Balakovo nuclear power plant 3
Gross capacity
1,000MW
Balakovo nuclear power plant 3 is a pressurised water reactor unit at Balakovo nuclear power plant in Russia rated at 1,000 MW gross. It is operating. Commercial operation began 8 Apr 1989.
Specification
| Reactor type | Pressurised water reactor (PWR) |
|---|---|
| Model | VVER V-320 |
| Size class | Large |
| Coolant | Light water |
| Moderator | Light water |
| Gross capacity | 1,000MW |
| Net capacity (reference) | 950MW |
| Net capacity (design) | 950MW |
| Thermal output | 3,000MWt |
| Typical enrichment | 3–5% U-235 |
Ownership & location
| Site | Balakovo nuclear power plant |
|---|---|
| Unit | 3 |
| Country | Russia |
| Owner | Rosatom100% |
| Operator | Rosenergoatom |
| Coordinates | 52.0928, 47.9539 |
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Uranium dioxide pellets in zirconium-alloy cladding
Enrichment
3–5% U-235
Who makes this assembly
- TVEL Fuel Company VVER fuel assemblies
- Westinghouse Electric Company VVER-compatible fuel assemblies
Upstream
Enriched fuel means this unit sits downstream of five conversion plants and four enrichment operators holding 88% of world capacity between the top three.
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units —
utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.
Timeline
- 1 Nov 1982Construction start
- 16 Dec 1988First criticality
- 25 Dec 1988Grid connection
- 8 Apr 1989Commercial operation
Other units at Balakovo nuclear power plant
| Unit | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 1 | 1,000 | |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 2 | 1,000 | |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 4 | 1,000 | |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 5 | Cancelled | 950 |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 6 | Cancelled | 950 |
Other VVER V-320 units
29 units worldwide share this model designation.
| Unit | Country | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 1 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 2 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Balakovo nuclear power plant 4 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Kalinin nuclear power plant 3 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Kalinin nuclear power plant 4 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Khmelnitski nuclear power plant 1 | Ukraine | 1,000 | |
| Khmelnitski nuclear power plant 2 | Ukraine | 1,000 | |
| Kozloduy nuclear power plant 5 | Bulgaria | 1,040 | |
| Kozloduy nuclear power plant 6 | Bulgaria | 1,040 | |
| Rivne nuclear power plant 3 | Ukraine | 1,000 | |
| Rivne nuclear power plant 4 | Ukraine | 1,000 | |
| Rostov nuclear power plant 1 | Russia | 1,041 |
Sources
- Global Nuclear Power Tracker, Global Energy Monitor, August 2026 release — CC BY 4.0 · retrieved 2026-09-06 · this unit last researched by GEM on 2024-05-13
- GEM.wiki entry (further reading) — CC BY-SA 4.0 — linked, not quoted