BelNPP's second unit to be disconnected from power grid as part of standard testing process

OSTROVETS DISTRICT, 19 May (BelTA) – The testing of a nuclear power plant unit before commissioning provides for disconnecting the unit from the power grid, BelTA learned from Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich on 19 May.

While operating at 40% of the output capacity, the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was connected to the country's power grid on 13 May 2023. Since then it has already generated over 45 million kWh of electricity, which is transmitted to Belarusian consumers. The output of the reactor unit of the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has been raised to 50% since then.

Viktor Karankevich said: “Raising the reactor unit output to 50% today as part of the reactor power startup stage is an important event for the entire power engineering industry. Essentially another serious step towards the commissioning of the second unit has been made. In the near future the Belarusian nuclear power plant will start operating at full capacity with two modern Generation 3+ water-moderated reactors that meet the highest safety requirements. It will allow greatly enhancing Belarus' energy security. It is also a serious contribution to the common cause of improving the climate change situation. Our country will get a source of affordable and ecologically friendly electrical energy for decades to come.”

Raising the unit's output is an important event for the entire personnel of the nuclear power plant and for the partners – the Russian state nuclear industry corporation Rosatom. “The unit's connection to the power grid had been preceded by serious work to install and tune the equipment of technological systems, begin the chain reaction, get the reactor unit's output to a minimum controllable power level and consequently raise it, carry out preliminary startup operations before the turbine is turned on, diagnose the turbine and test its operation at idle load,” the energy minister noted.

Serious work has yet to be done before the nuclear power plant's unit is commissioned. It will be necessary to raise the output to 50% as part of the reactor power startup stage and from 50% to 100% as part of the pilot commercial operation stage. It is worth noting that at all stages 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.