On August 5, 2023, the welding of the main coolant pipeline (MCP) was completed at power unit No. 3 of Kudankulam NPP (the Republic of India) by the Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division as the general designer and general contractor, including the surfacing of austenitic stainless steel to protect the pipeline against aggressive environment.
The main coolant pipeline combines the main equipment of the primary circuit, including the reactor, the steam generators and the reactor coolant pumps. Considering high requirements for quality and operational conditions, the MCP welding is one of the most complicated and important stages of civil and erection works at the power unit. It is the reactor coolant pipeline that carries the water heated in the reactor into the steam generators from which the generated steam goes into the turbine steam path, and the turbine generator generates electricity. The MCP total length is about 140 m, the thickness of the pipe walls is 70 mm, the total length of 28 welded joints is more than 87 m. The MCP design service life is 60 years in tough environment (with pressure 160 atm., temperature 3500С) is 60 years.
During the welding of the main coolant pipeline which began in December 2022, a technology proposed by the Russian party was used, which made it possible for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) to reduce the operation time from 270 to 219 days.
Upon completion of the MCP welding, “flushing with the open reactor” operations and the “hydraulic tests and circulation flushing of the primary circuit” stage will start.
Information about Kudankulam NPP Project
Power units No 3,4 and 5,6 are the second and the third stages of Kudankulam NPP constructed under AES-92 design with VVER-1000 reactor plant. The technical solutions implemented in Kudankulam design characterize the further evolution of NPP power units equipped with large-capacity VVER-reactor, to mark a transition to creation of a new, reliable, safe and feasible power unit.
New power units of Kudankulam NPP comply with the most up-to-date safety requirements of IAEA. The developer and the technical customer of the facility is Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. The general designer and supplier of equipment is ASE JSC. Currently, power units Nos. 1, 2 of Kudandulam NPP are operating at the nominal power level.
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Communications Division
Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division
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Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division unites the leading companies of the nuclear industry, namely: Atomstroyexport JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, branches in Russia and abroad), Joint Design Institute - Atomenergoproekt JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg branches - design institutes, branches in Russia and abroad, R&D branches) and subsidiary construction organizations.
The Engineering Division ranks first in the world by the order portfolio and the number of NPPs constructed simultaneously across the world.
About 80% of the Division’s revenues originate from foreign projects.
The Engineering Division implements construction projects for high-power NPPs in Russia and across the world, renders a full range of EPC, EP, EPC(M) services including project management and design activities, and develops Multi-D technologies for the management of complex engineering facilities. The Division relies on the achievements of the Russian nuclear industry and innovative state-of-the-art technologies.
We construct reliable and safe NPPs with Gen III+ VVER reactors that are in line with all international requirements and recommendations.