09.10.2018  THE INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATION DEPARTMENT OF NOVOVORONEZH NPP

Novovoronezh NPP-2 has completed the WANO Support Mission before the 2nd power unit pre-launch check

The WANO support mission has been completed at Novovoronezh NPP. Its purpose was to assist the Plant in ensuring operational readiness and preparation for the successful pre-launch Peer Review (PPR) of the unit No 2 of NVNPP-2 (No 7 of NVNPP).

“This was the 4th such mission for the WANO Moscow Center and the first one for Russian Federation. From this perspective, Novovoronezh NPP is the first Russian Plant to hold the Mission. We tried to make recommendations so that the power unit could be prepared for the pre-launch check”, the Head of the WANO MC Support Mission Andrey Nosov noted, adding also that the facility was in good condition and the experts did not have anything to criticize. “The works are going ahead of the schedule”, he stressed.

For a week international experts from Russia, Hungary, Slovakia and Canada have been communicating with the NVNPP leaders, conducting interviews with managers and specialists in various fields, and observing the personnel work. They’ve made a walkabout of the pre-launch power unit No 2 NVNPP-2, and also visited Novovoronezh social facilities.

This will be directly followed by the pre-launch Peer Review. According to the WANO Charter, such a review is carried out at every new power unit in the world.

Since 2013, international experts have conducted about 40 PPRs and repeat visits. The main objective of the pre-launch peer review is to assess the readiness of the power unit and its personnel for safe operation.

It is to be recalled that power units No 1 and No 2 of NVNPP-2 (No 6 and No 7 NVNPP) with VVER-1200 reactors belong to the Phase II. The 1st power unit passed the WANO pre-launch check in 2015 and was put into commercial operation in 2017.

*World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) is an association of organizations operating nuclear power plants. To date, all world’s organizations operating power plants are in the WANO, it’s a total of about 450 power units. Support missions and peer reviews are the forms of WANO experts’ interaction with nuclear power plants.

Novovoronezh NPP is a branch of Rosenergoatom JSC (a part of the largest Division of Rosatom State Corporation – Electric Power Division). The Plant is situated on the River Don bank 42 km South of Voronezh. This is the first NPP of Russia with VVER type reactors (Water-Water Power Reactors of containment type with water under pressure). Three reactors of the Plant are the main ones – the prototypes of the serial power reactors. The first power unit was commissioned in 1964, the second one - in 1969, the third one – in 1971, the fourth one – in 1972, and the fifth one – in 1980.

The power units No 1 and No 2 were shut down in 1984 and 1990, respectively. The power unit No 3 was shut down in 2016 for the decommissioning events. The power unit No 4 was shut down for modernization works. The power unit No 1 of Novovoronezh NPP-2 was commissioned on 27 February, 2017. The power unit No 2 is in the stage of commissioning works.

The latest information about radiation situation near Russian NPPS and other nuclear power facilities can be seen at www.russianatom.ru




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