The facility passed a total of 18 tests at 40% of its capacity. “One of the most crucial tests was the blackout. The primary loop switched over to natural circulation to cool down by discharging steam into the air through fast-acting pressure reducing valves,” RosEnergoAtom’s spokesperson said.

The tests also included trial runs of the reactor instrumentation and control system and the emergency power supply system, and an assessment of thermal and hydraulic properties of the primary circuit piping.

“The trials were a success because we were well prepared. This mode was modeled twice with the full-scale control room simulator, and people were thoroughly trained,” said Alexander Belyaev, Chief Engineer at Leningrad NPP-2.

Leningrad NPP-2 Unit 1 was brought to 50% power on April 11 to be followed by the ascension to 75%, 90% and 100%. A set of tests will be carried out at each step.

Technical specifications of the unit will be once again checked during the 15-day tests at full load.

Leningrad NPP-2 Unit 1 with a VVER-1200 reactor was connected to the national power grid on March 9, 2018. RosEnergoAtom expects to commission the facility by late 2018. This unit will serve as a reference project for Turkey’s Akkuyu and Hungary’s Paks II.