Rostekhnadzor extends usage life of Smolensk NPP unit #1 for 10 yrs
MOSCOW. Dec 25 (Interfax) - Russia's Federal Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Oversight Agency (Rostekhnadzor) has extended the working lifespan of generating unit #1 at the Smolensk nuclear power plant (NPP) for ten years to December 25, 2022, a statement issued by the NPP's public information center says.
Unit #1 has undergone reconstruction and modernization, and its safety was confirmed by experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2011.
At present, the first and second generating units at Smolensk NPP are operating at nominal capacity. Unit #3 has been taken offline for five days of maintenance on its circulation loop until December 29.
The NPP runs three generating units with RBMK-1000 reactors of 1000 mWt capacity each and built in 1982, 1985, and 1990.
State nuclear power corporation Rosatom has estimate that the modernization of the units will make it possible to extending their working life for 15-20 years.
