10.06.2021
On June 10, 2021, the acceptance certificate of Belarus NPP power unit No.1 start-up complex was signed (the general designer and the general contractor — Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division).
Handover of the power unit was held in accordance with contractual obligations for BelNPP construction and the legislation of the Republic of Belarus. Pursuant to the Contract, the General Contractor is responsible for performance capability of the power unit equipment during the warranty obligations period.
“Today, we are witnessing a historic event. The first Gen III+ power unit constructed by Rosatom abroad has been put into commercial operation. This is the result of a great deal of work carried out by a team of highly qualified specialists from the two countries, the evidence of reliability and efficiency of Russian nuclear technologies and our common success,” - said Alexey Likhachev, General Director of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.
“Handing over to the Belarusian colleagues the symbolic key from the country’s first nuclear power unit, I can say with full confidence that Belarus has become the owner of the most modern and safe facility,” emphasized Aleksander Lokshin, the First Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy of Rosatom State Corporation, the President of JSC ASE at the presentation of the symbolic key to the power unit to Mikhail Filimonov, General Director of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant RUE. - Now, you will need such a key no earlier than in 80 years, to close the plant only”.
The stage of Belarus NPP power unit No.1 physical start-up started on August 7, 2020, on November 3 the unit was connected to the grid of the Republic of Belarus and on December 22, 2020 - proceeded to the trial commercial operation. On June 2, 2021, the Board of the Ministry for Emergency situations of the Republic of Belarus issued the permit for commercial operation of the power unit.
Belarus NPP having two VVER-1200 reactors with the total capacity of 2400 MW is being constructed in Ostrovets (the Republic of Belarus). The Russian III+ generation design that is fully compliant with the international standards and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety recommendations has been selected for the first NPP in Belarus. Currently, four power units of the similar type are being successfully operated in Russia: at the Novovoronezh and the Leningrad NPP.
The main feature of the VVER-1200 is a unique combination of active and passive safety systems providing NPP with maximum resistance to external and internal impacts. Thus, all power units are equipped with the “core catcher” - a core melt localization device of the nuclear reactor, as well as other passive safety systems capable to work without power supply and an operator’s participation. Moreover, the capacity of the reactor unit has increased by 20%, the number of service staff has been significantly decreased, the design service life of the main equipment has increased twice - from 30 to 60 years with a possibility of prolongation by 20 more years.
