Unit 5 of Ruissia’s Leningrad NPP (also known as unit 1 of Leningrad-II NPP) has been closed for a planned repair and maintenance outage that will last until the end of September. The work will involve the repair and engineering support personnel of the Leningrad NPP, as well as employees of the specialist organisation Atomenergoremont.

They will undertake inspection and maintenance of reactor and turbine equipment, security systems, diesel generator sets, lifting mechanisms. During the work, nuclear fuel will be completely removed from the reactor vessel. This is necessary to check the condition of the metal of the reactor vessel and its internal devices. After that, some of the used fuel cassettes will be replaced with fresh, fuel.

In addition, the pump units of the reactor unit and the data transfer system of the equipment of the automated process control system will be upgraded. Finally, specialists will test the containment of the reactor building using vacuum and overpressure tehcniques to confirm its integrity and density.

Currently Leningrad NPP has four units in operation – units 3&4 with Soviet RBMK-1000 reactors, as well units 5&6 with new VVER-1200 units (also known as Leningrad-II 1&2). Units 5&6 replaced units 1&2 with RBMK-1000 reactors, which were decommissioned in 2018 and 2020.