Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant

Balakovo nuclear power station (Балаковская АЭС []) is located in the city of Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia, about 900 km south-east of Moscow. It consists of four operational reactors; a fifth unit is still under construction. Owner and operator of the nuclear power station is Rosenergoatom.

Balakovo NPP participates in a twinning program between nuclear power stations in Europe and Russia; since 1990 it has been in partnership with Biblis Nuclear Power Plant.

Reactor data
The Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant has four operating units:

In 2018 Rosatom announced it had developed a thermal annealing technique for reactor pressure vessels which ameliorates radiation damage and extends service life by between 15 and 30 years. This had been demonstrated on unit 1.

Incidents
On 27 June 1985 during startup of the first reactor unit, a human error (later attributed to inexperience and haste) unexpectedly opened a pressurizer relief valve, and 300 C steam entered the staff work area. Fourteen people were killed. This event is cited as one of the predecessors of the Chernobyl disaster.