On December 19, 2021 at 00:24 (Moscow time), the first RBMK-1000 power unit of the Kursk NPP was shut down to operate in a mode without generation.  The corresponding license was issued by the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of Russia (Rostekhnadzor).

The reactor was shut down in accordance with the process operator guide, the power unit was disconnected from the Unified Energy System of Russia without comment.

“During its operation since December 19, 1976, the power unit has generated over 251 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.  This is enough to provide the energy consumption of the Kursk region for 30 years, given the current consumption of electricity, - said the Associate Director of KuNPP Alexander Uvakin.  "The unit has worked reliably and safely."

The Kursk NPP is one of the flagships of the Russian energy industry.  This year, the first among Russian nuclear power plants has fulfilled the annual state generation target.  The result of the work of Kursk nuclear scientists for 45 years is almost a trillion of generated electricity - 987 billion kWh for the benefit of the development of Russia.

“A new history begins for the Kursk station.  Now the construction of a capacity replacement station for the decommissioned power units of the Kursk NPP of the RBMK-1000 type is well under way, - said the General Director of Rosenergoatom Andrei Petrov.  - New units are being constructed according to the most modern NPP project of domestic design, created by Russian designers on the basis of technical solutions for the NPP with PWR-1200.  The power units under construction with the PWR-TOI reactor have increased power and improved technical and economic indicators."