What does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean for Chernobyl?

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There were fears that the site of the worst nuclear accident in history might be disturbed by the conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces. The world has worked to contain radioactive debris at the site since the disaster 36 years ago.

The nuclear power plant was seized by Russian troops, according to reports from officials.

It is not possible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe. Podolyak said that this is one of the most serious threats in Europe today. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement that there were no casualties or destruction at the industrial site.

The Chernobyl disaster and nuclear policy were topics discussed by experts in The Verge. The conflict in Ukraine makes this location even more difficult to manage.

The remains of the reactor that exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 hold 200 metric ton of highly radioactive material. The reactor failed during a test run, releasing radioactive particles in the explosion and fire. According to a 2005 United Nations report, about 50 people died as a result of the incident, and tens of thousands more may have been affected.

The reactor's remains were quickly built to keep radioactive material from spreading. The New Safe Confinement Arch was built at a cost of over $1 billion and was completed in the summer of 2017, nearly a decade later. Workers can remotely operate a crane and other equipment inside the structure to dismantle the rest of the reactor and remove radioactive fuel.

James Acton, a physicist and co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that if that structure gets damaged, it could stir up remaining radioactive material. It would take either an accident or a concentrated effort to damage the containment unit, which was designed to survive a tornado.

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The spent fuel from three other Chernobyl reactors that continued to operate for years after the 1986 disaster is a bigger concern according to Cheryl Rofer. Since it was removed from the reactor, used fuel is more radioactive than what has been sequestered inside the giant confinement arch. It was taken to nearby cooling ponds. There have been no serious accidents involving spent fuel. If something happened that caused the less protected cooling pools to be damaged, the remaining fuel could melt and release radioactive gases and particles.

A newer and more permanent dry storage facility will be completed in 2020. It is expected to move over in the next few years. Dry storage facilities don't require water cooling, and steel or cement casks inside house materials that have already had some time to cool off in wet pools.

The casks are not designed to endure attacks, but they are strong and robust. They can release radioactive material if they are broken.

The Russians have no reason to want to attack the reactor, which is why the scenarios are unlikely to unfold. It would be risky for the entire region, especially for Russian ally Belarus. It would be unlikely that the cooling pools would be damaged in an accidental strike. There would be time to douse the exposed fuel with water to keep it cool.

Most of the area surrounding Chernobyl is desolate, with very few people who might be affected by a smaller-scale event. The region was evacuated after the 1986 disaster.

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There is still radioactive material around the power plant. Rofer says that radioactive material has decayed to the point where it isn't immediately dangerous, but it could still be harmful to people with enough exposure.

Kate Brown is a professor at MIT. The purpose of the containment zone was to keep people away from the area's radioactivity.

In 2020, smoke from fires that ripped through the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone carried slightly radioactive particles across parts of East and Central Europe. According to an article published in the journal Nature, there was no health impact on the European population from the fires. Brown is concerned about the possibility of fires outside the exclusion zone.

It is a continuing problem, according to Brown. It is supposed to be left untouched. That is the problem with any kind of nuclear site. It requires stability and peace.