Cold functional tests start at Novovoronezh II-2

Thursday, 2 August 2018

Also known as Novovoronezh 7, the unit is a VVER 1200/392M pressurised water reactor (PWR) unit with a design net capacity of 1114 MWe. It is the second of two such units at Novovoronezh II - the lead project for the deployment of the AES-2006 design incorporating a Gidropress-designed PWR, an evolutionary development from the VVER-1000. Unit 1 was connected to the grid in August 2016.

Cold and hot tests on the unit’s equipment are the most important stage of commissioning work, Rosatom said. They confirm the unit is fit for safe and reliable operation and form the last major technological operation before its physical launch, it added.

"We have already carried out hydraulic tests on the first and second circuits at a pressure of 3.2 MPa and 2.0 MPa, thus confirming their integrity," Vladimir Povarov, director of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, said. “Now we will include the main circulation pumps, performing the necessary tests for density and strength. We need to confirm that all the mechanisms are working as they should and then we’ll go on to the stages that are associated with obtaining a licence from [regulator] Rostekhnadzor to load nuclear fuel into the reactor,” he added.

Hot tests will confirm the operability of the main and auxiliary equipment and systems of the reactor installation under operating conditions. Commissioning and operation specialists will run the four main circulation pumps for 100 hours at a given pressure of 16.0 MPa and a coolant temperature of 280 degrees Celsius.