On March 20, 2025, the first concrete was poured for the foundation of the reactor building at Unit 4 of Leningrad NPP-2. The construction is part of the capacity replacement program at the plant, a subsidiary of Rosenergoatom, Rosatom’s Electric Power Division.
Representatives from the Belarusian NPP, El Dabaa NPP (Egypt), and Rooppur NPP (Bangladesh) participated in the first concrete ceremony via videoconference. These countries have power units with reference Russian VVER-1200 reactors that they have constructed or are constructing with the support of Rosatom. During the ceremony, nuclear specialists from partner nations shared updates on their projects in 2024 and extended their best wishes for the successful completion of the new units at Leningrad NPP.
“This is not just the start of a new unit construction at the Leningrad NPP-2. This is another step towards the major national goal of increasing the share of peaceful nuclear energy in the national energy mix. Rosatom faces significant challenges in this regard. As early as this year, we will start constructing replacement power generation facilities at the Smolensk and Kola NPPs and complete engineering surveys for a fourth-generation unit at Beloyarsk NPP in the Sverdlovsk region. Over the next two decades, Rosatom will work at new sites in Siberia, the Ural region, and the Far East. These new nuclear projects will provide more Russian citizens with access to clean energy,” said Andrey Petrov, First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, President of ASE JSC (Rosatom’s Engineering Division).
Notably, commencement of Unit 4’s main construction phase coincides with the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry. Over the past eight decades, the industry has achieved significant milestones, from ensuring national security through nuclear technology to advancing nuclear medicine.
“Nuclear power has come a long way – from the world’s first 5 MW power plant to modern units with capacities of up to 1,200 MW. These achievements are the result of dedicated efforts of many professionals,” said Alexander Shutikov, Director General of Rosenergoatom. “I would like to acknowledge the team working on the new Leningrad power units. Their expertise, teamwork, and commitment enabled us to begin laying the foundation for Unit 4 ahead of schedule – a task of national importance. A similar milestone was also achieved ahead of schedule for Unit 3 in 2024.”
Reference
Rosatom’s Electric Power division is the major producer of clean energy in Russia. The division’s management company, Rosenergoatom, Joint-Stock Company, operates 11 nuclear power plants, including the world’s only floating nuclear power plant (FNPP). 35 power units with a combined capacity of 28.5 gigawatts account for approximately 19% of the electricity generated in Russia. The division offers a comprehensive range of services, including commissioning, repair and maintenance, as well as training personnel of nuclear power plants. Additionally, the division’s companies produce isotopes for medical, agricultural, and microelectronic applications. The division is actively working in new areas such as the development of charging infrastructure for e-vehicles, biogas stations, and the manufacturing of industrial robots. www.rosenergoatom.ru
Leningrad NPP is one of the largest nuclear power plants in Russia with an installed capacity of 4,400 MW. It is the only plant in the country operating reactors of two different types: two RBMK-1000 units (uranium-graphite channel-type reactors) and two Gen III+ VVER-1200 units (water-moderated water-cooled reactors with an electrical capacity of 1,200 MW each). The RBMK units 1 and 2 were shut down for decommissioning after 45 years of operation and replaced with two VVER units in 2018 and 2021. Their design service life is 60 years with the potential for a 20-year extension. Construction of units 3 and 4 with VVER-1200 reactors commenced in 2022 to replace the ageing RBMK reactors at the plant. Upon commissioning, each new unit is expected to generate over 8.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
For over half a century, Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant has been a reliable source of energy supply for the northwestern region. Since 1973, its power units have generated over 1.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The plant currently supplies more than 50% of the electricity consumed in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, accounting for 35% of total electricity generation in the entire Northwestern Federal District.
The Engineering Division of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom unites the leading companies of the nuclear industry, namely: Atomstroyexport JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, branch offices in Russia and abroad), Joint Design Institute – Atomenergoproekt JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and St. Petersburg branch offices and design institutes, branch offices in Russia and abroad, R&D branches) and subsidiary construction companies. The Engineering Division ranks first in the world by the order portfolio and the number of NPPs constructed simultaneously across the world. About 80 % of the Division’s revenues originate from foreign projects.
The Engineering Division implements construction projects for high-power NPPs in Russia and across the world, renders a full range of EPC, EP, EPC(M) services including project management and design activities, and develops Multi-D technologies for the management of complex engineering facilities. The Division relies on the achievements of the Russian nuclear industry and modern cutting-edge technologies.
We construct reliable and safe NPPs with 3+Gen VVER reactors that are in line with all international requirements and recommendations. www.ase-ec.ru
The general contractor for the Leningrad NPP-2 construction is TITAN-2, a Russian construction holding.
