Power unit No. 1 of the Belarusian NPP was put into commercial operation
On June 10, 2021, the acceptance certificate for the start-up complex of power unit No. 1 of the Belarusian NPP was signed (general designer and general contractor - Engineering Division of ROSATOM).
The transfer of the power unit took place in accordance with the contractual obligations for the construction of the Belarusian NPP and the legislation of the Republic of Belarus. According to the contract, the general contractor assumes responsibility for the operability of the power unit equipment during the warranty period.
The stage of physical start-up of power unit No. 1 of the Belarusian NPP began on August 7, 2020, on November 3, the unit was conneted with the unified power system of the Republic of Belarus, and on December 22, it moved to the stage of experimental-industrial operation. On June 2, 2021, the Collegium of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus issued a permit for the industrial operation of the power unit.
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A Belarusian NPP with two VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 2,400 MW is being built in Ostrovets (Republic of Belarus). For the first nuclear power plant in Belarus, a Russian generation III + project was chosen, which fully complies with international standards and recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on safety. Currently, four power units of this type are successfully operated in Russia: at the Novovoronezh and Leningrad NPPs.
The main feature of the VVER-1200 is a unique combination of active and passive safety systems that make the NPP maximally resistant to external and internal influences. Thus, all power units are equipped with a "melt trap" - a device for localizing the melt of the core of a nuclear reactor, as well as other passive safety systems capable of operating in a situation of complete power outage and without the participation of operators. In addition, the capacity of the reactor plant 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 extending it for another 20 years.