Sverdlovsk-44 / Novouralsk - Combine 813 / Urals Electrochemistry Combine

Sverdlovsk-44, currently Novouralsk, was established in 1945 to produce highly-enriched uranium for the nuclear weapons program. The Urals Electrochemistry Combine (originally the Combine 813) is the oldest and largest uranium enrichment facility in Russia.

Sverdlovsk-44 also was USSR’s pioneer of the centrifuge enrichment technology.

At present, uranium is enriched in four buildings (modules). The Building 0 (the original D-1 plant) is no longer used for enrichment. The Buildings 1, 2, 3 and 4 have a combined capacity of 10 million SWU/y and account for approximately 50 percent of Russia’s enrichment capacity. The combine is involved in downblending HEU from weapons under the U.S.-Russian HEU agreement. Sverdlovsk-44 has a gas-operated power plant supplying energy to both the production facilities and the city. The Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant (located near Yekaterinburg) is another major source of electricity for the production facilities.