06.08.2020
The Department of Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor) has issued a permit for loading fresh nuclear fuel into the reactor of the Belarusian NPP Unit 1. Rosatom Engineering Division is the general designer and general contractor of the NPP.
In accordance with the laws of the Republic of Belarus, Gosatomnadzor experts carried out a targeted inspection, which confirmed readiness of technological systems, equipment, personnel of the nuclear power unit and operational documentation for the beginning of the physical start-up phase.
In the coming days, the first of 163 fuel assemblies will be loaded into the reactor of Unit 1, where after the engineers will proceed to assemble the reactor plant.
Physical start-up is an important stage in the commissioning process of a nuclear power unit, during which fuel is loaded into the reactor, the chain reaction starts with reaching the minimum controllable level (1% of the capacity) and relevant tests are performed. From that moment on, the reactor acquires the status of a nuclear power facility. The main objective of this stage is to verify the reliability and safety of the power unit at its design parameters and execute the power start-up afterwards.
The two-unit Belarusian NPP with a total power capacity of 2,400 MW is being constructed in the Belarusian town of Ostrovets. Being the country’s first NPP, it is based on a Russian Gen 3+ design that fully complies with the international standards and the IAEA safety recommendations.
For the reference:
Engineering Division of ROSATOM was established by integration of the leading companies of the industry: ASE EC JSC (Nizhny Novgorod), Atomstroyexport JSC (Nizhny Novgorod), Atomenergoproekt JSC (Moscow) and ATOMPROEKT JSC (Saint-Petersburg).
The Engineering Division ranks first in the world in terms of the order book and the number of NPPs being built abroad at the same time.
Foreign projects account for about 80% of its portfolio.
ASE implements design and construction projects for high-power NPPs in Russia and abroad, it renders a full range of EPC, EPC(M) services and develops Multi-D technologies for management of complex engineering facilities. The Engineering Division relies on the achievements of the Russian nuclear industry and state-of-the-art technologies.
We construct reliable and safe NPPs with 3+Gen VVER reactors that are in line with all international requirements and recommendations.
www.ase-ec.ru
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About Rosatom
ROSATOM is the only company in the world that has the resources and competencies to offer energy solutions across the nuclear supply chain. It possesses a wide range of assets, including assets in design, construction and operation of nuclear power stations, uranium mining, conversion and enrichment, supply of nuclear fuel, decommissioning, spent fuel storage and transportation and safe nuclear waste disposal. Rosatom is also engaged in the production of equipment and isotope products for the needs of nuclear medicine, scientific research, and materials science, the production of digital and of various nuclear and non-nuclear innovative products. The company’s strategy is to develop low-carbon power generation projects, including in the wind generation field. Today the company brings together over 300 enterprises and organizations and over 250,000 employees.
The 75th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry
The year 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry. Russia has always been a pioneer in the peaceful use of atomic energy. In 1954, Russian scientists launched the first nuclear power station, and today Rosatom already has three units with the latest 3+ generation reactors. Over three quarters of a century thanks to the Russian nuclear industry nuclear units have appeared in many foreign countries, and today Rosatom is the leader in terms of the size of its foreign portfolio. Rosatom has the world's only nuclear icebreaker fleet, the most powerful fast neutron reactor; it contributes to digitalization as well as nuclear medicine.
