Nuclear energy museum might open in Obninsk

A nuclear energy museum is to be opened at the world’s first nuclear power plant located in Obninsk, BelTA learned from the East-European Head Design and Research Institute of Integrated Power Engineering Technology (VNIPIET) that designed this NPP.

Besides developing a general plan of the Obninsk NPP, the institute was responsible for the architectural design of the city of Obninsk, Kaluga Oblast. All in all, the institute designed more than 40 satellite-towns where nuclear power plants were located.

The Obninsk NPP that marked its 60th anniversary in June was the world’s first nuclear power plant. It was commissioned on 27 June 1954. The capacity of its water-cooled uranium-graphite channel-type reactor was 5MW.

Starting from 1956, a great number of studies were conducted at the plant with a view to designing more powerful stations. In 1956 Soviet and foreign delegations were allowed to tour the NPP. The world’s first NPP was in operation for 48 years. Its reactor was decommissioned at 11:31 (Moscow time) on 29 April 2002.