Installation of the core catcher vessel has been completed for Unit 3 of the Leningrad 2 nuclear power station on the Gulf of Finland in Russia, state nuclear operator Rosenergoatom said.

The core catcher – also known as a core melt localisation device or core trap – is designed to catch the molten core material, or corium, of a nuclear reactor in the event of a nuclear meltdown and to prevent it from escaping the containment. It consists of several components, the vessel being the largest with a weight of about 150 tonnes.

According to Leningrad nuclear power plant director Vladimir Pereguda, the operation marks the completion of one of the most important construction milestones planned for 2025.