The Chornobyl disaster: the explosion 39 years ago and the world’s efforts to improve nuclear safety

39 years ago, the Chernobyl disaster occurred. The Chernobyl disaster affected the whole world.

On the night of 26 April 1986, a powerful explosion was recorded at the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which caused the destruction of a part of the reactor unit and the turbine hall. Kyiv Online article provides details of the tragedy.

Moscow concealed the fact of the accident and the consequences of the environmental disaster – the first report appeared only on 28 April. The Chornobyl disaster was given seven points out of a possible 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES), making it the largest man-made disaster in human history.

The accident released 100 times more radiation than the effects of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. This also proved to be the cause of cancer deaths for a significant number of people around the world, as researchers later stated.

26 April – International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

The explosion at the 4th reactor of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant 39 years ago caused the largest man-made disaster in human history. International authorities have repeatedly given approximate figures for the consequences, but the exact data will never be known.

Here are the figures that explain the scale of the event:

More than 600,000 liquidators dealt with the consequences of the accident, risking their lives;

8.5 million people were exposed to radiation;

more than 2,000 settlements were contaminated with radiation;

about 4,000 people died as a result of the disaster.

The Chornobyl explosion and the world’s response

At the international level, the Chornobyl disaster led to the adoption of a number of conventions, as well as to specific measures at individual nuclear power plants. This certainly helped to improve nuclear safety – but not enough.

On 26 April 1986, a serious accident occurred at the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (then the Ukrainian SSR), which for the first time received the highest level, namely 7, on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). The explosion led to a graphite fire with the release of radioactive substances to a high altitude of up to 10,000 meters.

 

More than 30 deaths are directly related to the nuclear disaster. The number of deaths due to the long-term effects of radiation exposure varies widely. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated, losing their homes and livelihoods. An exclusion zone with a radius of 30 kilometres was created, which exists to this day.

The Chernobyl disaster left deep scars in the minds of the population. Many people from neighbouring countries felt that they were in danger.

However, it was only the events of 1989 and the nuclear power plants in the immediate vicinity that were perceived as a threat that led to an active anti-nuclear policy. Public and party-political consensus was sought.

In 1995, the G7 countries, the European Commission and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Closure of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The then President of Ukraine, Kuchma, promised to close the Chornobyl NPP by 2000, which was achieved on 15 December 2000. In exchange for this, Western support was promised in the energy sector and in the field of nuclear safety, in particular for measures to bring the sarcophagus in Chernobyl to an environmentally safe state.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, reactor unit 4 was filled with thousands of tonnes of lead and sand, and a temporary structure (known as a sarcophagus) of steel and concrete was erected on top to prevent further leakage of radioactive material. Because this protective shell was erected in a hurry, the roof was in danger of collapsing within a few years.

In June 1997, the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) was adopted at the G7 meeting. To finance the SIP, the Chernobyl Shelter Fund (CSF) was established under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD, the European Commission and 44 countries made financial contributions. The most important measures were first the stabilisation of the existing sarcophagus and then the creation of the New Safe Confinement (NSC), which was officially handed over to Ukraine in July 2019.

Consequences of the Chornobyl disaster and efforts to improve nuclear safety

At the international level, the Chornobyl disaster led to the adoption of a number of conventions under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This was the first time that a binding set of rules was created under international law, albeit without sanctions mechanisms.

In the same year, the International Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency was concluded. The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was adopted in 1989 and the Convention on Nuclear Safety in 1998. The Convention on the Safe Management of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel entered into force in 2001. Austria is a party to all these conventions.

The Chornobyl disaster, as well as other recent events such as the Fukushima disaster, have led to significant efforts to improve nuclear safety, both in the legal framework and at the nuclear power plants themselves – but certainly not enough. However, the safest nuclear power plant is one that is not built at all. Until then, however, the following remains true: serious accidents at nuclear power plants cannot be ruled out. Memorial days should serve as a reminder of this.

As a reminder, Ukraine is looking for solutions to repair the damage caused by the UAV attack on the Chornobyl NPP in February.