en.Wedoany.com Reported - Rosatom has delivered the final core catcher to the construction site of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant II on July 14, 2026. The transportation took 16 days, passing through the Volga River, White Lake, Lake Onega, Lake Ladoga, the Neva River, and the Gulf of Finland.

After arriving at the dock, the equipment is being prepared for transport to the construction site of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant II, and will be installed in the reactor shaft later this month.

Vladimir Pereguda, Director of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, stated that the goal is to install the core catcher vessel into the reactor shaft two months ahead of schedule, in order to strengthen on-site work and fully prepare for the installation of the reactor pressure vessel. According to the plan, the reactor pressure vessel installation will take place in 2029.

The core catcher (also known as a melt trap) is a critical safety device, consisting of a conical container made of heat-resistant steel. In an emergency, this equipment can safely contain the core melt, preventing radioactive materials from escaping the reactor containment.

The Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant is one of Russia's largest nuclear power plants, with an installed capacity of 4400 MWe, supplying over 55% of the electricity demand for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, and accounting for 30% of the total electricity in northwestern Russia. Unit 1 of the Leningrad plant was shut down in 2018 after 45 years of operation, while Unit 2 (a 1000 MWe RBMK type) started in 1975 and was permanently closed in November 2020. With the closure of the first two RBMK-1000 units, new VVER-1200 units were launched at the adjacent Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant II. Units 5 and 6 (also known as Leningrad II-1 and Leningrad II-2) have a 60-year service life, ensuring power supply until the 2080s, with the possibility of a 20-year extension. Units 7 and 8 (also known as Leningrad II-3 and Leningrad II-4) will replace Units 3 and 4, which are scheduled for closure in the coming years. In March 2024, the first concrete was poured for Unit 7, and its core catcher was installed last month. In March 2025, the first concrete was poured for Unit 8.