Forty Years After the Chornobyl Accident: A Historical Overview of Post-Accident Response Measures

A.V. Nosovskyi

Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants, NAS of Ukraine, 12, Lysohirska St., Kyiv, 03028, Ukraine

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2594-3780

DOI: doi.org/10.31717/2311-8253.26.2.1

Abstract

Issues of nuclear safety gained particular prominence worldwide following the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP). The 1986 disaster raised profound doubts about the future development of nuclear energy. Addressing these concerns requires communicating to the broader public the views of specialists in nuclear energy – scientists, engineers, ecologists, and medical professionals – who possess essential knowledge about the technological, scientific, environmental, medical, and social challenges surrounding the nuclear industry, as well as possible ways to resolve them. A comprehensive understanding of nuclear energy must encompass not only its advantages – such as its contribution to global electricity production and its environmental benefits – but also its limitations, associated risks, and the challenges of managing radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Particularly valuable in this context is information on the measures undertaken to mitigate the consequences of the Chornobyl accident. Forty years have passed since the ChNPP disaster – an interval sufficient for a realistic assessment of the measures implemented and for summarizing decades of post-accident activities. This article reviews key historical facts related to the accident and presents the results of monitoring efforts aimed at transforming the Chornobyl “Shelter” into an environmentally safe system. The article also pays particular attention to the assessment of radiation doses received by liquidators and the affected population, as well as to the associated social aspects. In addition, it discusses prospects for the future development of the Exclusion Zone and draws attention to existing challenges that require further solutions.

Keywords: Chornobyl NPP; Shelter Object; New Safe Confinement; radiation dose; Exclusion Zone

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