By the beginning of 80-s the pools were filled to capacity, while the regional storage facility was still on paper. So the Leningrad NPP had to build one for its own needs. The storage facility built in the beginning of 80-s is located in 90 meters from the Gulf of Finland. By the end of 1996 the five storage ponds of the facility were filled to capacity prompting engineers of the plant to seek solutions. The storage facility is in an extremely bad state of repair, with large cracks in the walls and roof.
Rainwater runs in and contaminated water runs out.
The required reserved space for emergency situations is lacking. Hence, in case of an accidental leakage in one of the ponds there would be no possibility to transfer the fuel in order to reduce the amount radioactivity leaking out. The longer term solution to the problem has been worked out some two years ago. A model of such a cask has passed preliminary tests. The final tests will be held soon at a test field of Design Bureau of Special Machine Building is St. Petersburg.