The total cost of the SIP reached €2.1 billion. The donors to CSF were: the European Commission, the United States of America, France, Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada, China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Austria, Kuwait, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Kazakhstan, Czechia, the Slovak Republic, Türkiye, Australia, India, South Korea, Romania, Slovenia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Portugal, Croatia, Lithuania, Iceland, Estonia, Liechtenstein and Argentina.
Timeline of EBRD involvement at Chornobyl
Turning point in international cooperation
- Ukraine, G7 nations and the European Commission sign a memorandum of understanding to shut down Chornobyl reactors 1-3.
- Agreement paves the way for the creation of the Chernobyl Shelter Fund (CSF), to be managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Launch of the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP)
- SIP is introduced as a long-term strategy to stabilise the damaged reactor and develop a permanent containment solution.
- It is backed by 45 donor countries, the European Commission and the EBRD.
SIP Phase I: stabilisation and design
- Emergency structural stabilisation of the sarcophagus.
- Engineering studies and selection of the future containment design.
SIP Phase II: construction of the New Safe Confinement (NSC)
- Major infrastructure projects begin, including the NSC.
- NSC is constructed by French consortium Novarka (VINCI and Bouygues).
- Total SIP cost reaches €2.1 billion.
NSC assembly and installation
- NSC is assembled near the reactor to minimise radiation exposure.
- In 2016, the arch is successfully slid into position over reactor 4.
NSC handed over to Ukraine
- The NSC is officially transferred to Ukrainian authorities.
- Handover marks a major milestone in global nuclear safety and international engineering cooperation.
Launch of the International Chernobyl Cooperation Account (ICCA)
- At Ukraine’s request, the EBRD establishes the ICCA to support long-term planning and safety in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ).
ICCA scope expanded following Russian occupation of CEZ
- ICCA begins supporting the restoration of safety and security in the CEZ and broader nuclear safety efforts across Ukraine.
Emergency response to drone attack on NSC
- Russian drone strike damages NSC, compromising its containment and decommissioning functions.
- EBRD and Chornobyl nuclear plant begin assessing emergency repair options.
- Estimated cost of repairs could amount to several hundred million euros.
International contributions to ICCA reach €60 million
- France, the EU and the UK contribute to ICCA to support urgent restoration of NSC functionality.
The EBRD’s wider nuclear safety work at Chornobyl
The EBRD also manages the Nuclear Safety Account, which supports related projects at the site, including:
Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility 2 (ISF2)
A €400 million facility designed to store more than 21,000 spent fuel assemblies safely in double-walled canisters for at least 100 years.
Liquid radioactive waste treatment plant
A facility that converts high-level liquid radioactive waste into a stable solid form for long-term safe storage.
Chornobyl videos
Since the onset of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the country’s nuclear sector has been under immense strain. Until 2025, the worst-case scenario – a direct military strike on nuclear infrastructure – had been avoided. That changed in the early hours of 14 February 2025, when a drone carrying high explosives struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Watch the video
Chornobyl videos
Since the onset of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the country’s nuclear sector has been under immense strain. Until 2025, the worst-case scenario – a direct military strike on nuclear infrastructure – had been avoided. That changed in the early hours of 14 February 2025, when a drone carrying high explosives struck the New Safe Confinement at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Watch the video
More videos about Chornobyl