Number 4 reactor
building shortly after
the disaster
110 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
Span of arch
260 metres
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
No data
Low
Very high
Contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
The spread of the
radioactive fallout
Chernobyl
How the accident happened
3
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
2
1
Sarcophagus
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions
New Safe Confinement
building
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
2
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
1
Power plant
Teflon rails
Arch
New Safe Confinement building
Construction
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west to protect workers from high levels of radiation
Scale of the project
The disaster
26 April 1986
Number 4 reactor building
shortly after the disaster
110 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
Span of arch
260 metres
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
No data
Low
Very high
Contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
The spread of the
radioactive fallout
How the accident happened
3
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
2
1
Sarcophagus
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions
New Safe Confinement building
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
2
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
1
Power plant
Teflon rails
Arch
New Safe Confinement building
Construction
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west to protect workers from high levels of radiation
Scale of the project
The disaster
26 April 1986
Chernobyl
Number 4 reactor building
shortly after the disaster
110 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
Span of arch 260 metres
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
No data
Low
Very high
3
2
1
Chernobyl
Contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
Sarcophagus
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
New Safe Confinement building
How the accident happened
The spread of the radioactive fallout
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions
2
1
Power plant
Teflon rails
Arch
New Safe
Confinement Building
Scale of the project
Construction
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west to protect workers from high levels of radiation
The disaster 26 April 1986
Number 4 reactor building
shortly after the disaster
110 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
Span of arch 260 metres
Small van
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
No data
Low
Very high
3
2
2
1
1
Chernobyl
Contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
Sarcophagus
Power plant
Teflon rails
Arch
New Safe Confinement building
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
Scale of the project
New Safe Confinement building
Construction
How the accident happened
The spread of the radioactive fallout
The disaster 26 April 1986
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west to protect workers from high levels of radiation
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions
Ankara
Number 4 reactor building
shortly after the disaster
110 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
200 miles
Ukraine
Rome
Oslo
Warsaw
Berlin
Paris
London
Athens
Moscow
Madrid
Chernobyl
Span of arch 260 metres
Small van
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
Power plant
Teflon rails
Arch
New Safe Confinement building
No data
Low
Very high
1
3
2
2
1
Contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
Sarcophagus
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
Scale of the project
New Safe Confinement building
Construction
How the accident happened
The spread of the radioactive fallout
The disaster 26 April 1986
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west to protect workers from high levels of radiation
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions
Number 4 reactor building
shortly after the disaster
Span of arch 260 metres
Small van
Sydney Opera House
Length 183 metres
Statue of Liberty
Height 93 metres
110 metres
Scale of the project
200 miles
Ukraine
Power plant
Arch
New Safe Confinement building
Teflon rails
Rome
Oslo
Warsaw
Berlin
Paris
London
Athens
Ankara
Baghdad
Tehran
Moscow
Madrid
1
Chernobyl
3
2
2
1
No data
Low
Very high
1986 contamination from caesium-137 after Chernobyl
Sarcophagus
No. 4 reactor building
Reactor
Turbine hall
New Safe Confinement building
Construction
How the accident happened
The spread of the radioactive fallout
The disaster 26 April 1986
In the months that follow the authorities cover the building in a sarcophagus of concrete and steel
In 2017, if all goes to plan, the 31,000-tonne arch will be gently pushed along Teflon rails to cover the radioactive remains of the reactor
The structure will consist of two arches built in two halves in an area 180 metres to the west of the power plant to protect workers from high levels of radiation
The resulting fire burns for 10 days sending a plume of highly radioactive fallout into the atmosphere
In September 2010 construction began on a project to enclose the damaged reactor. The structure will create a space in which the most
hazardous components can be dismantled and a complex ventilation system will use negative pressure to keep any radioactive dust inside
A sudden power surge in reactor four causes a rupture and a series of steam explosions