The Leningrad plant plans to invest $151 million on modernising its first and second reactors (1000MWe RBMK units) by 2005. The cash will be raised from extra electricity sales.
Northwest Russia expects to face power shortages by 2005 and unit 1, which was commissioned in 1973, would have to be removed from service in 2003 if it was not upgraded. The modernisation programme will keep it in operation until 2008. Modernising all four units will cost more than $746 million. Half of this sum has already been invested in upgrading electronic and automatic systems. The restart of unit 4 was postponed from November 2000 to 28 May 2001 because of lack of funds.
