OREANDA-NEWS. November 13, 2007. A German delegation led by Consul General of Germany in St.Petersburg Bernd Braun visited Leningrad NPP today, Nov 13.

During the visit the director of Leningrad NPP Valery Lebedev told the guests about the modernization of the 1st and 2nd units of LNPP. “We have prolonged their lives for 15 years. The channel-type RBMK reactors — which are still, for some unknown reason, called “Chernobyl-type” reactors – are no longer the way they were before 1986.”

Lebedev told the guests about the construction of complex systems for treatment of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The facilities are to be launched in 2008. Particularly, the system for treatment of solid radioactive waste is being built by Germany company NUCEM. “Since 1992 we have been actively cooperating with the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority of Finland (STUK). Last month Rostekhnadzor and STUK carried out an in-depth analysis of our plant’s safety. Experts from Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in the inspection. Unfortunately, there were no German experts among them,” Lebedev said.

Braun thanked Lebedev for the opportunity to see Leningrad NPP. The guests asked Lebedev how many people worked at the plant, about the plant’s cooperation with Swedish and Finnish partners and its nuclear waste treatment projects. 

“I am impressed with the progress you have made since 1992. You have substantially upgraded your management and operation systems,” the head of the department of science, environment protection and nuclear energy of the Embassy of Germany in Moscow Uwe Meier said.

“I am not expert in nuclear power engineering but our expert has said that your safety system is impressive. We are going to thoroughly inspect your plant but my first impression is very positive,” Braun said before visiting the plant.