▁the ▁German ▁regul atory ▁body ▁had ▁already ▁ ▁taken ▁the ▁same ▁decision ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin ▁wall . ▁ ▁V VER - 1 0 0 0 ▁ ▁When ▁first ▁built ▁the ▁V VER ▁design ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁oper ational ▁for ▁ 3 5 ▁years . ▁A ▁mid - life ▁major ▁over ha ul ▁including ▁a ▁complete ▁replacement ▁of ▁critical ▁parts ▁such ▁as ▁fuel ▁and ▁control ▁rod ▁channels ▁was ▁thought ▁necessary ▁after ▁that . ▁ ▁Since ▁R B M K ▁react ors ▁specified ▁a ▁major ▁replacement ▁programme ▁at ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁design ers ▁originally ▁decided ▁this ▁needed ▁to ▁happen ▁in ▁the ▁V VER ▁type ▁as ▁well , ▁although ▁they ▁are ▁of ▁more ▁robust ▁design ▁than ▁the ▁R B M K ▁type . ▁Most ▁of ▁Russia ' s ▁V VER ▁plants ▁are ▁now ▁reaching ▁and ▁passing ▁the ▁ 3 5 ▁year ▁mark . ▁More ▁recent ▁design ▁studies ▁have ▁allowed ▁for ▁an ▁extension ▁of ▁lifetime ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁years ▁with ▁replacement ▁of ▁equipment . ▁New ▁V VER s ▁will ▁be ▁name pl ated ▁with ▁the ▁extended ▁lifetime . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁the ▁oldest ▁V VER - 1 0 0 0 , ▁at ▁Nov ov or one zh , ▁was ▁shut ▁down ▁for ▁modern ization ▁to ▁extend ▁its ▁operating ▁life ▁for ▁an ▁additional ▁ 2 0 ▁years ; ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁under go ▁such ▁an ▁operating ▁life ▁extension . ▁The ▁work ▁includes ▁the ▁modern ization ▁of ▁management , ▁protection ▁and ▁emer gency ▁systems