Chernobyl's €500 Million Race to Save the Damaged Reactor Shelter

London. Repairs to the damaged protective shelter over the ruined Chernobyl nuclear reactor will cost a fortune, according to estimates by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). "We will certainly need €500 million," Balthasar Lindauer, director of the EBRD's nuclear safety program, told Der Spiegel. "Possibly more."

Work must begin by the end of 2027 and be completed by 2030; otherwise, the steel structure risks irreversible rust damage. "If we fail, we will lose the New Safe Confinement," Lindauer warned. "Then the costs will be far higher." He acknowledged the timeline was ambitious but said there was no alternative.

In February 2025, the protective shelter was severely damaged in a drone attack. "The destruction is massive," Lindauer said. The membranes designed to contain radioactive particles inside and keep moisture out have been extensively ruined. "The cladding absolutely must be restored."

Parts of Reactor Four's ruins still emit radiation levels so high that human exposure must be strictly limited. "In the most contaminated areas, staff will need to be rotated far more frequently," Lindauer said.