At the construction site of Leningrad NPP where new power units are built the specialists have started hot runs of equipment of the unit with VVER-1200 reactor.
During the large-scale start-up and adjustment 78 hot-water tests are planned to be carried out. These are maximum set of operations which will be carried out under different scenarios and confirm performance of the major and auxiliary equipment and systems of the reactor in design and operating modes.
The hot runs will last for 30 days and include ‘hot-parameter’ tests of four reactor coolant pumps, purge of main pipeline with in-house steam, comprehensive tests of the safety systems, check of the in-house power supply system, and checks of control and protection systems of the reactor. The stage-by-stage implementation of the test set will allow to ascertain that the power unit will operate reliably and safely during the entire period of operation.
“Today, while confirming the power unit’s readiness for hot runs, we understand that a huge amount of construction, installation and start-up works has been done with high quality,” Andrey Petrov, General Director of Rosenergoatom, said addressing the participants of the final meeting of the expanded team for construction design management of Unit 1 of Leningrad Phase II. “Over 1.5 years we have managed to apply a number of efficient managerial solutions that allowed us to approach this important process operation in due time. Now we enter the stage of serious start-up and adjustment works when all design characteristics of the major equipment, process systems will be checked along with their readiness for operation and loading nuclear fuel. Having fulfilled this task, we can be sure that we also fulfill in due time the next milestone – connection of the new unit to the power grid,” he said.
In turn, Director of Leningrad NPP Vladimir Pereguda noted: “Now we are approaching the commissioning stage. No doubt, this is a marked event we have come to at the construction stage of Leningrad NPP owing to expert managerial approaches of the design management working group, atomic effort of the team of builders, installation workers, start-up specialists and all personnel of Leningrad NPP. We have come to this stage step-by-step. This thrills and at the same time requires more concentration of force when the unit will enter the finishing line. Now, we are to do one more essential task: switch Unit 1 to the state where it can operate safely, reliably and efficiently, and for this purpose it is necessary to carry out all tests in high quality, as required and in due time.”
Successful implementation of the cold-and-hot runs program for equipment of the unit under construction will mean completion of one of the last stages before the first criticality preparations at the cutting-edge and powerful unit of Leningrad NPP.