Belarus’ Gosatomnadzor changes NPP launch licensing procedure
<p> MINSK, Aug 5 - PrimePress. The Department of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor) has changed the procedure for licensing the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (Astravyets District, Grodno Oblast), as per resolution No.32 of the Emergency Ministry of July 30, 2020, Gosatomnadzor reports. </p> <p> </p> <p> Changes have been made to the general provisions for ensuring safety of nuclear power plants, establishing that Gosatomnadzor will issue licenses for key stages of the NPP launch instead of a single license for operating the entire plant as previously assumed. </p> <p> </p> <p> “The agency will sequentially issue permits for the listed stages of commissioning of power unit No.1 of the Belarusian NPP (the closest of them is the first loading of the standard core), taking into account the readiness of the NPP. Once all stages have been completed, it will consider issuing a license for the power unit operation,” says Gosatomnadzor. </p> <p> </p> <p> In accordance with the updated resolution, the first loading of the standard core, subcritical tests of the reactor facility, physical experiments at a minimum controlled level, power startup and pilot operation are allowed after a check of readiness for the corresponding NPP commissioning stages and obtaining special permits (licenses). </p> <p> </p> <p> The licensing of industrial operation of the power unit will be the next step. According to Gosatomnadzor, this approach is consistent with international practice and IAEA recommendations. </p> <p> </p> <p> The resolution of the Emergency Ministry entered into force on July 31, 2020. </p> <p> </p> <p> The Energy Ministry of said on August 4 that the physical launch of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was planned for the next few days. The physical launch is a key stage of the project to commission a power-generating unit. The primary goal of the physical launch is to verify the reliability and safe operation of the power-generating unit within design parameters. </p> <p> </p> <p> Belarus’ first nuclear power plant in Ostrovets (a town in the Grodno Region also referred to as Astravyets) will have two units with a combined capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. The AES-2006 Russian standard design of (generation 3+) was chosen for its construction. The startup of the first power unit was postponed from 2018 to 2019 and then to the third quarter of 2020. The second unit is expected to be launched in 2021. Rosatom’s division Atomstroyexport acts as the general contractor for the NPP construction. The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant RUE is the project customer and the future operator of the NPP. End </p>
2020-08-05
Primepress
Belarus’ Gosatomnadzor changes NPP launch licensing procedure
MINSK, Aug 5 - PrimePress. The Department of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor) has changed the procedure for licensing the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (Astravyets District, Grodno Oblast), as per resolution No.32 of the Emergency Ministry of July 30, 2020, Gosatomnadzor reports.
Changes have been made to the general provisions for ensuring safety of nuclear power plants, establishing that Gosatomnadzor will issue licenses for key stages of the NPP launch instead of a single license for operating the entire plant as previously assumed.
“The agency will sequentially issue permits for the listed stages of commissioning of power unit No.1 of the Belarusian NPP (the closest of them is the first loading of the standard core), taking into account the readiness of the NPP. Once all stages have been completed, it will consider issuing a license for the power unit operation,” says Gosatomnadzor.
In accordance with the updated resolution, the first loading of the standard core, subcritical tests of the reactor facility, physical experiments at a minimum controlled level, power startup and pilot operation are allowed after a check of readiness for the corresponding NPP commissioning stages and obtaining special permits (licenses).
The licensing of industrial operation of the power unit will be the next step. According to Gosatomnadzor, this approach is consistent with international practice and IAEA recommendations.
The resolution of the Emergency Ministry entered into force on July 31, 2020.
The Energy Ministry of said on August 4 that the physical launch of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was planned for the next few days. The physical launch is a key stage of the project to commission a power-generating unit. The primary goal of the physical launch is to verify the reliability and safe operation of the power-generating unit within design parameters.
Belarus’ first nuclear power plant in Ostrovets (a town in the Grodno Region also referred to as Astravyets) will have two units with a combined capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts. The AES-2006 Russian standard design of (generation 3+) was chosen for its construction. The startup of the first power unit was postponed from 2018 to 2019 and then to the third quarter of 2020. The second unit is expected to be launched in 2021. Rosatom’s division Atomstroyexport acts as the general contractor for the NPP construction. The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant RUE is the project customer and the future operator of the NPP. End