The supporting materials for the operating license in the field of nuclear energy on the subject of “Rostov NPP power unit No 2 performance in the 18-month fuel cycle with 104% of the reactor plant nominal capacity” were publicly discussed in Volgodonsk on 16 February, 2017.

The constructors and operational experts of Rostov NPP, the representatives of Rosenergoatom Concern, governmental and independent environmental organizations, local authorities, public organizations, as well as town residents participated in the discussions.

The power unit constructors and operational experts noted that the increase in reactor plant capacity does not affect the unit safety and reliability.

“The design specifications of VVER-1000 type reactors assembled at Rostov NPP allow the plant to operate at capacity above nominal. That is confirmed by power unit No 1 operating its eighth year at 104 percent capacity. Numerous studies – including equipment diagnostics and monitoring, and environmental analysis – accurately represent that the power unit capacity increase does not affect its safety and reliability performance, as well as the environment”, The Plant Manager of Rostov NPP Andrey Salnikov emphasized.


To operate the power unit No 2 at 104% capacity, the Reactor Plant General Designer of Hydraulic experimental design bureau executed all the safety requirements. During the scheduled maintenance the unit No 2 reactor plant has been upgraded and the modernized equipment has been tested at the increased capacity. The results of these tests meet the safety requirements.

According to the participants of the discussions, the unit operation at increased capacity of 104% first of all leads to an increase in electric energy generation, which is necessary for the development of Russian South.

“In the view of the national economy development policy the growth of industrial production, technology development and implementation, the development of agriculture (especially in the environment of Western sanctions), the increase of nuclear energy generation are the tasks of national importance”, the Deputy of the State Duma, a member of the State Duma Committee on Transport and Construction Victor Deryabkin noted.

“One kilowatt of energy received from power unit capacity increase is much cheaper than the one produced at a nuclear power plant built from scratch. The increase in units’ capacity when in compliance with all the safety standards allows to save billions on a national scale”, the Deputy of the State Duma, a member of the State Duma Committee on Energy Gennadiy Sklyar confirmed. “One kilogram of uranium enriched up to four per cent, which is used in the nuclear fuel at full burnout releases energy equivalent to burning about 100 tons of coal and 60 tons of oil”, the Deputy said.

More than 300 people took part in the public discussions. All the questions raised during the meeting received exhaustive answers. All the comments and suggestions will be included into the protocol and transferred to the Requestor – Rosenergoatom Concern JSC.

The Rostov NPP is an affiliate company for Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC. The plant is based at the Tsymlianskoe reservoir shore 13.5 km away from Volgodonsk. The NPP operates VVER-1000 reactors with the installed capacity of 1000 megawatts. The power block No.1 commenced commercial operations in 2001, with the second and the third power blocks to follow in 2010 and on September 17, 2015, respectively. The power block No. 4 is currently under construction.

The up-to-date information on the nuclear environment close to the Russian NOOs and other nuclear objects is available at www.russianatom.ru


The Rostov NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.