The main construction period of the VVER-1200 unit will start in 2025, after the second phase of the construction project of the seventh and eighth units of the Leningrad NPP was approved.

At the construction site, the nuclear island pit of Unit 7 has been prepared and the turbine island pit is under construction. The license issued by Rosatom to its Rosenergoatom unit "entitles the eighth unit to start construction and installation work on 67 capital construction projects" under the national urban planning law.

Vladimir Pereguda, Director of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, said: “The main construction period of Unit 8 will begin in 2025. The first key operation is planned to be carried out this year – laying the foundation for the reactor building. According to the road map, Unit 8 of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant should be put into operation in 2032, nearly two years earlier than Unit 7. "

Leningrad NPP is one of the largest nuclear power plants in Russia, with an installed capacity of 4400 MWe. Leningrad 1 was closed in 2018 after 45 years of operation. Leningrad 2, also a 1000 MWe RBMK unit, was started up in 1975 and shut down permanently in November 2020. Following the shutdown of the first two of the plant's four RBMK-1000 units, a new VVER-1200 unit was started up at the neighboring Leningrad II plant. These fifth and sixth units (also known as Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2) have a service life of 60 years, ensuring power supply until the 2080s.

Rosatom stated that the project has received the necessary documents confirming its compliance with environmental requirements and legislation in the field of environmental protection, as well as the requirements of technical regulations in the field of nuclear, environmental and industrial safety. Editor/Xu Shengpeng