Belarusian nuclear power plant's second unit reconnected to power grid

MINSK, 28 May (BelTA) – The second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has been connected to the power grid, the press service of the Belarusian Energy Ministry told BelTA.

According to the source, the unit was connected to the power grid at 21:05 on 27 May after routine tests were completed as part of the reactor power startup program while the reactor unit was operating at 50% of the designed output. The output is being gradually raised now.

Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich was previously quoted as saying that the unit will be disconnected from the power grid as part of the testing process before the unit is commissioned. A large number of tests will be done in various modes of operation of the reactor unit and the turbine-generator unit. Among other things the unit will be disconnected from the power grid both during the reactor power startup stage and the pilot commercial operation stage. It is part of the world practice. Disconnection from the power grid is stipulated by stage-specific programs. “Most importantly, we have to make sure that the equipment and technological systems, including safeguards, operate reliably and in accordance with design parameters and indicators,” Viktor Karankevich stressed.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant uses the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW. It is an evolutionary nuclear power plant design with third-generation water-moderated reactors. Such designs boast improved technical and economic parameters. A combination of active and passive safeguards is their key feature.