Minatom has said that construction of a new fast breeder power plant in the south Urals has been postponed for financial reasons.
The announcement comes just two months after nuclear officials in the region said the project to construct three units, each with BN-800 reactors, would restart shortly. The project was halted in 1989 in the wake of financial problems and public reaction to Chernobyl, although $270 million had already been invested.
Minatom points out that resumption of the project was not included in its latest nuclear power development programme, which foresees a considerable increase in nuclear capacity over the next 20 years.
However, it also plans to start building a fourth unit at Beloyarsk, with construction due to continue in 2001. Foundations have already been laid.
