US Pledges $100 Million to Repair Chornobyl Nuclear Plant

Without repairs, Europe faces the possibility of ‘a dangerous leak of highly radioactive material,’ the State Department said.

A visitor touring the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant takes a photo through a window looking toward facilities that house reactors 1 and 2 near Chernobyl, Ukraine, on Sept. 29, 2015. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The U.S. Department of State intends to offer up to $100 million in foreign assistance toward a G7 initiative to repair the Chornobyl nuclear plant’s protective structure that was damaged in Russian strikes.

The plant, located in Ukraine, was the site of a major disaster in 1986 when Reactor No. 4 exploded, releasing radioactive material across Europe. This prompted one of the biggest emergency responses in history, including building protective structures around the plant. While the final reactor at Chornobyl was shut down in 2000, the site continues to remain highly sensitive.