Russia’s nuclear utility Rosenergoatom (part of state nuclear corporation Rosatom) plans to suspend the unfinished construction of the Baltic nuclear plant in Kaliningrad for a period of five years and in 2019 proposes to spend almost RUB465 million ($7.37m) for this purpose, according to a draft document published on the website of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
The Baltic nuclear plant project originally involved the construction of two VVER reactors with a capacity of at least 1170MWe each, intended for commissioning in 2016 and 2018. It was expected that the power produced by the plant would be exported to the surrounding region. However, in 2013, construction of the station was suspended when neighbouring European states made it clear that they would not buy the electricity. Rosatom then suspended the project to review its technical features, including the possibility of building small reactors at the site.
Rosatom continued negotiations with European companies on the possibility of power exports; the project is being refocused on the plant's operation within the united grid of the Baltics and North-West Russia.
Officials said that, although the project has been suspended, it had not been abandoned. Equipment manufacture under existing contracts continued, and the equipment is being stored in 10 special warehouses on the construction site. The site drainage system is already in place.
