The government of the Sverdlovsk region (Russia) has approved the construction of the first BN-1200 fast reactor at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant. The technical design of the BN-1200 is scheduled for completion by 2013, while the manufacture of equipment will start in 2014. Construction of the Beloyarsk unit is due to begin in 2015. The new unit will replace the existing smaller BN-600 reactor at the unit 3 of the plant, which was commissioned in 1981 and is scheduled to be shut down by 2020. A BN-800 reactor is currently under construction as the unit 4 at Beloyarsk (planned for 2015). Beloyarsk 4 had earlier been intended as a replacement for the BN-600, but the project has been delayed by lack of funds since construction start in 2006. The new 1,200 MW unit is expected to generate 9 TWh/year of electricity and will help the Sverdlovsk region to become independent from fossil fuel imports.