Unit 2 of Gen III+ with VVER-1200 (the general designer and general contractor is Rosatom Engineering Division) of the Belarusian NPP was synced with the grid for the first time and supplied the first kilowatt-hours of electricity to the unified energy system of the Republic of Belarus.
The grid connection at the reactor power of 40% of the nominal one confirms the availability of all its systems and equipment for electricity generation. In the coming days, specialists will increase the reactor power up to 50% and carry out a series of dynamic tests in order to verify the compliance of the thermal performance of the main equipment in the reactor and turbine compartments of the power unit with the design values. These tests finalize the “First start” stage and, after obtaining the permit from the Department for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor of the Republic of Belarus), specialists will proceed to the final part of the nuclear power facility commissioning which is its pilot operation, consisting of a phased stepwise increase of the reactor power up to 100% of the nominal one with dynamic tests to be carried out in different operating modes with the main equipment shutdown including the blackout test at the power unit.
The commissioning of Unit 2 of the Belarusian NPP is scheduled for autumn 2023, after which the total electricity generation of the Belarusian NPP will be about 18 billion kilowatt-hours per year.
For reference:
Rosatom Engineering Division comprises the leading nuclear companies: JSC Atomstroyexport (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, branches in Russia and abroad), Joint Design Institute – JSC Atomenergoproekt (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg branches – design institute, branches in Russia and abroad, survey branches) and construction subsidiaries. Rosatom Engineering Division has the largest backlog of orders in the world while also ranking first for the number of nuclear power plants being simultaneously constructed in different countries aroundthe world. About 80% of the Division’s revenue comes from foreign projects. The Engineering Division runs large NPP constructшon projects in Russia and abroad, provides a full range of EPC, EP, EPC(M) services, including project management and design, and also develops Multi-D technologies for managing engineering facilities. The Division uses the achievements of the Russian nuclear industry and modern advanced technologies.
The Belarusian NPP with two VVER-1200 with a total capacity of 2400 MW is being built in Ostrovets (the Republic of Belarus). The first Belarusian nuclear power plant is based on Russian Gen III+ design which fully complies with international standards and safety requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Unit 1 of the Belarusian NPP, the first Russian-design nuclear power unit of the latest generation III+ built abroad, was commissioned on June 10, 2021.
The construction of power units of the Belarusian NPP is the largest energy project of the Union State and the basis of Belarusian-Russian cooperation in key areas. It also ensures the energy security of the two states. The plant will cover about 40% of Belarus’ domestic electricity needs and allows for savingabout 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. The experience gained as a result of cooperation between the field-specific departments of Belarus and Russia allowed for developing new areas of the Belarusian economy, including nuclear medicine, additive and digital technologies, bringing them to a qualitatively new level.
ROSATOM is a recognized world leader and the only company in the world constructing serial nuclear power plants abroad. There are 106 Russian-design nuclear power facilities around the world, 80 of which are power units with VVER-type reactors. To date, Rosatom’s backlog of foreign orders includes 34 VVER units at various stages of completion in 11 countries.
