It was last February 14th when a drone hit the sarcophagus of Chernobyl reactor 4, causing a large fire. Since then there has been nothing but talk about it: there has been significant damage, but it seems there have been no anomalous dispersions of radioactive material.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the protective structure of the nuclear site can no longer fulfill its main safety function. Additional personnel have reached the station for a full assessment of the situation and to date the situation is under control.
But is there a danger of radiation leakage or not?
What is the New Secure Envelope
It is a real sarcophagus, 108 meters high, 164 meters long and 257 meters wide, made up of a steel frame, covered with additional layers of stainless steel and polycarbonate, and a membrane whose objective is to guarantee hermetic closure with the original structure and avoid the dispersion of dust.
Its function is to limit the damage of any dispersion of radioactive material and ensure that the sarcophagus is repaired, especially from water, which could corrode it. Precisely for this reason, a ventilation and air conditioning system has also been installed inside, to keep humidity and temperature under control.
Last February, that drone was able to pierce the external sarcophagus, while not much is known about the internal one. What experts say, in any case, is that no leakage of radioactive material was observed and for this reason the radiation levels are in line with those before the attack.
So if the situation seems under control at the moment, why is there all this panic?
Is Chernobyl safe?
The IAEA note talks about a mission carried out in recent weeks to assess the state of health of the sarcophagus.
The mission confirmed that the sarcophagus had lost its primary safety functions, including confinement capability, but also found that there was no permanent damage to its load-bearing structures or monitoring systems.
What might be disturbing is that the sarcophagus has lost its primary safety functions, nOver the past few months, much work has been carried out to repair the damage, but as IAEA President Rafael Grossi recalls:
Limited temporary repairs have been made to the roof, but timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety.
In essence, therefore, the damage seems to be repaired, but it is not enough: a complete intervention is necessary to ensure that the structure remains safe in the future. However, and here is the crucial point, this does not imply that there is currently a loss of radioactive material. Although it may seem like a detail, this distinction is fundamental: the sarcophagus is not safe, but we are far from being in danger of a new nuclear disaster.
For this reason, several experts have commented on the situation in the last few hours: Shaun Burnie, an expert in nuclear technologies, told the NY Times that at the moment there are no serious problems, while Professor Jim Smith, a researcher specializing in nuclear disasters, reassured the BBC that the risk of dispersion of radioactive dust is low.
In summary, the sarcophagus is damaged, but the radiation is under control for now. For now, a temporary remedy has been adopted and solutions for a definitive intervention are being examined.
