Putin gives the go-ahead for a nuclear plant in Kaliningrad

The Earth Times [1]. Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave the go- ahead Tuesday for a nuclear plant to be built in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, situated between Poland and Lithuania. The state nuclear holding Rosatom was seeking a Western investor for the five billion-euro project (7.3 billion dollars), Interfax news agency quoted Putin as saying.

Russian media reports said the German Siemens concern could win a contract for 49-per-cent participation in the project, as Russia seeks to expand its cooperation with investors in nuclear energy.

The project entails two reactors, each producing 1,150 megawatts, planned to go on stream in 2016 and 1018.

Local media reports said some of the power could be supplied to Germany under the planned Nord Stream pipeline, which would run beneath the Baltic.

The new plant - situated 120 kilometres from the city of Kaliningrad - will comprise WWER modified water pressure reactors, and will compete with Lithuania's planned Ignalina-2 plant, which is due to replace the ageing original Soviet-built Ignalia plant.