atw Special Issue 25 Years Chernobyl - Retrospection, Status Quo, Outlook

26 April 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor accident, the worst accident in the history of the peaceful utilisation of nuclear power. Since then, many investigations have been carried out and numerous papers have been published. While investigations of the course of events and the causes of the accident largely present a uniform picture, descriptions still vary widely when it comes to the impact on the population and the environment. This paper about the Chernobyl accident constitutes a summary of facts about the initiation of the accident and the sequence of events that followed. In addition, measures are described which were taken to exclude any repetition of a disaster of this kind. The health consequences and the socio- economic impact of the accident are not discussed in detail.