Kursk nuclear power plant 1-2
Retired Russia
Gross capacity
1,000MW
Kursk nuclear power plant 1-2 is a light water graphite reactor unit at Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia rated at 1,000 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 17 Aug 1979.
Specification
| Reactor type | Light water graphite reactor (LWGR) |
|---|---|
| Model | RBMK-1000 |
| Size class | Large |
| Coolant | Light water |
| Moderator | Graphite |
| Gross capacity | 1,000MW |
| Net capacity (reference) | 925MW |
| Net capacity (design) | 925MW |
| Thermal output | 3,200MWt |
| Typical enrichment | 2–2.6% U-235 |
Ownership & location
| Site | Kursk nuclear power plant |
|---|---|
| Unit | 1-2 |
| Country | Russia |
| Owner | Rosatom100% |
| Operator | Rosenergoatom |
| Coordinates | 51.6764, 35.6064 |
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Slightly enriched uranium dioxide in pressure tubes
Enrichment
2–2.6% U-235
Who makes this assembly
- TVEL Fuel Company RBMK 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utilities do not publish fuel contracts.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 Jan 1973Construction start
- 16 Dec 1978First criticality
- 28 Jan 1979Grid connection
- 17 Aug 1979Commercial operation
- 31 Jan 2024Permanent shutdown
Other units at Kursk nuclear power plant
| Unit | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-1 | Retired | 1,000 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-3 | 1,000 | |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-4 | 1,000 | |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-5 | Cancelled | 1,100 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 2-1 | 1,255 | |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 2-2 | Under construction | 1,255 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 2-3 | Under construction | 1,255 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 2-4 | Pre-construction | 1,255 |
Other RBMK-1000 units
13 units worldwide share this model designation.
| Unit | Country | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-3 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-4 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Leningrad nuclear power plant 1-3 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Leningrad nuclear power plant 1-4 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Smolensk nuclear power plant 1-1 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Smolensk nuclear power plant 1-2 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Smolensk nuclear power plant 1-3 | Russia | 1,000 | |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-1 | Russia | Retired | 1,000 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-5 | Russia | Cancelled | 1,100 |
| Leningrad nuclear power plant 1-1 | Russia | Retired | 1,000 |
| Leningrad nuclear power plant 1-2 | Russia | Retired | 1,000 |
| Smolensk nuclear power plant 1-4 | Russia | Cancelled | 1,000 |
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