POSSIBLE NUCLEAR POWERPLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR BILIBINO, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04759A004200010033-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 15, 2001
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: June 1, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

IORA RE elease 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP78TO4759AO04200010033-5
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION REPORT
POSSIBLE
NUCLEAR POWERPLANT
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
NEAR BILIBINO, USSR
Declass Review by
NIMA/DOD
JUNE 1966
COPY
GROUP 7 EXCLUDED FROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
AND DECLASSIFICATION
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This document contains Information affecting the national security of the United States within the meaning
of the espionage laws U. S. Code Title 18, Sections 793 and 794. The law prohibits its transmission or
the revelation of its contents in any manner to an unauthorized person, as well as its use in any manner
prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the
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to receive information in the designated control channels. Its security must be maintained in accordance
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POSSIBLE NUCLEAR POWERPLANT
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
NEAR BILIBINO, USSR
Aerial photography of a 15-nautical mile
(nm) radius of Bilibino, USSR, (68-02N 166-20E)
has been searched for construction activity that
could be associated with a nuclear powerplant.
KEYHOLE photography covered
approximately 85 percent of this area and re-
vealed that construction activity near the per-
imeter of the search area at approximately
68-08N 165-49E could be a possible nuclear
powerplant (Figure 1). The construction activity,
including a construction camp, is located about
15 nm northwest of the town of Bilibino. Because
the facilities observed at this site are still in
the early stages of construction, it is notpossi-
ble to confirm the function of the installation as
a nuclear powerplant or to determine when such
a plant would be operational. The interpret-
ability and obliquity of the photography preclude
the mensuration of the facilities observed at
the site.
The town of Bilibino is situated in hilly ter-
rain at the confluence of 2 streams, about 9 nm
north-northeast of Keperveyem (Figures 1 and
2). An airstrip for local use only serves Bilibino.
Several mining areas are located northwest of
Bilibino. Roads and probable powerline traces
extending eastward from Bilibino are similar
to those extending from Bilibino to the mining
areas.
The site of the construction activities
which may be associated with a nuclear power-
plant is located on a terrace at the foot of low
hills separating 2 streams (Figures 3). The
site is connected to Bilibino and Keperveyem by
a road. It contains a construction camp, a small
secured probable substation, and construction
activity which may be fora small, package-type,
air- or gas-cooled reactor.* No construction
associated with a water coolant circulation
system is evident. However, such a system
would be impractical because of the extreme
winter temperatures in this area (-30? to -40?C).
The construction for the possible small nuclear
powerplant appears to be heavy concrete; there
is no evidence indicating that it is connected with
mining or ore processing.
Since all equipment needed for the instal-
lation of a nuclear powerplant in the hinterland
of the Arctic probably must be packaged to be
flown to the site, a search was made for facili-
ties which could be used by aircraft capable of
transporting such equipment. The airstrip at
Bilibino cannot accommodate such aircraft.
Grading for a possible airstrip was observed
about 3 nm northwest of the construction site.
Until this facility is complete and serviceable,
the installation of a nuclear reactor in this area
does not appear to be feasible.
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Road
--- Trail
Stream
Mining area
- - Contours- approximate alignment
(Contour interval 1000 feet)
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25X1A CHART
USAF. ONC, Sheet C-7, 1st classified ed, 24 Feb 60, scale 1:1,000,000 (CONFIDENTIAL)
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