Pledges include an additional €120m contribution from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD).
The aim is to create the conditions for a long-term solution for reactor 4, which was destroyed in the 1986 accident. Major donors and the EBRD will work together to close the remaining financial gap. EBRD is managing the international donor funds for Chernobyl.
The additional money will replenish the the two EBRD-managed funds that provide for the shelter implementation plan for reactor 4 and a spent fuel storage facility for the other three reactors.
The shelter implementation plan includes the construction of a new shelter for reactor 4. The start of construction of this so-called new safe confinement is imminent and first preparatory works have begun. The total cost will be €1.54 billion. It will be assembled on site and the current schedule foresees that this will be completed in summer 2015. Subsequently, the new structure will be slid over the shelter built after the 1986 accident.
The spent fuel storage facility will provide dry storage for the more than 20,000 spent fuel assemblies.
“This is an encouraging result and we strongly welcome the donors’ strong commitment to work together with Ukraine to implement lasting solutions in Chernobyl,” said president Thomas Mirow. “This is a significant achievement which represents a major step forward, but also a great responsibility for the consortium to deliver in time and within budget and make the site safe for the generations to come.”
At the conference in Kiev, 28 countries made new contributions and several additional countries announced they are still considering making pledges. Mirow said that the Bank would make available at least €120 million to the project and that the Bank would consider additional contributions depending on efforts by other major donors.
The 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident will be on 26 April.
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