OREANDA-NEWS. July 21, 2008. In line with the existing legislation and on the instruction of Rosenergoatom Concern, the Department for the Construction of Rostov Nuclear Power Plant and a Moscow consulting company have started preparations for the public hearings of the project to build the 3rd and 4th units of the plant.

The Department is analyzing the possible effects of the new units on the environment, the geological structure of their construction sites, the possible radiation effects the reactors may have on the population and the environment in case of normal operation and emergency, their impacts on Tsimlyansk reservoir, etc.. and is drafting relevant documents.

The designers have already made some improvements in the cooling systems. Instead of cooling ponds, the units will have cooling towers, which means that they will not use the water of Tsimlyansk reservoir.

The documents will be ready by the public hearings to be held in the fourth quarter of 2008.