OREANDA-NEWS. On March 26, 2007 Rosenergoatom and Sevmash PA have signed a contract for the production of special packaging sets for spent nuclear fuel storage at Leningrad NPP. By Mar 2008 Sevmash should produce the prototype model and by the end of 2008 - 21 packaging systems (UKKh-109 containers), reported the press-centre of  Rosenergoatom. Sevmash already has relevant experience: in 2002–2006 it produced 60 TUK-108/1 containers for submarine spent nuclear fuel storage and transportation - the biggest lot of containers ever produced by Russian companies. The project was carried out under the Russian-American "Cooperative Threat Reduction" program. In 2006 the project was awarded diploma at the 7th specialized exhibition "Articles and Technologies of Double Purpose: Diversification of Military Industrial Complex".


UKKh-109 container was designed by the Design Bureau of Special Machine Building. The body of the metal concrete container consists of concentric steel shells glued to one another with firm super-heavy concrete. Spent nuclear fuel is stored in ampoules inside a special case. The order will require enlarged production: UKKh-109 containers are bigger than their previous analogues. The deputy director general-the head of technical production department Mikhail Budnichenko says that Sevmash is already preparing specialized sections, developing technologies and installing necessary equipment.   Sevmash is the biggest ship building complex in Russia. Its key mission is to build submarines for the Navy. In Mar 2006 Rosenergoatom proclaimed Sevmash the winner of a tender for the construction of small capacity floating NPP. The construction of the first ever floating NPP was started last year. The prototypes of the plant are icebreaker-type reactors. The plant will have an improved KLT-40C reactor. The plant will work for Sevmash and Severodvinsk.
Sevmash has already prepared a site for laying the non-propelled platform for the floating NPP. The plant is to be launched on May 15 2010.