VVER-1200 power unit No 1 of Leningrad NPP has successfully passed the final test and is ready for commissioning

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INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF LENINGRAD NPP, PUBLISHED 30.08.2018

Leningrad NPP has completed the unit complex tests. The new nuclear colossus of the generation 3+ with the VVER-1200 reactor unit has worked without any complaint throughout the entire period of testing. Within 15 days its equipment and systems has been operating safely, effectively, and reliably in full accordance with the project.

“The successful completion of the commissioning tests has confirmed the 1st unit technical readiness for industrial operation”, Vladimir Pereguda, the Plant Manager of Leningrad NPP, noted. “The results of the final comprehensive testing show stable joint work of all the main and auxiliary equipment, the unit’s and its full readiness for stable load in accordance with the project. We accomplished this task two months before the deadline, so we consider the event as a great team accomplishment.”

On 9 March, 2018, the most powerful and modern Leningrad NPP unit was first connected to the Unified Energy System and began generating electric energy for the Northwest of Russia. Over the past six months, the power unit has successfully passed the power development testing at all stages of the power start-up and pilot operation; they included several hundreds of various system and equipment inspections and tests that confirmed the reliability, safety and uniqueness of the atomic technologies of the generation 3+ project.

The complex testing has become the final stage of the pilot operation and the transition step to the power unit commissioning into commercial operation. The next step is to put into operation all start-up facilities while receiving readiness confirmation from Rostechnadzor. The final conclusion on the readiness of the VVER-1200 power unit of Leningrad NPP for industrial operation will be issued by the acceptance commission of the Rosenergoatom JSC.

“This is the first power unit to work for at least 60 years; we hope it will be followed by another, and then we might be entrusted to build the third and the fourth ones”, Vladimir Pereguda added. “Therefore, we set ourselves an ambitious task of commissioning the unit ahead of schedule and with high quality!”

It should be noted that the innovative, most powerful power units currently exist with VVER-1200 water-water power reactors, built at LNPP-2, belong to the newest generation 3+. They use the most advanced achievements that meet all post-Fukushima safety requirements. Such units are unique and have no analogues in the world. First such unit was launched at the end of 2016 at Novovoronezh NPP-2 city of Novovoronezh). In comparison with traditional power units of the same type, the VVER-1200 project has a number of advantages that significantly increase its safety and economic performance. The main feature of the VVER-1200 project is the combination of active and passive safety systems that make the Plant as stable against external and internal influences. The VVER-1200 unit uses following features: the melt trap (a device localizing the melt in the reactor core), the system of passive heat removal through steam generators (PHRS) (it is designed to ensure long-term release of heat from the core in the absence of any source of energy supply), etc.

By the end of the pilot operation, the power unit No 1 of Leningrad NPP produced more than 2.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electric energy. According to preliminary estimates, after it is commissioned into commercial operation, it will bring the economic effect in the form of additional taxes into the consolidated budget of the Leningrad Oblast in the amount of more than 3 billion rubles annually. The new facilities will ensure a high level of energy security of the country, will allow to continue the implementation of a number of large regional investment projects that require significant energy consumption, and will contribute to the growth, development and strengthening of the financial independence of the city of Sosnovy Bor.

Leningrad NPP is a branch of Rosenergoatom. The Plant is located at the town of Sosnovy Bor, 40 km west of St. Petersburg on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. LNPP is the first plant in the country with RBMK-1000 reactors (thermal-neutron heat-pipe cooled uranium-graphite nuclear reactors). The NPP operates four power units with an electric capacity of 1,000 MW each. The first unit of replacement capacities with VVER-1200 reactor is at the physical start-up stage, the second VVER-1200 type unit is under construction. Rosenergoatom JSC is the customer-developer of the project, ATOMPROEKT JSC is the general designer, and CONTSERN TITAN-2 JSC is the general contractor.

Topics: Russia, Leningrad NPP

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