Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Preparations are now underway in Russia to build new power units in the Leningrad and Smolensk Regions. The corresponding decision was signed by Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom State Atomic Corporation Director General.

Сommenting on this decision, Likhachev said: “The Russian nuclear power industry has approached this stage with newly developed types of NPPs – the VVER-1200 and VVER-TOI. These projects are being successfully implemented in Russia, and VVER-1200 is also implemented abroad. They were designed according to the latest achievements and developments that meet all current international safety requirements”.

These facilities are included in Russia’s General scheme of electricity facility placement until 2035, approved by the Russian Government. JSC Rosenergoatom, part of Rosatom State Corporation, will be both the developer and technical coordinator of the investment projects.

The first stage of Leningrad NPP-2 construction serves as a reference project for the new units of the Leningrad NPP. The VVER-TOI project similar to the one that is under construction at Kursk NPP-2 will be implemented in Smolensk.

“The new power units will replace the units with RBMK-1000 reactors, whose service life will end in the next decade. According to preliminary estimates, their construction will create up to 15 thousand new jobs, provide regular tax revenues to regional and local budgets,” said Andrei Petrov, Director General of JSC Rosenergoatom.

By the end of this year, a preliminary work implementation project will be carried out at the construction site of new power units № 3 and № 4 with VVER-1200 reactors of the Leningrad NPP-2. Temporary household construction camps and an industrial base are planned to be built. Over the 2020-2022 period, public hearings will be held regarding license justification and an assessment of the environmental impact of units 3 and 4. Construction project evaluation has to be carried out until 2022.

The new Smolensk NPP-2 power units with VVER-TOI reactors with a total capacity of 2 510 MW will be built 6 km away from the NPP’s existing power units. By the end of 2020 it is planned to prepare and approve an action plan of the «Smolensk NPP-2 power units № 1, 2» investment project and start the project financing process in accordance with this plan.