November 15, 2012. The completion of the fourth BN-800 reactor at Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant and using MOX fuel to power it is risky business, as the technology is not fit for industrial use yet. What is more, this reactor is 1.5 to 2 times more expensive that its modern counterparts, Ecodefense’s press release claims.

Environmentalists also warn that this project poses some safety hazards. At least 27 leakages, including some radioactive ones, have been registered at the station, as well as 14 fires. On September 9, 2000, Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Plant escaped the possibility of an explosion comparable with that of Chernobyl by a very close shave, the press release states.

‘I am absolutely skeptical about the good intentions behind introducing plutonium-based economy in Russia. All the countries that have tried this in the past gave up on this idea sooner or later, because this is too expensive and too dangerous, while wasting tens of billions of dollars on this and experiencing a few large-scale plutonium leakage accidents are a very real threat, says Ecodefense International Group Co-Chairman Vladimir Slivyak.