In connection with the plant’s upcoming celebration of its 35-year anniversary Mr. Yuri Kolomtsev says to B-port.com that the construction of the plant might be speeded up and completed before year 2017. The plant will provide power for the Shtokman project in the Barents Sea, he confirms.
A site located 10 km from the existing NPP is reserved for construction works and all construction licenses are prepared. A road to the site is currently under construction. A decision on the type of reactor has not yet been taken, Mr. Kolomtsev says.
Rosatom, the owner of Russia’s nine nuclear power plants, has previously stated that the Kola NPP-2 will be built and completed in 2017. As BarentsObserver previously reported, an agreement on the issue was recently signed by Rosatom and the Murmansk regional administration.
Meanwhile, the Kola Nuclear Power Plant is also applying for an extended service license for the oldest of its four reactors. Environmentalists protest the decision saying that the 35 year old reactor poses a threat against environment. The Kola NPP in 2003 got a license for 5-year extended service life of the reactor.
