Rosenergoatom Concern (the operator of all Russian NPPs) is ready to share its knowledge and experience in the area of operating the innovative power units of 3+ generation with foreign countries. This was reported during the 9th International Forum Atomexpo-2017 by the First Deputy Director General on NPP Operation of Rosenergoatom Concern Aleksandr Shutikov. The briefing meeting on the subject of “The characteristics of 3+ generation power units and its first operation experience” was held in the Forum Media Centre on 20 June.

In particular, Russian nuclear specialists’ experience on the construction of power unit No 1 of Novovoronezh NPP-2 (No 6 of NV NPP) can be used in the construction of the complete analog of NV NPP-2 – Belarus nuclear power plant. Indeed, Belarusian nuclear specialists actively do the course and undergo training at Novovoronezh NPP. In total, during 2017 NV NPP is going to train 150 colleagues from the friendly republic, and it is planned that about 800 foreign specialists will visit the site this year.

It is to be recalled that power unit No 1 of NV NPP-2 (No 6 of NV NPP) is the main unit, the innovative and breakthrough object of nuclear power industry that comply with all the existing safety regulations, including the wide range of completely new technologies. It is a benchmark for new plants both in Russia and abroad. “This is an evolutional development of VVER technologies from standard series V-320 to VVER-1200, as well as a quantum leap ahead in application of mix of active and passive safety systems”, Aleksandr Shutikov noted.

Telling about the peculiarities of operation and object’s advantages he stressed that power unit No 1 of NV NPP-2 commissioned this year meets all the requirements both by efficiency and safety. “Its main equipment operational life is 60 years with the possibility to prolong it for an additional period. The power unit was designed in such a way to have a possibility to be operated in different time spans of fuel kernel – from 12 to 24 months. It can work in the conditions of maneuver loads and variable frequency of the power system.” According to A.Shutikov, a significant step ahead was achieved also in the level of process automation.

Answering the question about the cyber attack protection Aleksandr Viktorovich explained that power units of 3+ generation have a high level of IT protection: “The systems responsible for safety of power unit’s reactor unit equipment in general are constructed by special principles and “are completely beyond the outside informational attacks’ control”.”

It is to be recalled that on 21 June this year 120 foreign participants of Atomexpo-2017 will visit Novovoronezh NPP with a technical tour in order to get acquainted with the technological characteristics of NV NPP-2 power unit No 1.

The Rosenergoaton Concern (the power division of the Rosatom State Corporation) includes 10 Russian nuclear power stations bearing the status of the Concern’s affiliate companies, along with the vendors catering for the needs of the generation company. All in all, the 10 nuclear power stations operate 35 power blocks* (*excluding the Novovoronezh NPP’s 6th power block being at the pilot production stage): 18 of them operate VVER reactors (12 VVER-1000 power blocks and 5 VVER-440 power blocks of different modifications); 15 of them with channel reactors (11 power blocks with RMBK-1000 reactors, four power blocks with EGP-6 reactors); and 2 power blocks with fast neutron sodium cooling reactors (BN-600 and BN-800).

At the moment, the Rosenergoatom NPPs account for 18.3% of the whole electricity output in the country.