Kursk nuclear power plant 2-1
Gross capacity
1,255MW
Kursk nuclear power plant 2-1 is a pressurised water reactor unit at Kursk nuclear power plant in Russia rated at 1,255 MW gross. It is operating. Commercial operation began 1 May 2026.
Specification
| Reactor type | Pressurised water reactor (PWR) |
|---|---|
| Model | VVER V-510 |
| Size class | Large |
| Coolant | Light water |
| Moderator | Light water |
| Gross capacity | 1,255MW |
| Net capacity (reference) | 1,200MW |
| Net capacity (design) | 1,200MW |
| Thermal output | 3,300MWt |
| Typical enrichment | 3–5% U-235 |
Ownership & location
| Site | Kursk nuclear power plant |
|---|---|
| Unit | 2-1 |
| Country | Russia |
| Owner | Rosatom100% |
| Operator | Rosenergoatom |
| Coordinates | 51.6882, 35.5728 |
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utilities do not publish fuel contracts.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
- 28 Apr 2018Construction start
- 22 May 2025First criticality
- 31 Dec 2025Grid connection
- 1 May 2026Commercial operation
Other units at Kursk nuclear power plant
| Unit | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-1 | Retired | 1,000 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 1-2 | 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 2-2 | 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 VVER V-510 units
5 units worldwide share this model designation.
| Unit | Country | Status | Gross MW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bashkir nuclear power plant 1 | Russia | Cancelled | 1,255 |
| Bashkir nuclear power plant 2 | Russia | Cancelled | 1,255 |
| Kursk nuclear power plant 2-2 | Russia | Under construction | 1,255 |
| Seversk nuclear power plant 2 | Russia | Cancelled | 1,255 |
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 2026-07-07
- GEM.wiki entry (further reading) — CC BY-SA 4.0 — linked, not quoted