Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant | |
Country: | Russia |
Coordinates: | 52.0911°N 47.9553°W |
Operator: | Rosenergoatom |
Construction Began: | December 1, 1980 |
Commissioned: | May 23, 1986 |
Np Reactor Type: | VVER |
Ps Units Operational: | 4 x 1,000 MW |
Ps Units Uc: | 1 x 1,000 MW |
Ps Electrical Capacity: | 4,000 |
Ps Annual Generation: | 29,062 |
Ps Electrical Cap Fac: | 82.9% |
Status: | O |
Balakovo nuclear power station (Russian: Балаковская АЭС|Balakovskaya AES [{{Audio|Ru-Балаковская атомная электростанция.ogg|pronunciation}}]) is located in the city of Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia, about 900km (600miles) south-east of Moscow. It consists of four operational reactors; a fifth unit is still under construction. Owner and operator of the nuclear power station is Rosenergoatom.
Balakovo NPP participates in a twinning program between nuclear power stations in Europe and Russia; since 1990 it has been in partnership with Biblis Nuclear Power Plant.[1]
The Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant has four operating units:
Unit[2] | Reactor type | Net capacity | Gross capacity | Construction started | Electricity grid | Commercial operation | Shutdown |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balakovo-1 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1980-12-01 | 1985-12-28 | 1986-05-23 | 2045 planned |
Balakovo-2 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1981-08-01 | 1987-10-08 | 1988-01-12 | 2043 planned[3] |
Balakovo-3 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1982-11-01 | 1988-12-25 | 1989-04-08 | 2048 planned[4] |
Balakovo-4 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1984-04-01 | 1993-05-12 | 1993-12-22 | 2053 planned |
Balakovo-5 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1987-04-01 | - | - | Construction suspended 1992-12-28 |
Balakovo-6 | VVER-1000/320 | 950 MW | 1,000 MW | 1988-05-01 | - | - | Construction suspended 1992-12-28 |
In 2018 Rosatom announced it had developed a thermal annealing technique for reactor pressure vessels which ameliorates radiation damage and extends service life by between 15 and 30 years. This had been demonstrated on unit 1.[5]
On 27 June 1985 during startup of the first reactor unit, a human error (later attributed to inexperience and haste) unexpectedly opened a pressurizer relief valve, and 300C steam caused an explosion of the turbine and entered the staff work area. Fourteen people were killed.[6] This event is cited as one of the predecessors of the Chernobyl disaster.[7]