On April 28, a press-tour of district mass media was held at Balakovo NPP as a part of the events organized by Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC with the purpose to demonstrate a high level of native nuclear plants’ safety and reliability.

Representatives of district and local TV-companies, news agencies, printing and electronic mass media took part in the press-tour.

The journalists were given an opportunity to visit the industrial site and power unit No. 1 of the nuclear plant, and to examine the equipment of new technological systems. Besides, aboard a speedboat they saw an important technological object which was an organic part of the local ecologic system – Balakovo NPP cooling pond. The journalists noted with surprise that the cooling pond was a favourite habitat for birds’ resort – swans, herons, ducks, and cormorants.

During the tour, like in the time of the public inspection held a week before, Balakovo NPP leading specialists were narrating in detail about reliable safety systems of power units with water-cooled reactors of VVER-1000-type, safety culture which was the law for the plant personnel, and the advantages of native reactor plants over those used at Japanese Fukushima-1 NPP.

According to correspondent of GTRK Saratov broadcasting information program service Alexey Loschinin, the press-tour demonstrated Balakovo NPP openness for mass media, and the visit to the plant allowed the journalists assure themselves of its high safety level again.

Journalists’ press-tours are regularly held at Balakovo NPP. Such form of public informing about the nuclear plant work by means of mass media the representatives of which participate in press-tours always proves to be effective. Today it is especially important in connection with increased public attention to Russian nuclear branch facilities’ safe operation.