RUSSIA
One third of Russia's nuclear power plants are to be upgraded to prolong their service life for another 15 years, according to Oleg Sarayev, president of Rosenergoatom. At present 11 of the company's 30 units are nearing the end of their design life.
Rosenergoatom has undertaken to extend the service life of first generation units 1 and 2 at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, units 1 and 2 at Kursk, units 1 and 2 at Kola, units 1 to 4 at Bilibino, and unit 4 at Novovoronezh within 15 years.
Some $600 million are required to extend the service life of five units over the next ten years at Novovoronezh, Kola, Kursk and Leningrad. Rosenergoatom has already completed similar work on unit 3 at Novovoronezh extending its service life to 2006 "but it has the potential to remain operational for another 15 years," Sarayev said. Work will now focus on unit 4 at Novovoronezh and should be completed by December 2002.
