Third unit at Kursk II gets approval from Rostekhnadzor

Thursday, 6 March 2025

Kursk II is a new nuclear power plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border, that will feature four VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a higher power rating of 3300 MWt that enables them to generate 1300 MWe gross. Construction of the first unit began in 2018, its polar crane was installed in October 2021 and the reactor vessel was put in place in June 2022. Concreting of the outer dome of the first unit was completed in August 2023. The second unit is also under construction.

The new units will replace the four units at the existing, nearby Kursk nuclear power plant, which are scheduled to have shut by 2031. The first unit was shut down after 45 years of operation in December 2021. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.

Kursk NPP Director Alexander Uvakin said: "We have substantiated and proven that the placement of power unit No.3 with a VVER-TOI reactor complies with Russian standards and regulations in the field of nuclear energy use. The project has worked out all aspects of safety in detail ... an analysis of the current and predicted state of the area where the sites will be located allows us to assess all power units of Kursk NPP-2 as environmentally safe."

Alexander Khazin, Advisor to the President of JSC ASE, said: "The presence of a placement licence allows us to begin the preparatory period of construction. Considering that almost the entire territory is located within the existing land allotment of Rosenergoatom, this will help preserve valuable agricultural and forest lands. Also, there are no historical and cultural monuments or specially protected natural sites within its boundaries."