Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is Russia’s only nuclear power plant having different types of reactors: the 1st unit with AMB-100 thermal reactor was launched in Apr 1964. For the moment, the 1st and 2nd units are being decommissioned. Since Apr 1980 Beloyarsk NPP has operated the world’s only commercial fast-breeder reactor — BN-600 (600MW). The BN-800 reactor (800MW) is under construction and is supposed to be launched in 2012. Fast-breeder reactors are supposed to enlarge the fuel resources of Russia’s nuclear industry by over 50 times, to minimize the production of radioactive waste and to use the spent nuclear fuel produced by other NPPs due to closed fuel cycle technology.

The 45th1 birthday of Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant was marked in Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region, on June 10–11 2009.

Vice Speaker of the State Duma Valery Yazev, Acting Director General of Energoatom Concern Vladimir Asmolov, Speaker of the Duma of the Legislative Assembly of Sverdlovsk region Nikolay Voronin and other officials came to Zarechny to take part in the celebrations.

Yazev congratulated the staff of Beloyarsk NPP on the plant’s birthday and pointed out that the State Duma gave high priority to the work of the plant and the construction of its new BN-800 reactor. «We guarantee that in the coming years the BN-800 project will receive stable budgetary financing. I hope that in 2014, when we will be marking the 50th birthday of Beloyarsk NPP, it will already have two fast breeder reactors — BN-600 and BN-800. I am sure that the next stage is the construction of BN-1200 reactor,» Yazev said.

He said that the experience of Beloyarsk NPP was unique: «No other country has such a big experience of safe operation of fast breeder reactors despite the attempts of Japan, the United States and France. Today, BN-600 is a highly efficient and safe reactor, which stably produces electric energy and reproduces nuclear fuel.»

«Beloyarsk NPP is in the vanguard of the nuclear renaissance in Russia. It is the flagship of Russia’s nuclear industry and, particularly, its fast reactor program. BN-800 and BN-1200 reactors will close the fuel cycle and will ensure reproduction of nuclear fuel and effective operation of high-temperature reactors and reactors of new generation,» Yezev said.

«I am sure that Beloyarsk NPP has occupied and will occupy a worthy place in the Russian and world nuclear industry,» he said.