International donors have pledged €278 million to repair the protective arch at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant following damage from a Russian drone strike in 2025.
The funding, announced during a donor conference in Paris on November 9, represents more than half of the total amount required to restore the structure, according to AFP.
France increases contributions toward €500 million restoration cost
While 15 participants have confirmed commitments, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) estimates the full restoration of the New Safe Confinement will cost at least €500 million, Gordonua reported.
France has increased its total contribution to €40 million, which includes €10 million previously allocated for preliminary research and an additional €30 million for the repair work, Lb noted.
French Minister of Economy and Finance Roland Lescure confirmed the additional €30 million allocation before the Paris conference, stating that France's total input makes up much of the joint financing, as reported by Lb.
The G7 nations had previously pledged €260 million toward the project, according to Ua. Lescure noted this G7 commitment was announced in October during a meeting of finance ministers in Bangkok, Lb reported.
Drone strikes damage confinement structure and threaten safety
The protective arch, which was moved over the fourth reactor in 2016 and fully commissioned in 2019, suffered damage to its internal and external cladding and safety systems during a February 2025 drone strike, Lb stated.
Failure to repair the structure could lead to the collapse of the original concrete sarcophagus and poses a risk of high-level radioactive material leaks, Gordonua reported.
EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso emphasized at the conference that restoring the structure is vital for international nuclear safety. She stated that if the confinement is not repaired, the risk of a very serious accident with very wide consequences, similar to the 1986 accident, is entirely real, Gordonua reported.
Projected repair timeline
The EBRD plans to secure funds for contracts and begin major repair works in 2028, Gordonua reported.
The repair process is expected to last approximately two years, with the goal of addressing all damages by 2030 to mitigate the risk of steel structure corrosion, Lb reported.
Following the Paris conference, it was reported that at least €222 million still needs to be raised to complete the full restoration of the facility, DW stated.
Officials aim to mobilize all necessary funds by the spring of 2027, DW stated.
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