Ukrainian offensive sparks debate over targeting Kursk nuclear plant

Ukrainians have recently been boldly attacking Russian enemy positions. Evidence of these daring military actions is the offensive in the Kursk region beyond the Ukrainian border. The defenders already control Sudzha; from there, a direct route leads to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. What is this facility, and can the Ukrainians reach it?

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been conducting offensive operations in the Russian Kursk region for several days. Despite the Russians' strenuous efforts, the defenders are not halting their advance and are occupying more positions. The exact goal of these actions is not known. However, there are suggestions that the Ukrainians intend to seize the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located around 110 kilometres from the Ukrainian border and about 40 kilometres from the city of Kursk.

For the Russian Federation, Kursk and the nuclear power plant adjacent to the largest city in the Kursk region is an exceptionally important strategic facility. However, Vladislav Selezniov, a colonel of the Ukrainian armed forces, is tempering expectations and noting that in his opinion, the defenders will most likely not take control of the power plant.

“It is unlikely that our army will attempt to take control of the nuclear power plant,” the military officer explained in an interview with the Ukrainian portal Liga.net. He points out two main reasons, suggesting that this scenario is unlikely. “Firstly: the distance. Secondly, the absolute dominance of Russian aviation over such distances won't allow for stable logistics and the success of military operations at the power plant,” the expert explains.

Selezniov notes that the Ukrainian troops are occupying more points in the Kursk region and creating fortifications there; however, under the current conditions, these actions can only be carried out "for a limited time." The presence of Ukrainians at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant would be difficult to maintain due to the significant distance from Ukraine. At this range, Russian aviation can effectively cut off the Ukrainians from all supplies, including military equipment.

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is one of the key facilities in the Russian Federation, as it provides energy to almost the entire Kursk region (with an area of nearly 31,000 square kilometres and a population exceeding one million) and 19 other regions. Its capacity places it among the three largest nuclear power plants (out of 11 in the entire country) and four largest electricity producers in Russia.

Construction of the facility began in the early 1970s. As a result, a power plant with a structure almost identical to that of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was created. From the start, it relied on RBMK-1000 reactors, the same type used in the Ukrainian facility, which were built exclusively in the Soviet Union. This was because the RBMK reactors did not meet the safety standards in the West. At the Kursk plant, three out of the four RBMK-1000 reactors (Kursk-2, Kursk-3, Kursk-4) are still in operation. One of them (Kursk-1) was shut down on December 19, 2021.

The aging technology responsible for electricity production has forced Russian authorities to find new reactors that will eventually replace the RBMK. In 2018, construction began on the Kursk II plant block, utilizing a modern (yet indigenous) nuclear technology. The chosen reactor is the WWER-TOI, a Generation 3+ nuclear reactor developed by the Russian state corporation Rosatom.

Construction of the new block at the Kursk nuclear power plant is ongoing. The facility is intended to be the pilot program for the WWER-TOI project and – according to plans – will be 25% more efficient than conventional WWER-1000 reactors. The contractor estimates that the lifespan of the new technology will be 60 years (with the possibility of extension up to 100 years). The thermal power of the new reactor is set to reach 3,300 megawatts of thermal power (MWt).

According to the contractor, the uranium oxide-fuelled (enriched U-235) WWER-TOI reactor also implements safety systems based on emergency cooling of the fuel tank, planned cooling, emergency boron injection, and cooling of the steam generator, along with the presence of an emergency power supply system (diesel generators). Also significant for safety is the upgraded pressure vessel made of steel with increased resistance to nuclear radiation. The manufacturer has also ensured high durability against extreme events, such as earthquakes.

Rosatom plans for WWER-TOI to become the standard for newly built nuclear power plants. There are also plans to export this technology. The efficiency and safety of the new generation Russian reactor is confirmed by the certificate obtained in 2019 after a review by the Harmonised European Requirements for New Nuclear Power Plants (EUR).