Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant

The Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant (also referred as Baltic 1 Nuclear Power Plant, _ru. Калининградская атомная электростанция; Калининградская АЭС or Балтийская АЭС) is a planned nuclear power plant in Neman in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, on the Russian-Lithuanian border. It is seen as a counter-project to the plan to build the Visaginas nuclear power plant in Lithuania and is considered not only an energy source but also a geopolitical project.cite news
url = http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf45.html
title = Nuclear Power in Russia
publisher = World Nuclear Association
date = July 2008
accessdate = 2008-08-06] cite news
url = http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN-Kaliningrad_plan_for_Baltic_States_market_1704086.html
title = Kaliningrad plan for Baltic States market
publisher = World Nuclear News
date = 2008-04-17
accessdate = 2008-08-06] cite news
url = http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080219/99573246.html
title = Nuclear fever in the Baltics
author = Tatyana Sinitsyna
publisher = RIA Novosti
date = 2008-02-19
accessdate = 2008-08-06] cite news
url = http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080421/105520282.html
title = Russia plans nuclear project for Kaliningrad
author = Tatyana Sinitsyna
publisher = RIA Novosti
date = 2008-04-21
accessdate = 2008-08-06]

History

As Kaliningrad is dependent on energy imports, there have been several suggestions to build a nuclear power plant. A framework agreement to build the nuclear power plant in Kaliningrad Oblast was signed between the head of Rosatom Sergei Kiriyenko and the Governor of Kaliningrad Oblast Georgy Boos on 16 April 2008.cite news
url = http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/20316/
title = Russia plans nuclear plant for Kaliningrad exclave
publisher = The Baltic Times
date = 2008-04-23
accessdate = 2008-08-06]

Technical features

The Kaliningrad Nuclear Power Plant will consist of two AES-92 VVER pressurized water reactors with capacity of 1150 MWe each, supplied by Atomstroyexport. These reactors are a modified version of the reactors planned in the Belene Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria. Two further reactors could be added in the future depending economic development in the Kaliningrad Oblast and in the Baltic region in general.

The first reactor is expected to be operational by 2016 and the second one by 2020. The nuclear power plant is expected to cost around €6 billion.

Rationale

The nuclear power plant is foreseen to secure power supply for the Kaliningrad Oblast and to replace a natural gas-based power generation.cite news
url = http://www.rosbalt.biz/2008/04/17/475997.html
title = Эксперты: АЭС в Калининградской области решает много проблем. ("NPP in the Kaliningrad Oblast solves a lot of problems")
publisher = CBW
date = 2008-07-21
accessdate = 2008-08-06
language=Russian] In addition to the supply to Kaliningrad's market, the plant will generate electricity for the export to the EU market. In this context, Lithuania, Poland and Germany are mentioned.

Project development

The project is developed by Rosatom’s subsidiary Inter RAO UES.cite news
url = http://www.regnum.ru/news/1019840.html
title = Строительство АЭС даст колоссальный толчок для развития Калининградской области: эксперт. ("Construction of the NPP gives a tremendous boost to the development of Kaliningrad Oblast: expert")
publisher = Regnum
date = 2008-06-26
accessdate = 2008-08-06
language=Russian] According to Rosatom, 49% of shares in the project will be offered to European companies. It will be the first Russian nuclear power plant with foreign participation.cite news
url = http://www.regnum.ru/news/988434.html
title = Строительство АЭС сделает Калининградскую область регионом, через который Россия совершит геополитический прорыв: эксперт. ("Construction of the NPP makes the Kaliningrad Oblast region through which Russia achieves geopolitical break-trough: expert")
publisher = Regnum
date = 2008-04-17
accessdate = 2008-08-06
language=Russian] It is not decided yet which companies will participate in the project. One company, which is interested to participate in the project, is ČEZ.cite news
url = http://www.cbw.cz/en/cez-interested-in-nuke-plant-in-russia/8481.html
title = ČEZ interested in nuke plant in Russia
publisher = CBW
date = 2008-07-21
accessdate = 2008-08-06]

References