The Long Shadow of Chernobyl
A LONG-TERM PROJECT BY GERD LUDWIG
THE CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
On 26 April 1986, at 1:23 am, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s reactor #4 blew up after operators had botched a safety test, triggering an explosion and a fire that burned for 10 days. The radioactive fallout spread over tens of thousands of square kilometers, driving more than a quarter of a million people permanently from their homes. Up to this very day, the long shadow of Chornobyl continues to darken lives – socially, environmentally, and physically.
The failed Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant sits at the core of a restricted area commonly known as the Exclusion Zone. Radioactive remnants continued to smolder inside the so-called sarcophagus, a concrete and steel encasement hastily erected after the accident. Only intended to be temporary, it was leaky and structurally unsound. Scientists agreed that it will ultimately give way, shaking loose enough radioactivity to cause a second disaster of even greater magnitude. For years, desperate efforts were underway to shore up the sarcophagus and protect its roof from collapsing.
“In 2005, an easing of the bureaucratic barriers helped me to venture deeper into the reactor than any western still photographer. After donning my protective gear, state-of-the-art Geiger counter, dosimeters, and an extra layer of 3-4 mm thick plastic overalls, I followed a group of six workers into the belly of the beast. The workers, assigned to drill holes in the concrete to stabilize the roof, additionally wore gas masks and oxygen tanks. We had to move fast. The radiation levels in this area are so high that, despite our protective gear, access was limited to a maximum of 15 minutes per day.
It was the most challenging photographic situation I’ve ever encountered. The space was dark, loud, and claustrophobic; we rushed through dimly lit tunnels strewn with wires, pieces of shredded metal, and other debris, and I struggled not to trip; while photographing I needed to dodge the spray of sparks from the drillers in highly contaminated concrete dust; and I knew that I had less than 15 minutes to capture arresting images of an environment that few have ever seen, and that I might never access again. The adrenaline surge was extraordinary. To exacerbate the situation, after little more than halfway through the allotted shift, our Geiger counters and dosimeters began beeping – an eerie concert reminding us that our time was up. Torn between my natural instincts to survive and my desire as a photographer to stay longer, it was challenging to stay focused and work efficiently and fast, but without haste.”
– Gerd Ludwig
After long years of negotiations, the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at Chernobyl, constructed by the French consortium Novarka, was officially completed in 2019 at a cost of approximately €2.1 billion. This massive steel arch, weighing around 36,000 tons, stands 108 meters high and 260 across. In November 2016, the NSC was successfully slid into position over the existing sarcophagus, enclosing the remains of reactor 4. This structure is designed to contain approximately 200 tons of radioactive material, including molten nuclear fuel, thereby preventing the release of radioactive contaminants into the environment. The NSC also facilitates the future dismantling of the unstable original shelter and the management of radioactive waste, with a limited expected lifespan of at least 100 years.
On April 26, 1986, operators in this control room of reactor #4 at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant committed a fatal series of errors during a safety-test, triggering a reactor meltdown that resulted in the world’s largest nuclear accident to date.
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine 2011
Workers, wearing respirators and plastic suits for protection, can only pause briefly on their way to drill holes for support rods inside the sarcophagus. It is hazardous work: radiation is so high that they constantly need to monitor their Geiger counters and dosimeters and are allowed only one 15-minute stay in this space.
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine 2005
On April 26, 1986, at 1:23:58 a.m., a series of explosions destroyed the reactor in the building that housed Energy Block #4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station. The force of the explosions literally stopped time: the rusty clock inside this room in reactor #4 indicates the time of the explosion. Nearly 28 years later, radiation here is still so high that access is limited to a few brief seconds.
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine 2013
Although radiation levels only allowed for a few minutes of access, workers initially had to pass over hazardous ladders to a section underneath the melted core with life-threatening contamination. In order to facilitate faster access, a daunting hallway, called “the leaning staircase,” was erected.
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine 2011
From the rooftops of the nearby city of Pripyat, the first section of the New Safe Confinement can be seen. The New Safe Confinement, a 36,000-ton metal arc, 108 meters high and 256 meters wide, will eventually slide over the existing sarcophagus to allow deconstruction of the ailing shelter.
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine 2013