Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant begins second reactor channel dismantling

The company Altra has commenced the dismantling of control and protection system (VAS) channels in the second reactor block of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. This phase of the decommissioning process aims to remove more than 200 channels over the coming months.

To minimize radiation exposure for personnel, the operation utilizes remote-controlled robotic technologies, including equipment from the Swedish company Brokk. This approach follows the successful completion of similar dismantling work on the plant's first reactor.

The Ignalina plant operated two RBMK-1500 type reactors, each containing over 2,000 technological channels. Of these, 235 were dedicated to the control and protection systems. The current works follow authorization granted by the State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) earlier this year and are part of the complex process leading toward the eventual removal of the reactor cores.