G7 says Chernobyl shelter to be completed by Nov 2017

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's leading powers said on Wednesday a protective cover over the collapsed Chernobyl nuclear power plant would be completed by November 2017, although they were still short of funds to finish the project.

German Environment Minister Jochen Flasbarth said a meeting of the Group of Seven major economies had secured "concrete pledges" for 530 million euros ($590 million) of the remaining 650 million euros needed to complete the 'sarcophagus'.

He added that he was confident that countries including Russia and China would provide the rest of the money following promises by both to do so.

"I am very relieved, we have created a big success this afternoon," Flasbarth said. "It is now clear the international community takes responsibility. The problem that the work in Chernobyl might have been stopped for a while is off the table.

The explosion and fire at the Chernobyl plant on April 26, 1986 was the world's worst nuclear accident.

A power surge led to a series of blasts, which blew off the reactor's heavy steel and concrete lid sending a cloud of radioactive dust billowing across northern and western Europe, and as far as the eastern United States.

A make-shift cover was built in six months after the explosion to protect the environment from further radiation. But it was only expected to last a maximum of 30 years and has already had cracks repaired.

The new one, a convex structure, is being built over the original 'sarcophagus' and the hope is it will allow the old reactor to be dismantled.

(Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

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