First nuclear power station constructed 75 years ago in USSR

Day of Nuclear Industry Workers is celebrated today, September 28. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated all employees and veterans of the nuclear industry with this holiday. According to him, strenuous creative labor of thousands of scientists and engineers enabled to grow mighty potential of the industry and turn Russia into the world leader in the field of peaceful nuclear development, TASS reports.

The head of state has noted that currently this direction is very important for development of energy security and defense capacity, as it contributes a lot into the Arctic region and space exploration as well as many other spheres.

Professional holiday is timed with the implementation of the Soviet nuclear programme, which was launched 75 years ago during the World War II. The first nuclear power station appeared already in the middle of the fifties. The history of peaceful nuclear development started hundred km away from the capital. In the city of Obninsk in the Kaluzhsk region. The nuclear power station occupied the square of about five km. The station itself is a three-storied building; its reactor was hidden inside the mine at depth of seventeen meters. The power capacity of the first station was small. It did not practically influence the energy system of the region. However, the fact of launching the first nuclear station was of great strategic importance. Obninsk nuclear power station played the role of unique experimental panel for the newest developments for dozens of years.

The reactor of the station was turned off fifteen years ago due to economic reasons: the cost of its maintenance was high, though the power capacity was very law. However, the history of the first nuclear power station did not stop at this – it turned into the monument of nuclear industry and museum, which opens its doors for visitors even today.

Russkiy Mir