On May 26, 2011 Environmental Protection Department of Beloyarsk NPP together with NPO Algobiotechnologiya LLC conducted an invasion (“algolization”) of unicellular green algae – species of chlorella – into Beloyarsk reservoir.

Artificial reservoirs, constructed for the turbines condensers of heat and nuclear power plants, have a similar problem: rapid multiplication of blue and green algae (the so-called “green scum”). As a result of the “green scum”, water gains unpleasant smell and the quantity of oxygen in it sharply reduces, it is unfavorable for swimming and fishing.

At Beloyarsk NPP they decided to perform a biological correction of the cooling pond according to the principle “fight fire with fire”: push the harmful species by means of useful ones, using the blue and green algae’s biological antagonism. The efficiency of this technology was already proved in Penza, Volgograd and Tsimlyansk reservoirs. Appearing in a pond, chlorella absorbs carbon dioxide and oxygenates the water, that improves its quality, destroys putrefaction bacteria and prevents blue and green algae’s accretion. Besides, chlorella is a useful food for the pond microfauna.

Beloyarsk NPP has been implementing the method of the algal vegetation for the second year. As a result of the first year implementation a significant reduction of “green scum” was observed in Beloyarsk basin in the summer period, and by the end of the vegetation period the index of water pollution had improved by 10% compared with that of at the season beginning.

All the process of the reservoir purification will take 4 years, and its results will be useful both for Beloyarsk NPP (as the reduced expenses on regular purification of the cooling equipment) and Zarechny population (having rest and spending leisure time in the clean water area of Beloyarsk reservoir).