Present situation of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

When the accident occurred in 1986, there were totally 4 reactors in Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station. While Unit 4 plant was destroyed in the accident, the Ukrainian government continued the operation of the other 3 plants because of energy shortage. A fire started in the Unit 2 plant in 1991, and the authority subsequently announced that Unit 2 was beyond repair and stopped its operation. In November 1996, Unit 1 stopped operation under an agreement between the Ukraine Ukrainian government and International Atom Energy Agency. The remaining Unit 3 plant drew heightened concern from the international community, for fear of a repeat of the accident. After numerous negotiations and with the European Union agreeing to a financial assistance of 2,300 million US dollars, the authority closed down Unit 3 in December 2000, marking the permanent shut-down of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station.

A recent picture of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station.
(Source: Vadim Mouchkin/IAEA)