Public hearings at LNPP-2

Yevgeny Burlakov, Director of the Department of Development Projects and Nuclear Rectors of the Russian Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”

On Feb 7 2007 Sosnovy Bor will host public hearings of the materials on the possible ecological impacts and the future operation of Leningrad NPP-2. Two days before the hearings, Director of the Department of Development Projects and Nuclear Rectors of the Russian Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” Yevgeny Byrlakov comments on the project.

“Leningrad NPP is the first child of our nuclear power sector. Its 4 units were launched in 1981. LNPP was the biggest NPP – 4,000 MW – until Balakovo NPP was built.

LNPP is the biggest energy producer in the North-Western region. The Federal Target Program says that an LNPP-2 should be built. The first two units of LNPP were built in 1973 and 1976 and have exhausted their project resources. Today, the service periods of the first two units have already been prolonged for 15 years; the same will be done with the 3rd and 4th units. By 2026 all 4 units are to be stopped. That’s why we should preserve the capacities of LNPP by that time.

As I have already said, the Government has decided to build 4 new units near LNPP, almost on the same site with the same personnel, infrastructure and electric networks.

Today, the ecological situation in the nearby area is normal and it will hardly get worse after the building of the new plant. Today, we have even tougher ecological standards than they in Europe have, and the plant does not reach radiation security limits. The new WWER units will meet all ecological standards and will be even safer than the existing ones.

As a rule, the key obstacle to such project is the necessity to be a cooling pond. For LNPP the cooler is the water of the Gulf of Finland and this water will suffice for 100 and 1,000 units.

In my opinion, the new LNPP will have a very positive influence on the economy of the North-Western region.