Belarus starts loading nuclear fuel into first unit of Astravyets nuke plant

<p> MINSK, Aug 7 - PrimePress. The loading of fresh nuclear fuel into the reactor core of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP, Astravyets District, Grodno Oblast) has started on Aug 7, reads a press-release by Russia’s Rosatom. </p> <p>   </p> <p> This is one of the stages of the process of putting the power unit into operation. A total of 163 fuel assemblies with nuclear fuel will be loaded into the reactor in August. </p> <p>   </p> <p> After loading the fuel, the rector will be brought to the minimum controlled reactor power (1% of capacity), with appropriate research. From now on, the reactor will acquire the status of a nuclear power plant. After confirmation of reliability and safety of the unit operation on the design parameters, the power start-up stage will begin, during which the unit will be included in the grid for the first time. The power launch is planned for the fourth quarter of 2020. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Belarus has become the owner of the [reactor] block built using the most advanced technologies of 3+Generation. The relevance of this technology has already been confirmed by the operation of similar power units in Russia. They meet all "post-Fukushima" safety requirements, all IAEA missions have recognized their reliability,” said Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Power Unit 1 of Belarus’ Astravyets nuclear power plant has become the first 3+G unit built with Russian technologies abroad. Currently, three units of this type are operated in Russia: two at the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant and one at the Leningrad NPP. In July 2020 they completed the construction and initiated start-up operations at Russia’d fourth 3+G power unit – unit 6 at the Leningrad NPP. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “The main feature of VVER-1200 (water-water energetic reactor (WWER) or VVER) is a unique combination of active and passive safety systems making the NPP as resistant as possible to external and internal impacts. Thus, all power units are equipped with a “melt trap” - a device for capturing the core melt, as well as other passive safety systems capable of operating in a situation of complete absence of power supply and without operators’ participation. In addition, the capacity of the reactor unit has increased by 20%, the number of maintenance personnel has been significantly reduced, the design life of the main equipment has been doubled from 30 to 60 years with the possibility of extension for another 20 years", - said Andrey Petrov, Director General at Russia’s Rosenergoatom Concern. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Russia’s Atomenergomash is the supplier of key nuclear island equipment for the Belarusian NPP. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Fuel is produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, the level of enrichment varies from 1.3 to 4.4%. </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 VVER-1200 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>

2020-08-08

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