Nuclear Power Plant in Chernobyl

Chernobyl nuclear power plant used to be one of the most powerful plants in the Soviet Union. The idea was to place it on the top of the list. According to confirmed sources, there was a plan to have 12 reactors in general. Nuclear power plant was supposed to provide electricity to the Central Energy District: 27 regions of the Ukrainian SSR and Rostov region with a population of 53 million people.
Construction of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Construction on the unit 1 began in 1970, and 7 years later it started producing energy. Unit 2 was built in 1973-1978, unit 3 in 1976-1981 and the last one, unit 4, was built in 1979-1983. These four reactors were built next to each other and shared the same machinery hall. To cool down units 1-4, huge cooling pond was built. For the next generation of the reactors (unfinished units 5 and 6) cooling towers were used. Project generating capacity of Chernobyl nuclear power plant was 6,000 MW. In April, 1986, there were four units with PBMK-1000 reactors with a total capacity of 4000 MW.
Chernobyl NPP Shutdown
The accident of 1986 destroyed many plans. Unit 5 was about to be launched, however, start was postponed till “better times”. Unit 6 was never finished. Fourth reactor was never brought back in service, while the other three continued producing energy. Unit 2 was stopped in 1991 because of the fire in the machinery hall. Unit 1 was shut down due to Ukrainian government decree in 1996. Finally, third unit produced energy till the end of 2000.

The site of the Chernobyl NPP consists of two main functional complexes: an industrial site of an NPP with open switchgear and a cooling reservoir and a construction base. The location and layout of industrial buildings and structures correspond to the basic sanitary and hygienic principle of NPP design: the division of the entire territory, buildings and premises of the station into zones: strict (controlled) and free regimes (only for the workers of the power plant and the zone; the visitors must comply with strict rules). The strict regime zone includes the territory, buildings and premises of the station in which the personnel may be exposed to radiation factors. Workers are allowed in the strict regime zone only through a sanitary pass.
For the visitors, the power plant is available since 2011. It is possible to walk the Golden Corridor, to see the control room of the unit 3 and many other parts of the power plant. Since 2019, central hall of the reactor and control panel of the unit 4 can be visited as well.
You can see Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant with your own eyes with our exclusive Chernobyl tours.
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Chernobyl nuclear power plant tours have become a popular tourist destination due to the apocalyptic looks of the area and the atmosphere of silence.
- - Abandoned Zalissya village
- - Huge secret radar “Duga-1” and the Chernobyl–2 town
- - Almost fully buried under the ground village Kopachi and the still standing kindergarten
- - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant covered by the new safe confinement – the Arch
- - The NPP cooling pond with giant catfish
- - The Red Forest
- - The fire station
- - The town of Pripyat
Pripyat has become extremely popular tourist destination, and many choose to book tours to Pripyat to see the town with their own eyes.
- - Abandoned Zalissya village
- - Huge secret radar “Duga-1” and the Chernobyl–2 town
- - Almost fully buried under the ground village Kopachi and the still standing kindergarten
- - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant covered by the new safe confinement – the Arch
- - The NPP cooling pond with giant catfish
- - The Red Forest
- - The fire station
- - The town of Pripyat
We have created a special tour for visitors called “HBO Chernobyl” with the locations from the movie.
- - The fire station (the place from where the first firemen went to liquidate the fire)
- - The legendary Bridge of Death
- - The city of Pripyat, where almost all the places from the movie can be visited
- - Nuclear Power Plant
- - Listen to the true stories about the explosion
- - Visit left homes
- - Walk through the town and feel the atmosphere of Chernobyl itself
The one-day trip gives you the opportunity to immerse into the exact same area where the most dreadful disaster took place. The radiation background is still excessively high in some places, but we offer you a safe route through this dire Zone, together with necessary protection equipment.
- - Abandoned Zalissya village
- - Huge secret radar “Duga-1” and the Chernobyl–2 town
- - Almost fully buried under the ground village Kopachi and the still standing kindergarten
- - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant covered by the new safe confinement – the Arch
- - The NPP cooling pond with giant catfish
- - The Red Forest
- - The fire station
- - The town of Pripyat
The two-day trip to the Chernobyl Zone opens for you the door to this unique place. In this short time, you will get not only the tour around Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Pripyat town, but also the exclusive experience to spend the night in an empty town. This is definitely the deepest dive into the history of the drastic disaster.
- - Abandoned Zalissya village
- - Huge secret radar “Duga-1” and the Chernobyl–2 town
- - Almost fully buried under the ground village Kopachi and the still standing kindergarten
- - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant covered by the new safe confinement – the Arch
- - The NPP cooling pond with giant catfish
- - The Red Forest
- - The fire station
- - The town of Pripyat (exploring for 2 days)
- - The unfinished NPP
- - Graveyard of the vehicles and Yanov train station
- - Accommodation in a hotel in the town of Chernobyl
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