Innovative Unit of Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant-2 generates first electricity in Russia

Russia’s Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, the technical consultants and main equipment suppliers for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, announced today, that ‘innovative Unit-2 of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant-2’ for the first-time supplied electricity to the national grid.

The VVER-1200 reactor was brought to the minimum controlled power level on 22 March and it reached a capacity of 240 MW. It is located in southwest Russia. Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant-2 Unit 2 will be the third VVER-1200 to be commissioned, following Novovoronezh NPP-2 Unit 1 and Leningrad NPP-2 Unit 1, which were launched in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

VVER-1200 is a flagship nuclear reactor and core product of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation. Being an evolution of VVER-1000 reactors that were built in Iran (Bushehr), India (Kudankulam) and China (Tianwan), the new design features improved performance across all parameters. Its capacity has increased by 7%, number of operational staff required is reduced by 30-40%, and the reactor’s lifetime is doubled to 60 years with a possibility of extending it up to 80 years.

Novovoronezh NPP-2 Unit 2 is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2019, providing the European part of Russia with a reliable clean source of energy. Light-water reactors, using normal water under pressure have been developed and constructed in Russia and are known as VVER-type reactors. In such reactors, water serves both as a neutron moderator and as a reactor coolant.