The units of Leningrad NPP with their RBMK reactors were built in the early 1970s and are close to exhausting their resources: 1^st unit in 2003, 2^nd in 2005, 3^rd in 2009 and 4^th in 2011.

The Program for the Development of the Nuclear Power Industry of the Russian Federation in 1998-2005 and -2010 stipulates that the lives of the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd units of Leningrad NPP should be extended till 2008, 2010 and 2014, respectively.,

In 2001 the Government approved a strategy for development of nuclear power engineering in Russia in the first half of XXI.

NPP’s design service life is a very relative index: in many countries the lives of NPPs have been extended for five, ten and more years.

Almost from the very first day of its life LNPP has been implementing programs and measures for modernizing and reconstructing its units and their equipments with a view to ensure their safety. The 1 st and 2nd units have been operating safely and efficiently for almost 30 years already. Today, their capacity factor is rather high while their electricity is cheaper than the one produced by NPPs with WWER reactors and TPPs. All this proves that the extension of the lives of the LNPP units is technically possible, economically effective and extremely important.

Modernization and life extension cost less than construction of new units and allow to produce more electricity and to ensure high efficiency and safety without spending much. So, this is a real source of additional income, which can be spent on the decommissioning on the expired capacities and the construction of substituting ones.

Presently, Leningrad NPP is implementing a program for extending the lives of all of its units and their RBML-1000 reactors.

The key goals of this program are:

to ensure the safety of the units;
to determine the remaining lives of the units;
to obtain license for extended service of the units.

The key results of the program for extending the life of the 2^nd unit are:

The analysis has proved the high safety of the 2^nd unit of LNPP;
The probabilistic safety analysis has shown that the safety rate of the 2^nd unit - 10-4 per reactor year – complies with the IAEA requirements;
The key target of LNPP’s modernization programs is safety. The plant has introduced modern technique that will allow it to spend less time and money on effective safety enhancement;
Probabilistic safety analysis has helped the plant to assess and prioritize modernization options;
The report on the program has been submitted to the State Atomic Inspection of Russia as part of the plant’s application for long-term operating license;
The specialists of LNPP and Russian research and development institutes have acquired experience in NPP safety analysis.
The international cooperation on nuclear and radiation safety has proved its efficiency and will be continued.

Presently, LNPP is carrying out the safety analysis of the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th units. The results of the analysis will serve as a basis for measures:

for enhancing the safety of the units;
modernizing and reconstructing their equipment;
extending their lives with a view to obtain licenses for their further operation.

The extension of the lives of the RBMK units of Leningrad NPP is a problem that may have big economic, social and political consequences and it cannot be solved without close cooperation with public organizations and federal, regional and local authorities.

Specialists of leading Russian research and development institutes have been involved in the project.

The project will be transparent:

supervisory and executive authorities will be provided with full information about the project, its safety and ecological impacts;
local and federal mass media will regularly cover the project.

The key goals of this program are:

The key results of the program for extending the life of the 2nd unit are:

The key results of the program for extending the life of the 2^nd unit are: