On March 20, 2025, a significant step was taken in the construction of the reactor building for Unit 4 of the Leningrad-2 nuclear power plant , with the pouring of the first concrete. This progress is part of a national energy capacity renewal program carried out by Rosenergoatom, a subsidiary of Rosatom , Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation.
Pouring ceremony with international participation
Representatives from several international nuclear power plants participated virtually in the pouring ceremony, including projects in Belarus, Egypt, and Bangladesh, which are also developing units with Russian VVER-1200 reactors. These reactor technologies have been instrumental in energy support and international nuclear development, with a particular emphasis on energy safety and efficiency.
Andrey Petrov, First Deputy Director General of Rosatom’s Nuclear Energy Department, emphasized that the start of this construction marks the beginning of a new unit at the Leningrad plant and furthers the Russian government’s main objective of increasing the share of nuclear energy in the national energy mix, aiming for greater efficiency and accessibility of clean energy for Russian citizens.
About the Leningrad nuclear power plant
The Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant is one of Russia’s largest, with an installed capacity of 4,400 MW. It is the only plant in the country to use two types of reactors: two RBMK-1000 units (uranium-graphite channel reactors) and two Gen III+ VVER-1200 units (water-cooled, moderated reactors, with an electrical capacity of 1,200 MW each).
RBMK units 1 and 2 were shut down for decommissioning after 45 years of operation, and were replaced by two VVER units in 2018 and 2021. The planned lifespan of these units is 60 years, with the possibility of extending it for an additional 20 years. Construction began in 2022 on units 3 and 4 with VVER-1200 reactors, which will replace the plant’s aging RBMK reactors. Once operational, each new unit is expected to produce over 8.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually .
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Source and photos: Rosatom
