Russian nuclear utility Rosenergoatom, part of state nuclear corporation Rosatom, has received an environmental permit for the planned power uprate for unit 2 of the Rostov nuclear plant in southern Russia.

The state environmental review agency, Rosprirodnadzor, found that the uprate to 104% of the unit’s design capacity will not affect its operational safety and reliability, Rosenergoatom said in a statement. 

The final report of the expert commission of was approved on 31 August. However, nuclear regulator Rostechnadzor must still approve the uprate before the commercial operation can begin. 

Rostov 2 is a 950MWe VVER-1000/320 pressurised water reactor which began operation in 2010. The proposed uprate will increase its power output to 988MWe.  Rostov NPP hosts four nuclear units. Unit 1 was put into commercial operation in 2001 and unit 3 in 2015. The construction of unit 4 is under construction and scheduled for start-up later this year.