About $180m have been invested into the reconstruction of the first and the second unit of the Kola NPP. This sum covered 80 upgrade operation at the two reactors. The plant’s management claimes the units follow the world safety standards now, RIA Novosti reported. Units no.3 and 4 should be prepared for reconstruction in 2005. Moreover, the construction of the reprocessing facility for the liquid radioactive waste at the Kola NPP is going on now and is due to start operation this year. TACIS programme is sponsoring the facility, while German NUKEM manufactures it.

The Russian Government program on atomic industry development from 1998 to 2005 and until 2010 stipulates prolongation of the Russian reactors’ lifetime over its 30-years design lifetime.