Russia starts pre-commissioning Leningrad II unit 1

Rosenergoatom has started cold and hot function testing at unit 1 of the Leningrad Phase II nuclear power plant under construction in western Russia. The procedure at the VVER-1200 unit will take 72 days to complete and will include more than 100 pre-operational tests of reactor equipment and systems, the Rosatom subsidiary said yesterday.

Rosenergoatom has started cold and hot function testing at unit 1 of the Leningrad Phase II nuclear power plant under construction in western Russia. The procedure at the VVER-1200 unit will take 72 days to complete and will include more than 100 pre-operational tests of reactor equipment and systems, the Rosatom subsidiary said yesterday.

Leningrad II unit 1 (Image: Rosenergoatom)

The tests mark the beginning of full-scale commissioning of the unit and are intended to confirm its reliable and safe operation, the company said.

The Leningrad II plant's director, Vladimir Pereguda, said hydraulic tests will be performed to confirm the density and strength of the reactor installation.

Oleg Ivanov, chief engineer at the plant, said 'cold' was a relative term regarding cold testing, since the temperature of the chemically desalinated water to be pumped through the pipes will be about 120°C.

Hot testing will include checks on the four main circulation pumping units at 260°C over 100 hours.

The existing Leningrad plant site has four operating RMBK-1000 units, while Leningrad II will have four VVER-1200 units.

The general designer of Leningrad II is Atomproekt, while the general contractor is TITAN-2 JSC.

The Rosenergoatom statement did not give a target date for the start-up of unit 1.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News