List of Russian NPPs. How many nuclear power plants in Russia

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Nuclear physics, which emerged as a science after the discovery in 1986 of the phenomenon of radioactivity by scientists A. Becquerel and M. Curie, became the basis of not only nuclear weapons, but also the nuclear industry.

Beginning of nuclear research in Russia

Already in 1910, the Radium Commission was established in St. Petersburg, which included well-known physicists N. N. Beketov, A. P. Karpinsky, V. I. Vernadsky.

The study of the processes of radioactivity with the release of internal energy was carried out at the first stage of the development of nuclear power in Russia, in the period from 1921 to 1941. Then the possibility of neutron capture by protons was proved, the possibility of a nuclear reaction by fission of uranium nuclei was theoretically substantiated.

Under the leadership of I. V. Kurchatov, employees of institutes of various departments have already carried out specific work on the implementation of a chain reaction in the fission of uranium.

The period of creation of atomic weapons in the USSR

By 1940, vast statistical and practical experience had been accumulated, which allowed scientists to propose to the country's leadership the technical use of huge intra-atomic energy. In 1941, the first cyclotron was built in Moscow, which made it possible to systematically study the excitation of nuclei by accelerated ions. At the beginning of the war, the equipment was transported to Ufa andKazan, followed by employees.

By 1943, a special laboratory of the atomic nucleus appeared under the leadership of I. V. Kurchatov, the purpose of which was to create a nuclear uranium bomb or fuel.

The use of atomic bombs by the United States in August 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki set a precedent for this country's monopoly possession of superweapons and, accordingly, forced the USSR to speed up work on creating its own atomic bomb.

The result of organizational measures was the launch of Russia's first uranium-graphite nuclear reactor in the village of Sarov (Gorky region) in 1946. The first nuclear controlled reaction was carried out at the F-1 test reactor.

The industrial plutonium enrichment reactor was built in 1948 in Chelyabinsk. In 1949, a nuclear plutonium charge was tested at the test site in Semipalatinsk.

This stage has become preparatory in the history of domestic nuclear energy. And already in 1949, design work began on the creation of a nuclear power plant.

In 1954, the world's first (demonstration) nuclear plant of relatively small capacity (5 MW) was launched in Obninsk.

An industrial dual-purpose reactor, where, in addition to generating electricity, weapons-grade plutonium was also produced, was launched in the Tomsk Region (Seversk) at the Siberian Chemical Plant.

Russian nuclear industry: types of reactors

The nuclear power industry of the USSR was originally focused onuse of high power reactors:

• Channel thermal reactor RBMK (high power channel reactor); fuel - slightly enriched uranium dioxide (2%), reaction moderator - graphite, coolant - boiling water, purified from deuterium and tritium (light water).
• VVER reactor (water-cooled power reactor) on thermal neutrons, enclosed in a pressurized vessel, fuel - uranium dioxide with an enrichment of 3-5%, moderator - water, it is also a coolant.
• BN-600 - fast neutron reactor, fuel - enriched uranium, coolant - sodium. The only industrial reactor of this type in the world. Installed at the Beloyarsk station.
• EGP - thermal neutron reactor (energy heterogeneous loop), operates only at the Bilibino NPP. It differs in that the overheating of the coolant (water) occurs in the reactor itself. Recognized as unpromising.

A total of 33 power units with a total capacity of more than 2,300 MW are currently in operation at ten nuclear power plants in Russia:

• with VVER reactors - 17 units;
• with RMBC reactors – 11 units;
• with BN reactors – 1 block;
• with EGP reactors - 4 units.

List of NPPs in Russia and Union Republics: commissioning period from 1954 to 2001

1. 1954, Obninskaya, Obninsk, Kaluga region. Purpose - demonstration-industrial. Reactor type - AM-1. Stopped in 2002
2. 1958, Siberian, Tomsk-7 (Seversk), Tomsk region. Purpose - production of weapons-grade plutonium, additional heat and hot waterfor Seversk and Tomsk. Type of reactors - EI-2, ADE-3, ADE-4, ADE-5. Completely shut down in 2008 by agreement with the US.
3. 1958, Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk-27 (Zheleznogorsk). Reactor types - ADE, ADE-1, ADE-2. Purpose - the production of weapons-grade plutonium, heat for the Krasnoyarsk Mining and Processing Plant. The final stop occurred in 2010 under an agreement with the United States.
4. 1964, Beloyarsk NPP, Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region. Reactor types - AMB-100, AMB-200, BN-600, BN-800. AMB-100 stopped in 1983, AMB-200 - in 1990. Active.
5. 1964, Novovoronezh NPP. Reactor type - VVER, five units. The first and second are stopped. Status – active.
6. 1968, Dimitrovogradskaya, Melekess (Dimitrovograd since 1972), Ulyanovsk region. The types of installed research reactors are MIR, SM, RBT-6, BOR-60, RBT-10/1, RBT-10/2, VK-50. Reactors BOR-60 and VK-50 generate additional electricity. The suspension period is constantly extended. Status is the only station with research reactors. Estimated closure - 2020.
7. 1972, Shevchenkovskaya (Mangyshlakskaya), Aktau, Kazakhstan. BN reactor, shut down in 1990.
8. 1973, Kola NPP, Polyarnye Zori, Murmansk region. Four VVER reactors. Status – active.
9. 1973, Leningradskaya, City of Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region. Four RMBK-1000 reactors (the same as at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant). Status – active.
10. 1974. Bilibino NPP, Bilibino, Chukotka Autonomous Territory. Reactor types - AMB (nowstopped), BN and four EGP. Active.
11. 1976. Kursk, Kurchatov, Kursk region Four RMBK-1000 reactors have been installed. Active.
12. 1976. Armenian, Metsamor, Armenian SSR. Two VVER units, the first one was stopped in 1989, the second one is in operation.
13. 1977. Chernobyl, Chernobyl, Ukraine. Four RMBK-1000 reactors have been installed. The fourth block was destroyed in 1986, the second block was stopped in 1991, the first - in 1996, the third - in 2000
14. 1980. Rivne, Kuznetsovsk, Rivne region, Ukraine. Three units with VVER reactors. Active.
15. 1982. Smolenskaya, Desnogorsk, Smolensk region, two units with RMBK-1000 reactors. Active.
16. 1982. South Ukrainian NPP, Yuzhnoukrainsk, Nikolaev region, Ukraine. Three VVER reactors. Active.
17. 1983. Ignalina, Visaginas (formerly Ignalina district), Lithuania. Two RMBC reactors. Stopped in 2009 at the request of the European Union (when joining the EEC).
18. 1984 Kalinin NPP, Udomlya, Tver region Two VVER reactors. Active.
19. 1984 Zaporozhye, Energodar, Ukraine. Six units per VVER reactor. Active.
20. 1985 Balakovo, Balakovo, Saratov region Four VVER reactors. Active.
21. 1987. Khmelnitsky, Netishyn, Khmelnitsky region, Ukraine. One VVER reactor. Active.
22. 2001. Rostov (Volgodonsk), Volgodonsk, Rostov region By 2014, two units are operating at VVER reactors. Two units under construction.

Nuclear energy after the accident atChernobyl NPP

1986 was a fatal year for the industry. The consequences of the man-made disaster turned out to be so unexpected for mankind that the closure of many nuclear power plants became a natural impulse. The number of nuclear power plants around the world has decreased. Not only domestic stations, but also foreign ones, being built according to the projects of the USSR, were stopped.

List of Russian nuclear power plants whose construction was mothballed:

• Gorkovskaya AST (heating plant);
• Crimean;
• Voronezh AST.

List of Russian NPPs canceled at the design stage and preparatory earthworks:

• Arkhangelsk;
• Volgograd;
• Far Eastern;
• Ivanovskaya AST (heating plant);
• Karelian NPP and Karelian-2 NPP;
• Krasnodar.

Abandoned nuclear power plants in Russia: reasons

The location of the construction site on a tectonic fault - this reason was indicated by official sources during the conservation of the construction of Russian nuclear power plants. The map of seismically intense territories of the country singles out the Crimea-Caucasus-Kopetdag zone, Baikal rift, Altai-Sayan, Far East and Amur.

From this point of view, the construction of the Crimean station (readiness of the first unit - 80%) was started really unreasonably. The real reason for the conservation of other energy facilities as expensive was the unfavorable situation - the economic crisis in the USSR. At that time, they were mothballed (literally thrown to be plundered)many industrial facilities, despite high readiness.

Rostov NPP: resumption of construction against public opinion

The construction of the station was started back in 1981. And in 1990, under pressure from the active public, the regional Council decided to mothball the construction site. The readiness of the first block at that time was already 95%, and the 2nd - 47%.

Eight years later, in 1998, the original project was adjusted, the number of blocks was reduced to two. In May 2000, construction was resumed, and already in May 2001, the first block was included in the power grid. Starting next year, the construction of the second one was resumed. The final launch was postponed several times, and only in March 2010 it was connected to the power system of the Russian Federation.

Rostov NPP: Unit 3

In 2009, a decision was made to develop the Rostov nuclear power plant with the installation of four more units based on VVER reactors.

Given the current situation, Rostov NPP should become the supplier of electricity to the Crimean peninsula. Unit 3 in December 2014 was connected to the power system of the Russian Federation so far with a minimum capacity. By mid-2015, it is planned to start its commercial operation (1011 MW), which should reduce the risk of shortages of electricity from Ukraine to Crimea.

Nuclear energy in the modern Russian Federation

By the beginning of 2015, all nuclear power plants in Russia (operating and under construction) are branches of the Rosenergoatom concern. Crisis phenomena in the industry withdifficulties and losses were overcome. By the beginning of 2015, 10 nuclear power plants are operating in the Russian Federation, 5 ground-based and one floating station are under construction.

List of Russian NPPs operating at the beginning of 2015:

• Beloyarskaya (beginning of operation - 1964).
• Novovoronezh NPP (1964).
• Kola NPP (1973).
• Leningradskaya (1973).
• Bilibinskaya (1974).
• Kursk (1976).
• Smolenskaya (1982).
• Kalinin NPP (1984).
• Balakovskaya (1985).
• Rostov (2001).

Russian NPPs under construction

B altic NPP, Neman, Kaliningrad region. Two units based on VVER-1200 reactors. Construction started in 2012. Start-up in 2017, reaching design capacity in 2018

It is planned that the B altic NPP will export electricity to European countries: Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia. The sale of electricity in the Russian Federation will be made through the Lithuanian energy system.

• Beloyarsk NPP-2, Zarechny, Sverdlovsk Region, at the operating site. One block is based on the BN-800 reactor. The launch, originally planned for 2014, was postponed due to shortages from Ukraine due to the political events of 2014.
• Leningrad NPP-2, Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region. Four-block station based on VVER-1200 reactors. It will be a substitute for LNPP (Leningradskaya). The first block is planned to be commissioned in 2015, the subsequent ones - in 2017, 2018, 2019.respectively.
• Novovoronezh NPP-2 in Novovoronezh, Voronezh Region, not far from the current one. It will be a substitute, it is planned to build four units, the first - on the basis of VVER-1200 reactors, the next - VVER-1300. The start of reaching the design capacity is in 2015 (for the first block).



• Rostov (see above).

World Nuclear Power at a Glance

Almost all nuclear power plants in Russia have been built in the European part of the country. The map of the planetary location of nuclear power plants shows the concentration of objects in the following four regions: Europe, the Far East (Japan, China, Korea), the Middle East, Central America. According to the IAEA, about 440 nuclear reactors were operating in 2014.

Nuclear plants are concentrated in the following countries:

• US nuclear power plants generate 836.63 billion kWh/year;
• in France – 439.73 billion kWh/year;
• in Japan – 263.83 billion kWh/year;
• in Russia – 160.04 billion kWh/year;
• in Korea - 142.94 billion kWh/year;
• in Germany – 140.53 billion kWh/year.