There is also a larger storage area that lies only 90 metres from the Gulf of Finland. This 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. All five of the storage buildings are today completely full. It has therefore been decided that the distance between each fuel element in the ponds will be halved, something that entails a further safety risk.
Plans also exist to build a new dry storage facility at Leningrad power station.
The used fuel elements will be stored there in containers that can be moved later if desired. In contrast to used fuel elements from Russian pressurised water reactors, there are no plans to reprocess RBMK fuel. No long- term storage facility for RBMK fuel exists in Russia. A fourth research reactor is under construction. The reactors are land-based submarine reactors and the main objective is probably to research new technology for use in submarines, together with training of submarine personnel.