Balakovo NPP prematurely fulfilled the 2026 plan for processing very low-level radioactive waste. From 80 tons of spent equipment, 57 tons of purified metal were obtained, which can be returned to industrial circulation. This was reported by the station's press service.
Metal waste is spent equipment from the nuclear power plant: fittings, metal structures, pipelines, and tooling. They were delivered to the processing plant in certified containers ensuring hermetic sealing. There, the metal underwent decontamination and fragmentation under strict radiation control. The gamma radiation power of the ingots does not exceed the natural background, meaning it complies with the norm. Upon arrival at metallurgical enterprises, the ingots can be used as charge materials in the smelting of steels and alloys.
By the end of 2029, Balakovo NPP plans to send another 220 tons of metallic very low-level waste for processing. Rosatom is implementing circular economy principles: processing spent nuclear fuel and purifying metal after use at nuclear energy facilities. This approach conserves natural resources more carefully and reduces the volume of waste requiring final isolation.
Balakovo NPP is located in the Saratov region on the left bank of the Saratov Reservoir. Four power units with VVER-1000 reactors, each with a capacity of 1000 MW, were commissioned between 1985 and 1993. The station provides a quarter of electricity generation in the Volga Federal District, supplying the Volga region, Center, Urals, and Siberia.