Within the framework of the physical launch the hydraulic tests of the reactor building of Rostov NPP new power unit No 4 (ASE Group of Companies is a General Designer and General Contractor for the construction of Rostov NPP power units, a Rosatom’s engineering division) have been completed.

“All the hydraulic tests necessary to bring the 4th power unit reactor to a minimum controllable power (MCP) have been successfully carried out. The work of systems and equipment corresponds to the design parameters”, Aleksey Deriy, the Vice-President for projects in Russia of JSC ASE, said.

During the hydrotesting, specialists checked the operation of the main circulation pumps and other equipment of the reactor units’ primary and secondary circuits at operating parameters.

According to Oleg Vysotskiy, the Head of the Reactor Department of the Phase II of Rostov NPP, the completion of the reactor unit hydraulic tests would allow to proceed to the second and one of the key sub-stages of the physical launch; that is putting the reactor at a minimum controllable power (MCP). “Currently, our specialists are making preparations to start this process”, O. Vysotskiy noted.

In accordance with the regulations, during the reactor operation at MCP the nuclear industry specialists will measure the actual neutron-physical characteristics of the reactor core to confirm compliance with the design parameters and the correct functioning of the reactor control and protection systems.

After carrying out a number of physical tests at the sub-stage of putting the reactor facility at MCP, the program for the physical launch of the power unit No 4 will be completed.

It is to be recalled that the launch of the RoNPP 4th unit reactor has started on 6 December, 2017. The decision on the readiness of the 4th unit for the program of the physical launch was made following the results of Rostekhnadzor targeted inspection that checked the readiness of the facility’s technological systems and equipment, the 4th power unit personnel, and operational documentation.

The process of physical launch determines the characteristics of the core necessary for operating the reactor. After the phase of the power unit No 4 physical launch is ended, the decisive stage of the start-up operations – the energy start-up and the power supply to consumers– will begin. They are planned for the 2018.