Workers are taking down Chernobyl's "sarcophagus," once meant to keep the reactor's radioactive materials locked inside, before it falls on its own accord.
The dismantling will begin after the New Shelter Containment (NSC) is in full working operation. Currently, the NSC controls part of the confinement. Earlier this year, the European Union handed off control of the NSC to Ukraine.
— Popular Mechanics
The steel and concrete containment structure, hastily erected following the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power plant in 1986, is being replaced by internationally funded and coordinated effort. The new shelter, a €1.5 billion complex considered to be the largest work of movable architecture in the world, has been in the works for several years.
Plans call for the old “sarcophagus” to be fully replaced by 2023.
4 Comments
I'll be a tourist there next month
You need to find the contractor of the sarcophagus, If I recall correctly, wasn't it supposed to last for at least the next 100 years ?
Supposed to doesn't mean it will. The new one is made from different material.
The old one was reinforced concrete and lead lined. Apparently there is more radiation being released than was planned originally. That means what's in place is not working as intended but it served it's purpose.
The old one was only ment 2 last 30 years it was bult on the foundation of the damaged reactor and engeneers knew it was flawed right from the start but with the time they had thay basicly just through up what thay could the new structure is ment to last 100 years I watched a show in it its actually really interesting
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