Ability of Belarusian nuclear power plant personnel to handle nuclear fuel checked

MINSK, 28 February (BelTA) – The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) has checked how well specialists of the Belarusian nuclear power plant can perform transportation and technological operations with imitators of fuel rod arrays, BelTA has learned.

Specialists of the Belarusian nuclear power plant moved the imitators from an open fuel transfer installation to the fresh nuclear fuel storage facility. They worked smoothly during the process and demonstrated their skills and ability to properly perform the operation that will be necessary when actual fresh nuclear fuel is delivered to the nuclear power plant.

A campaign to check the readiness of the Belarusian nuclear power plant for receiving fresh nuclear fuel began on 17 February. The legislation allows the process to last for 30 days.

Taking into account results of Gosatomnadzor's inspection specialists of the Belarusian nuclear power plant will be able to get on with the necessary procedures required for receiving nuclear fuel and placing it into the storage facility. The specialists were also authorized to take further steps needed to prepare the first unit of the nuclear power plant for commissioning.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant with two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW is being built near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The first unit is supposed to go online in 2020, with the second one scheduled for launch in 2021.