The first criticality program at Unit 3 of Rostov nuclear power plant started on November 14, 2014. All 163 fuel assemblies were loaded using a special refueling machine, which installed them to the nearest millimeter. In the course of the first criticality program, the core parameters necessary for the reactor operation are determined. “Now, the specialists will check correctness of fuel assemblies loading. Then, the reactor will be assembled and we will start pressure tests of the primary and secondary circuits of the reactor installation. After that the second sub-stage of the first criticality program will start. This is to bring the reactor to the minimum controlled power. It will include another set of physical tests and this will be the end of the first criticality program,” Victor Tereshonok, the Scientific Supervisor of Rostov-3 Start-Up, explained the essence of upcoming operations at the start-up power unit. Unit 3 of Rostov NPP is commissioned ahead of schedule.