1. DETAILS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ATOMIC POWER PLANT AT OBNINSKOYE 2. INTERIOR SCENES OF THE POWER PLANT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00418R006000030001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 14, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 31, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPO,RT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 3006139
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY USSR (Kaluga Oblast) PVEPORT L
SUBJECT 1. Details and Description of the DATE DISTR.
Atomic Power Plant at Obninskoye
2. Interior Scenes of the Power Plant NO. PAGES
REQUIREMENT
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
31 August 1956
1. The name "Smolensk Atomic Power Station"J- was a misnomer since the. establishment
was not located in.Sm.olensk. Fr?m-Moscow it was reached by a drive of
80 kilometers along the road. leading toward Minsk via-Smolensk, then.a drive
to the south for 27 30.kilometers, and finally a drive to the west for
5 kilometers. The power plant was located in a small village2, the name
of which was not determined. The establishment was-without-a doubt the
installation known as the "Smolensk Atomic Power Station".3
2. The guides at the power plant.stated that there were no other atomic power
plants in the.USSR, although a new 2.5 million kilowatt atomic power plant
was being-planned.which should prove to be more advantageous economically
than a,coal-powered , plant, but less economical than a water-powered plant.
The power plant,, which developed 5000 kilowatts,was experimental in nature,
according to the guides. This power was distributed for use in the immediate
vicinity. The cost of operation was reported to be greater than water-or
coal-powered plants.
The "heart" of the power plant was a,reactor. Its framework was cylindrical
in shape, and had a.diameter of 1,500.mm and a height of 1700 mm.
According to the guide, it was made of graphite (sic). It contained 28
longitudinally drilled holes, eaeh 2-3 inches in diameter. The reactor
was surrounded by a water layer (primary water), 1 meter in thickness,
andthe reactor and.water was enclosed in a.concrete protective layer 3
meters in thickness (the protective layer probably had other materials which
hindered the spread of radiation). The foundation pit of the reactor was
covered by a.layer of cast iron, concrete,and graphite (sic) 5.5 meters in
thickness. At least the top layer was cast iron with hooks imbedded for
transportation purposes.
The wall of the reactor hall contained a,row of 28 metal rods.4 They
were 8 meters in length and 2-3 inches in diameter (the same as the 28
drilled-holes in the reactor). The uranium was placed at the lower end of
the rods,-1700 mm from the.end.(at the same point as the height of the
reactor's graphite part.(sic)1. It was enclosed in 2 or 3 tubes of a diameter,
of.10-12 mm inside the rods. In addition, it appeared that the rods contained
water tubes for cooling purposes. The rods, although "loaded", were not
dangerous to approach. The reactor would function when the "loaded" rods
S-E-C-R-E-T
x IARMY X INAVY
(Note: Washin3ton distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
AEC X
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.were.lowered into-the drilled holes in the reactor, and. the amount of
energy, created would increase when the rods were lowered deeper into
the holes. The maximum power was created when the 1700 mm "loaded'"'
ends of the rods were.fully inserted into the reactor. The operating
temperature-of the reactor was 260-290.degrees centigrade, and the
primary water reached.a temperature of.90 C. after the first revolution.
When the temperature was 260-2gOo.C.,-the pressure of the primary water
wad 100 atmospheres, but it did not vaporize because it was in an
enclosed space. Eight of the rods:wereautomatically.variable, and.
the others could be raised andlowered.b_y pushing .a button in the
contro room 5 according to the reading of the warning lamps on the
meter. One loading-of a row. of rods (28 rods) required 25 kilograms
of uranium and the . consumption .was probably .not -known by the, operators
themselves; since .the est,-imates of the Iength-::off time a series of rods
operated., ranged .from 6..to..12..-m6nths. -Fuel used consisted of a,mixture
of U-238 and..U..235in.aproportion;of 95:5.. (The source could not
remember whether the proportion,was,this.or the opposite, but said
that apparently it was as above). The heated primary water caused
the secondary water to vaporize. It.was learned that the steam,operated
aturbine in the building,situated.at.right angles to the building
housing. the., reactor? and.thatthe turbneoperated an electric generator.
The guides stated. that they were very normal types and not of interest.
6. Located behind the rear wall7 the :wall on;which the rods were located,
were various pumps,_,among them:the.ones-which caused the primary water
to.circulate. As,a precaution.against--radiation, . the control .room
containedmeters.which indicated'the-amount of radiation at 263
different points in the power stat-ion.-ahd machinery. Personnel
carried a.radiation meter'in the.shape.of a,fountain pen and also
.pieces of film sensitive to,iadia tion. -for 'their protection. . The
establishment had a.special room in,which a.physician examined'personnel
at specified intervals. The. ma m.- ;aunt of radiation,which a ,person
could assimilate . was 2Q0 curie in a four-day period. Personnel worked
a six-hour day.
7. When the uranium...:in.the;rods mentioned above was consumed, they were
lifted out-with a remote.control apparatus. This equipment was operated
from a booth in.one corneg of?the-reactor hall. The used.rods were
lowered. into water wells to "cool.off" for one year. Following this,
the upper part wouldbe.melted again, but the 1700 mm lower portion
would be placed in.a "safety warehouse". Asa by-product of the
establishment, various isotopes useful in'industry and science were
developed.
8. On the surface, the establishment did not look like a power plant.
It looked more like;;.,a two-story, brick,' : cream colored school building.
There were no barbed_.wire.or other protective fences nor was any special
guard activity in,evidence-. Two military-personnel. who examined passes
were stationed.in the. entrance hall.
1. The "Smolensk Atomic Power Station" is-.probably, the atomic power plant
located at Obnin.skoye (N"55=05, E 36=35).
sketch on page 3.
2. This is.probably Maloyaroslavets.
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