After major repairs the operational time of the first reactor unit can be prolonged for 13-15 years more. The design lifetime of the reactor expires in 2003. It will be finally clear after the appropriate evaluations of the unit’s current condition which will be done by the specialists of the Russian State Nuclear Regulatory, Karl Rendel, press-secretary of the Leningrad nuclear power plant, said.

Reactor unit no. 1was started in 1973. The fourth unit is also under repairs now, but, unlike the first unit, it undergoes just general maintenance works. It will be launched in November 2000 before the winter, Karl Rendel said.

The repairs on the nuclear installations is a part of the general program of the Leningrad NPP upgrade. The program includes prolongation of the lifetime for the four operating RBMK type reactors and commissioning of a new MKR-1000 type reactor. The completion of the upgrade program is scheduled to be over by 2002. The price tag for the program is $900 million. 20 per cent of the funds were provided by Leningrad NPP, the rest comes from various sources, including Western assistance programs.

Leningrad nuclear power station operates four nuclear power installations with RBMK-1000 type reactors.