Not regarding the freezing-cold weather, the construction at Russian NPPs sites is going full pace. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Beloyarsk NPP
The Beloyarsk NPP site is unique. Here the BN-600 fast breeder reactor is already under operation and the BN-800 – under construction. Recently there was a meeting of the control team of the BN-800 construction. Note that the number of construction and mounting personnel on the site exceeds 3500 people. There are working groups formed by the client, responsible for basic points of preparation and launching of the BN-800 reactor and power unit 4 putting into operation. The unit basic equipment is about to be completed.
The first container with sodium arrived from France to the power unit 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP site on December 19, 2012. This type of liquefied metal is used as a coolant for BN reactors (BN stands for “fast sodium” in Russian). It transfers heat, produced by nuclear reaction, through an intermediate loop to the steam generator, producing steam for power unit turbines. The sodium supplier is MSSA, the French company, which won the international tender. 2000 tons of sodium are to be received for the new unit in 2013. The power start-up of the unit is scheduled for 2014. “We see it to be quite symbolic that the putting into operation of the new unit will check with the 50 years anniversary of the Beloyarsk NPP” – says the NPP press-center.
Novovoronezh NPP-2
Novovoronezh NPP-2, where the general contractor for construction is Atomenergoproyekt, Rosatom design institute, started the equipment assembly in the plantwide compressor-unit. The compressor-unit building, whose floor space is about 15,000 square meters, accommodates pneumatic machinery which is used to provide compressed air for the auxiliary reactor building systems, water purifier building, etc. Besides, before the unit launch, pneumatic tests will be done for the reactor containment vessel durability. During the tests air pressure equal to four kilos per cm2 will be created inside the containment. There are two power units with VVER-1200 reactors being constructed on the site.
At the Novovoronezh NPP-2 site one evaporative cooling tower is currently under construction. Before the domestic NPPs used to build two at a time. Atomenergoproyekt is the first Russian company using this technology. It allows the constructor to decrease the capital cost along with energy consumption for their own needs. It also reduces the working area of the site, meeting all safety requirements.
Baltic NPP
One of the important events of 2012 is the core melt trap delivery to the Baltic NPP site. The core melt trap is located directly under the reactor pressure vessel and represents a cone-shaped metal structure of 739 tons. It gets filled with special sacrificial material, which, in case of emergency, won’t allow the liquid fuel to affect the concrete padding of the reactor and prevents radioactivity leakage. The melt trap, a “know-how” of Russian atomic engineers, first was installed at the Tianwan NPP in China. The non-cargo part of the core melt trap (12 cargo packages) was delivered by barge from the pier of “Energomash-Atommash”, the producer factory, while the overall part (78 cargo packages with the total weight of 145 tons) was brought from Volgodonsk to Kaliningrad oblast by highway transport. The melt trap assembly will start in the short run.
Leningrad NPP-2
In December a melt trap for power unit 2 was delivered to the site. Three years ago a similar trap was delivered for unit 1. As of December 6, 2012 the number of construction staff at the Leningrad NPP site was about 2500. The site comprises 145 individual facilities being worked on.
Rostov NPP
The station is an affiliate of the “Rosenergoatom” Concern and is situated on the bank of the Tsimliansk reservoir 13.5 km far from the city of Volgodonsk. There are currently two power units with the VVER-1000 reactors with the total capacity of 1000 MW. Power unit 1 was put into operation in 2001, while unit 2 – in December 2010. Units 3 and 4 are under construction, their launch is scheduled for 2014 and 2017 respectively.
In December the main event of the month occurred at the site: completion of the polar crane testing. The crane is meant for heavy equipment assembly inside the reactor building, including the reactor vessel. As the crane runs on circular rails, it can handle cargo at any spot of the reactor building. The next stage is assembly of steam-generators at unit 3. Steam-generators are large size equipment weighing over 300 tons, more than 10 meters long and more than 4 meters in diameter.
We will keep updating you on the progress in NPP construction in Russia and abroad, on Russian projects. Stay in touch.
