Site now being prepared for second stage of Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant

VORONEZH. Aug 21 (Interfax) - Vertical planning has begun at the site allocated for the second stage of the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant near Desnogorsk, the state Rosenergoatom concern said.

"Preparation of the site for construction of new Smolensk NPP-2 power units is underway," it said.

A temporary modular construction camp is currently being built there.

"According to preliminary estimates, more than 700 billion rubles will be invested in the project. Thousands of personnel will be needed. The general contractor will probably hire local organizations to ensure construction proceeds rapidly," Pavel Lubensky, director of the Smolensk NPP, was quoted as saying.

Installation of the infrastructure will begin in 2025.

As reported, two power units should be commissioned, one in 2033 and the other in 2035.

Smolensk NPP-2 will have two Generation 3+ VVER type units with total installed electric capacity of 2400 MW, with possible expansion to four units. The purpose of the construction is to replace existing Smolensk NPP capacity that is phased out. In time, the Smolensk NPP-2 design should become the standard for the construction of new power units in Russia, and some of the technical solutions adopted for power units No. 1 and No. 2 of NPP-2 will be optimized to ensure the NPP design is competitive abroad.

The existing Smolensk NPP is a Rosenergoatom branch and operates three 1000 MW units with RBMK type reactors. The first unit was commissioned in 1982 and has had its lifetime extended until 2027. The second unit has a permit to operate until May 29, 2025 and the third until December 14, 2034.

The plant supplies 20 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year on average, more than 75% of all electricity generated in the Smolensk region.