Hot functional test of the reactor plant, a large-scale stage of commissioning works before the physical start-up, has been completed successfully at Unit 2 of Belarus NPP (its General Designer and the General Contractor being ROSATOM).
In the process of hot functional test, the specialists conducted over 260 various tests, the main purpose of which is to confirm compliance of nuclear island systems and equipment with design characteristics, including safety check of power unit operation at the nominal parameters and during heat-up and cool-down of the reactor plant.
At the nominal parameters stage (at primary circuit pressure 160 kg/sq.cm and temperature +2,800С), operability check of all four reactor coolant pumps, main steam pipelines blowdown with auxiliary steam, operability check of reactor plant control and protection systems and auxiliary power systems were carried out. Besides, tests of steam generator main safety valves, pressurizer and many other operations were performed.
“The tests conducted have proven that all the equipment and power unit process systems, involved in the hot functional test program, meet the design characteristics”, noted Vitaly Polyanin, Vice President - Director of Belarus NPP Construction Project of ASE JSC. In accordance with the plan of power unit preparation for physical start - up, the next stage is inspection of the main and auxiliary equipment of the primary and secondary circuits of the power unit”.
For reference:
Belarus NPP having two VVER-1200 reactors with the total capacity of 2,400 MW is being constructed in Ostrovets (the Republic of Belarus). The Russian design of III+ generation was chosen for the first nuclear power plant in Belarus, which fully complies with international safety standards and recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Unit 1 of Belarus NPP was accepted for commercial operation on June 10, 2021. It became the first nuclear power facility of the latest III+ generation, built abroad using the Russian technologies.