UTEM Engineering (Pivdenteplo Energomontazh) has received a contract for temporary repairs to the New Safe Confinement of Chornobyl NPP, which was damaged by a Russian drone on February 14, 2025. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced this.
As a result of the strike to the external covering of the arch, a hole with an area of approximately 15 square meters was formed. During firefighting, rescuers additionally made 340 small technical openings. The contractor must seal all of them hermetically.
Second phase of work lasting over a year
"This is the second phase of work on restoring the integrity and functionality of the NSC. In the first phase, in October 2025, we managed to urgently close the largest opening, which allowed us to safely pass through the autumn-winter period and prevent further degradation of the NSC structures," said Sergiy Tarakanoff, General Director of the Chornobyl NPP Management.
The contract with LLC "UTEM Engineering" was concluded within grant agreement No. 5 between the EBRD and Chornobyl NPP Management based on arrangements reached at the assembly of contributors to the International Cooperation Account for Chornobyl on June 25, 2025 in London.
The main challenge lies ahead
Sealing the openings is only a preparatory stage. Full restoration of the confinement functions, which covers the fourth reactor destroyed in 1986, should begin next. "Given the intense radiation fields directly above the destroyed reactor, this is an exceptionally complex technical challenge," Tarakanoff noted.
In December 2025, it was reported that the sarcophagus at Chornobyl NPP may not withstand even an indirect strike nearby – temporary repairs do not eliminate this risk, but only stop further degradation of the structure until capital restoration becomes possible.
- In December 2025, it was reported that the sarcophagus at Chornobyl NPP may not withstand it, even if Russia strikes nearby.
How long will the temporary solution last if full restoration of the NSC remains technically infeasible due to the radiation levels above the reactor?
