Russia’s Federal Service for Ecological, Technological & Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) has issued a licence allowing unit 2 at the Smolensk NPP to operate for an additional 5-five years. Rostekhnadzor confirmed the unit’s compliance with all modern standards and requirements. This will give the unit a total operating life of at least 45 years compared with its design life of 30 years.
Smolensk NPP comprises three RBMK reactors, all nearing the end of their design life. The first unit was commissioned in 1982 and has had its lifetime extended until 2027. The second unit’s permit, which expired on 29 May 2025, has now been extended to 2030 and the third unit’s permit expires on 14 December 2034. A replacement NPP, Smolensk-II is being built 6 km away from the existing plant. In January, the Russian Government approved the general layout of electric power facilities until 2042, which included the first two units of the Smolensk-II NPP. Russia’s Titan-2 is to build these units, which will feature VVER-TOI reactors. The first unit is scheduled for completion by 2032, with the second following in 2034.
“The second power unit has been operating for 30 years, stipulated by the project, and 10 years in an additional period after a large–scale modernisation and obtaining a licence from Rostechnadzor,” said Pavel Lubensky, Director of the Smolensk NPP. “Now we have received the right to operate the nuclear installation for another five years, having proved the operability of its irreplaceable elements, which means that it is possible to provide consumers with about 35 GWh of electricity, fulfil obligations to produce isotope products for industry and nuclear medicine, and continue systematic work on the construction of replacement facilities at Smolensk NPP-2 with two power units. VVER-1200 for generations 3+.”
The Smolensk NPP has been implementing a project to modernise unit 2 and prepare it for an additional operational period since 2006. During this time, an in-depth safety assessment report has been developed, work has been carried out to assess the technical condition of all elements and systems, and large-scale measures have been implemented to modernize and replace them. Before issuing the licence, Rostechnadzor experts carried out an inspection in several areas at once – in the field of nuclear, radiation and technical safety, assessed measures to modernise and replace expired equipment, elements, systems, as well as the readiness of personnel to operate the upgraded equipment and concluded that the actual condition of power unit 2 fully complies with the documents. justifying the safety.
In 2024-2025, Rosenergoatom received licences from Rostechnadzor for an additional period of operation of unit 3 of the Beloyarsk NPP (for 15 years) and unit 3 of the Leningrad NPP (for five years). Licences to extend the operation of Leningrad 4 and Kalinin 1 are expected by the end of this year. The additional output from extending the service life of power units is estimated at 1,335 GWh, which is approximately the amount Russia consumes each year.
