NIKIMT-Atomstroy said yesterday that it had poured first concrete for a multi-functional radiochemical research centre at the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR) in Dimitrovgrad.

Rostechnadzor, the Russian regulator, said last month it had established an integrated working group to supervise construction of the centre.

NIKIMT-Atomstroy, the civil engineering subsidiary of Atomenergoprom, won a RUR1.652 billion ($42.8 million) contract to construct the centre and related facilities in a tender held last November. The company said it plans to pour the full volume of concrete before the end of this month.

NIIAR has said it plans to build the centre by 2017 as part of the revised federal target program for 2010–2015 and until 2020.