Statistics from Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant

Last year the employees of Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant went on strike twice. The demands of the strikers have not been met yet. By the end of January ’97 the employees received their salaries for December ’96. In connection to the poor economical situation of the employees the criminal statistics have been rising during the last years. According to the local newspaper of Sosnovy Bor – the closed town outside St. Petersburg which hosts the nuclear plant – the following items were stolen from Leningrad Power Plant territory:

Summer 1995:

237 meters of stainless steel tubes (cost approx. 17,000 US dollars);
Steam generators (weight above 100 tons, cost approx. 54,000 US dollars).

Summer 1996:

Stainless steel (cost approx. 32,000 US dollars);
Stainless steel (cost approx. 8,600 US dollars).

The territory of the Nuclear Plant is guarded by special troops. According to a special commission headed by the deputy police chief of St. Petersburg and Leningrad County Police Department, there were 21 criminal cases initiated against employees of Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant in 1995. They were accused of stealing, racketeering and possession of drugs and ammunition.

208 Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant employees were punished for different violations of the Civilian Code in the first half of 1996. During the same period 91 employees were detained by the police due to alcohol abuse.

Currently Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant runs on four ageing RBMK-1000 reactors. Current plans assume the construction of four new reactors of MKER-800 type and one of VVER-640 type.

References:

Green World, Nuclear News from the north-west Russia, No.16, February 8 1997.
Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia, North-Western Scientific and Industrial Centre of Nuclear Power, Sosnovy Bor, 1996.