G7 countries will help repair the damaged shelter at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The G7 countries will allocate 260 million euros for urgent repairs to the New Safe Confinement at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The structure was damaged by a Russian drone in February 2025. In total, at least 500 million euros are needed to repair and fully restore the structure, and the work is scheduled to be completed by 2030.
The Group of Seven (G7) countries will allocate 260 million euros for repairs to the protective structure covering the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This refers to the New Safe Confinement—a large steel arch covering the reactor, which was destroyed following the 1986 accident. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced the decision on Thursday. The funds are intended to help begin urgent repairs following damage the structure sustained as a result of the Russian attack.
However, the allocated amount is insufficient for the shelter’s full restoration. According to preliminary estimates, this will require at least 500 million euros. Therefore, international partners must raise an additional 240 million euros.
Why the shelter needs urgent repairs
The new safe confinement was damaged by a Russian drone on February 14, 2025. The strike pierced the structure’s outer and inner cladding and damaged critical systems. This created risks for the shelter’s two main objectives. The first is to prevent the spread of radioactive materials. The second is to ensure the safe dismantling of the old sarcophagus, which was erected over the fourth power unit after the Chernobyl accident in 1986.
The new containment structure was built specifically to cover the damaged reactor and create conditions for further work on it. Its design is intended to protect the environment from radioactive substances and workers from hazardous conditions during the dismantling of the old structures. Following the impact, the structure requires repairs to fully resume these functions. The work cannot be delayed for long: the damage could increase the risk of corrosion in the steel arch.
Why the work must be completed by 2030
According to EBRD estimates, repairing and fully restoring the containment’s functionality will require at least 500 million euros. The work must be completed by 2030. One reason is to protect the steel structure from corrosion. The arch’s ability to remain safe throughout its entire expected service life depends on its condition.
The new, safe containment structure was designed for a 100-year service life. For the structure to perform its functions during this time, the consequences of the attack must be addressed, and damaged components and systems must be restored. That is why it is now important not only to seal the damaged areas but also to restore the containment to the necessary level of safety and functionality.
G7 Calls on Other Countries to Join in Funding
The decision to allocate 260 million euros was announced following a meeting of G7 finance ministers during the fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Bangkok. In a statement, the G7 countries expressed deep concern about the risks to nuclear safety that arose following the Russian strike. They also reaffirmed their readiness to mobilize funds for the shelter’s restoration.
At the same time, the G7 called on other international partners to contribute to the funding. This is necessary because the total cost of repairs, according to preliminary estimates, significantly exceeds the amount that the G7 countries are prepared to provide.
EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso thanked the G7 countries for their support and called on the international community to contribute to the facility’s restoration. “The EBRD is grateful to the G7 countries for their unwavering leadership and commitment to nuclear safety in Chernobyl,” Reno-Basso stated. She also announced that the bank is convening a donor conference in Paris on November 9, 2026. It will be co-chaired by France, Ukraine, and the EBRD. The meeting is scheduled to discuss further funding for urgent repairs.
What Role Does the EBRD Play in the Restoration of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant?
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has been coordinating international nuclear safety efforts in Chernobyl since 1995. During this time, the bank has helped mobilize more than 2.5 billion euros in international contributions. A significant portion of this amount was provided by the G7 countries. In addition, the EBRD itself has allocated more than 700 million euros of its own funds to projects related to nuclear safety and the decommissioning of the facility.
The bank is now coordinating efforts to secure additional funding for the repair of the containment structure. Restoring the structure requires the participation of several international partners, as it involves significant costs and the safety of the facility, the consequences of an accident at which have international implications. Thus, the G7 countries are prepared to provide 260 million euros, but significant additional funds must be secured to fully restore the Chernobyl shelter. The next step will be to engage other donors to complete the necessary work by 2030 and restore the structure to full functionality. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced this on Thursday.
Another 16 Ukrainians were able to leave the territories temporarily occupied by Russia and return to land controlled by Ukraine. Among those rescued were a woman with limited mobility and a Chernobyl accident liquidator who lost his wife on the eve of the evacuation.
