Kola Nuclear Power Plant
Encyclopedia
The Kola Nuclear Power Plant ( []) also known as Kolsk NPP or Kolskaya NPP, is a nuclear power plant
in northern Russia.
s) at the Kola NPP went online in 1973 and 1974, respectively, and are part of Russia’s first generation of PWR reactors (the VVER 440/230 type). The Phase 2 (No. 3 and 4 reactor
s) went online in 1981 and 1984 with improved VVER 440/213 type.
Phase 1 reactors were designed to work for 30 years and were originally slated to be shut down in 2003 and 2004. However the shutdown did not happen. Instead, the operational life spans
of the reactors were extended, after massive safety upgrade effort that included about 200 safety systems upgrade projects and was financed in part by governments of Norway, Sweden, Finland and USA.
's energy. It is a similar type of reactor
to Finland's Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant
, which conforms to regulatory requirements
commonly considered to be the most stringent in the world.
that uses the same reactor type as Kola phase 1 reactors (VVER 440/230 type) operational since 1977, doesn't draw criticism from the same influence groups.
The license for phase 1 reactors five-year operation extensions, granted by the Russian Federation's civilian nuclear regulator Gosatomnadzor (FSETAN’s predecessor), were issued without conducting an obligatory state environmental impact
study. Conducting such federal level studies is mandated by the law "On Environmental Impact Studies" in Article 11.
The first extension for the old reactors was issued in summer 2003, almost precisely after former Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Andrei Malyshev was installed as Gosatomnadzor’s chief. He replaced Yury Vishnevsky at this post. Vishnevsky had been an outspoken critic
of the former Ministry of Atomic Energy, now known as the Federal Agency for Atomic energy, or Rosatom.
In April 2005, the Murmansk Regional Prosecutor issued a recommendation to resolve the violations surrounding the reactor life-span extensions and force regulatory bodies and Rosenergoatom, Russian's nuclear power plant operations conglomerate, to carry out the environmental impact studies. But none of this took place.
The Murmansk Prosecutors again ordered the state structures to fulfill the earlier order, but was again unsuccessful. Norway's Nature and Youth and Norway-based Bellona
’s "Environment and Rights" magazine first drew the attention of prosecutors to the illegality of prolonging the life-spans of the reactors in 2004.
Rostekhnadzor
subsequently issued a license for the fifteen year life extension of Unit 1 in June 2008, after further reviews, inspections and upgrade work.
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
in northern Russia.
History
The Phase 1 (No. 1 and 2 reactorNuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
s) at the Kola NPP went online in 1973 and 1974, respectively, and are part of Russia’s first generation of PWR reactors (the VVER 440/230 type). The Phase 2 (No. 3 and 4 reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
s) went online in 1981 and 1984 with improved VVER 440/213 type.
Phase 1 reactors were designed to work for 30 years and were originally slated to be shut down in 2003 and 2004. However the shutdown did not happen. Instead, the operational life spans
Service life
A product's service life is its expected lifetime, or the acceptable period of use in service. It is the time that any manufactured item can be expected to be 'serviceable' or supported by its manufacturer....
of the reactors were extended, after massive safety upgrade effort that included about 200 safety systems upgrade projects and was financed in part by governments of Norway, Sweden, Finland and USA.
Today
Kola NPP produces about half of all Murmansk OblastMurmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the northwestern part of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Murmansk.-Geography:...
's energy. It is a similar type of reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
to Finland's Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant
Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant
Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant , is a nuclear power plant located close to the Finnish city of Loviisa. It houses two Soviet-designed VVER-440/213 PWR reactors, each with a capacity of 488 MW....
, which conforms to regulatory requirements
Nuclear power in Finland
As of 2008, Finland's nuclear power program has four nuclear reactors in two power plants. The first of these came into operation in 1977. In 2007 they provided 28.4% of Finland's electricity. They are among the world's most productive, with average capacity factors of 94% in the 1990s...
commonly considered to be the most stringent in the world.
Reactor data
The Kola Nuclear Power Plant has four units:| Reactor type | Gross capacity |
Electricity Grid |
Shutdown | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kola-1 | VVER-440/230 | 411 MW Watt The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:... |
440 MW | 18.05.1969 | 29.06.1973 | 28.12.1973 | 2018 |
| Kola-2 | VVER-440/230 | 411 MW | 440 MW | 15.05.1969 | 08.12.1974 | 21.02.1975 | 2019 |
| Kola-3 | VVER-440/213 | 411 MW | 440 MW | 01.04.1977 | 24.03.1981 | 03.12.1982 | 2036 |
| Kola-4 | VVER-440/213 | 411 MW | 440 MW | 01.08.1976 | 11.10.1984 | 06.12.1984 | 2014 |
Campaign to close the station
Several Environment movement groups support media campaign to close Kola NPP citing safety concerns with Phase 1 reactors and alleged violations of Russian law during issue of operating permit extensions. For comparison, relatively closely located Finland's Loviisa Nuclear Power PlantLoviisa Nuclear Power Plant
Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant , is a nuclear power plant located close to the Finnish city of Loviisa. It houses two Soviet-designed VVER-440/213 PWR reactors, each with a capacity of 488 MW....
that uses the same reactor type as Kola phase 1 reactors (VVER 440/230 type) operational since 1977, doesn't draw criticism from the same influence groups.
The license for phase 1 reactors five-year operation extensions, granted by the Russian Federation's civilian nuclear regulator Gosatomnadzor (FSETAN’s predecessor), were issued without conducting an obligatory state environmental impact
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
study. Conducting such federal level studies is mandated by the law "On Environmental Impact Studies" in Article 11.
The first extension for the old reactors was issued in summer 2003, almost precisely after former Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy Andrei Malyshev was installed as Gosatomnadzor’s chief. He replaced Yury Vishnevsky at this post. Vishnevsky had been an outspoken critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
of the former Ministry of Atomic Energy, now known as the Federal Agency for Atomic energy, or Rosatom.
In April 2005, the Murmansk Regional Prosecutor issued a recommendation to resolve the violations surrounding the reactor life-span extensions and force regulatory bodies and Rosenergoatom, Russian's nuclear power plant operations conglomerate, to carry out the environmental impact studies. But none of this took place.
The Murmansk Prosecutors again ordered the state structures to fulfill the earlier order, but was again unsuccessful. Norway's Nature and Youth and Norway-based Bellona
Bellona Foundation
The Bellona Foundation is a multi-disciplinary international environmental NGO based in Oslo, Norway. Founded in 1986 by Frederic Hauge and Rune Haaland as a direct action protest group, it has since blossomed into a recognized technology and solution-oriented environmental champion with offices on...
’s "Environment and Rights" magazine first drew the attention of prosecutors to the illegality of prolonging the life-spans of the reactors in 2004.
Rostekhnadzor
Rostekhnadzor
Rostekhnadzor is the supervisory body of Russia on ecological, technological and nuclear issues....
subsequently issued a license for the fifteen year life extension of Unit 1 in June 2008, after further reviews, inspections and upgrade work.