France adds €30 million to Chornobyl protective arch repair, raising total contribution to €40 million
France added €30 million toward repairing the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s protective arch, bringing its total contribution to €40 million. At a donor conference in Paris on November 9, 15 donors confirmed commitments totaling €278 million. The EBRD estimates that full restoration will cost at least €500 million, leaving at least €222 million to be mobilized.
Key points
- France added €30 million, increasing its total contribution to €40 million
- France had previously provided €10 million for preliminary repair studies
- 15 donors confirmed commitments totaling €278 million
- Full restoration is estimated to cost at least €500 million
- At least €222 million remains to be mobilized
- The donor conference was held in Paris on November 9
- France, Ukraine and the EBRD co-chaired the conference
- The EBRD estimates full restoration should be completed by 2030 to reduce corrosion risks
Why it matters
The funding advances the restoration of the protective arch over the destroyed fourth reactor at Chornobyl. Donor commitments have reached €278 million, but the project requires at least €500 million, leaving a funding gap of at least €222 million. Restoration by 2030 is intended to reduce corrosion risks to the arch’s steel structures, while organizers aim to secure the full required amount by spring 2027.
What happened
France added €30 million to the repair effort for the Chornobyl protective arch, raising its total contribution to €40 million. The country had previously allocated €10 million for preliminary studies. At the donor conference in Paris on November 9, 15 donors confirmed commitments totaling €278 million. The conference was co-chaired by France, Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), with Ukraine’s Deputy Energy Minister Anatolii Kutsievol taking part.
According to the EBRD’s preliminary estimate, fully restoring the arch will cost at least €500 million. At least €222 million therefore still needs to be mobilized, and organizers target spring 2027 for that fundraising. The EBRD also estimates that the structure should be fully restored by 2030 to reduce the risk of corrosion to its steel elements.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage emphasizes Ukraine’s role in co-chairing the conference with France and the EBRD, as well as the damage caused by the February 2025 strike. It also focuses on the remaining funding gap and the 2030 deadline for completing restoration.
How international sources describe it
International coverage centers on France’s increased contribution and the broader donor conference process. Donors are presented collectively through their €278 million in pledged funding and the need to secure at least another €222 million. The repair is framed as a long-term safety effort involving cost estimates, fundraising deadlines and corrosion risks.
Background
A Russian drone struck the New Safe Confinement over the destroyed fourth reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant on February 14, 2025, damaging the arch’s inner and outer cladding and its safety systems. G7 countries announced in October that they intended to direct €260 million toward the repair. France, Ukraine and the EBRD co-chaired the donor conference in Paris on November 9.