Finally after all the delays the facility was put in operation at the Mayak plant in Ozersk, Chelyabinsk region in the South Urals. Its construction was launched back in 1995. A Russian-American joint executive group was managing the construction. The group consisted of the Russian Nuclear Ministry representatives, Mayak plant, VNIIPIET (St Petersburg), the South Ural Construction Department, the US Defense Ministry, US company Backtel. All-Russia Science Research Institute of Experimental Physics from Sarov was the science leader of the project. On December 10th, 2003, the Russian State Commission headed by nuclear vice-minister Ivan Kamenskih signed the official act of acceptance.

The facility consists of the module, two ventilation centres, an emergency diesel electric-power generator, a fire station, an administration building and a security service building. The facility can resist a plane crash, earthquake, and flood. The main module is made of concrete with 7meters thick walls and 8 meters thick lift slabs. The facility’s lifetime is 100 years and its price is $412m. The US Government paid the half of it. The fissile materials storage will be undergoing tests until the middle of 2004, then the loading operation will begin.