Commissioning of Rostov NPP Unit 3 was last year’s major development in the Russian nuclear industry. “Unit 3 operates now at 50% of its thermal capacity and generates 460 MW of electric power. As part of the pilot operation stage, we are carrying out commissioning works and checks, with 95% already completed,” says Andrei Gorbunov, Deputy Chief Engineer at Rostov NPP. Commercial operation of Unit 3 is scheduled for July 2015, followed by Unit 4 in 2017. The site of Unit 4 is already prepared to receive a 320-ton reactor vessel to be delivered in late June. By that time, the crane to handle the vessel will have been tested with a 370-ton load. The turbine island will be prepared for the turbine installation by July.

Consistent and well coordinated
In 2015, the activity focus has moved to Novovoronezh NPP-2 whose Unit 1 is scheduled for the start-up later this year. The site is being prepared for hydraulic tests and circulation cleaning of the primary loop to start on 25 June. Installation of core equipment is ongoing in the Unit 2 reactor building. Mounted in its permanent position is the pressurizer, which is a reactor component maintaining the required coolant pressure in the primary loop.

Work is going full tilt at Leningrad NPP-2, with Unit 1 premises almost ready and the site being prepared for the installation of reactor vessel internals.

Baltic and Beloyarsk NPPs
On the run-up to the start of Baltic NPP construction, the work is nearing completion at eight auxiliary facilities. By the end of May, a warehouse facility will be ready to receive equipment for the nuclear station.

BN-800 fast reactor at Beloyarsk NPP Unit 4 is scheduled to generate its first electricity in the second half of 2015, says Rosenergoatom CEO Evgeny Romanov. According to him, the current priority is to solve all safety tasks and settle all issues with the Russian Nuclear Supervision Agency.

European and Asian footprint
Rosatom is about to start Unit 2 at India’s Kudankulam NPP. According to Alexander Lokshin, Deputy CEO of Rosatom, the unit will be commissioned this summer. The final date is not set yet as the Indian regulator has not issued a permit to load fuel into the reactor.

A branch office of Rosatom’s united engineering company NIAEP-ASE-AEP was opened in Paks (Hungary) to facilitate construction at Paks NPP, another overseas nuclear site. Igor Mezenin was appointed director of the office in Paks. “Opening of a branch office and the start of on-site surveys are the first steps under last December’s EPC contract to build Paks-2 Unit 5 and Unit 6,” said Valery Limarenko, President of NIAEP-ASE-AEP.

Ahead of the schedule
Construction of the Russian-designed Belarusian NPP goes ahead of the schedule. Eight thousand people will be working here at the height of construction in 2016–2017. Fuel loading is scheduled for the same period. This year’s milestones for Unit 1 include installation and concreting of internal and external containments, walls and the ceiling, and construction of the cooling tower.