“We have a construction agreement in place. It provides for Rosatom as a potential supplier of nuclear fuel for the Belarusian NPP,” Mikhail Mikhadyuk, Deputy Energy Minister of Belarus, told reporters at a press conference. “We are drafting a fuel contract now.”
The economic situation in Russia has not impacted the timeline and price of the construction, says Deputy Minister. “It is true that last year macroeconomic developments could not but influence the purchasing power of the Russian ruble. We analyzed the situation promptly and took measures to continue the NPP construction in accordance with the time schedule set out in the general contractor agreement.”
Mikhadyuk noted that construction costs would stay within the limits specified in the construction agreement.
Atommash, a local subsidiary of AEM Technology in Volgodonsk (a group company of Atomenergomash, Rosatom’s nuclear engineering division) is about to complete the reactor vessel for Belarusian NPP Unit 1. The vessel is now prepared for hydraulic tests as it is scheduled for shipment in October. Then a special 500-ton carrier will bring the vessel to the flatcar to be delivered to Ostrovets (Belarus) by rail.
“November or December is our latest term for the vessel shipment, and we will definitely meet the deadline,” said Vitaly Shishov.
The reactor vessel for Unit 2 will be delivered to the Belarusian NPP in 2017. “As provided for in our contract, we will ship the vessel for Reactor Unit 2 in 2017. Production goes full tilt – by now, all the components of the reactor have passed key tests, including the incoming material inspection when their high quality was confirmed with a series of examinations; pipe shells have been machined and plated,” Vitaly Shishov explains.
According to him, Atommash will complete two semi-vessels for the second reactor unit by the year end and will be able to begin the final stage of the vessel production in early 2016. Vitaly Shishov says, “We will get down to assembling the reactor in August 2016.”
The reactor vessel for Belarus NPP Unit 1 will be shipped this October. It will take several weeks to deliver the vessel to the construction site in Ostrovets.
