Pilot commercial operation of first unit of Belarusian nuclear power plant begins

MINSK, 22 December (BelTA) – The pilot commercial operation of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has begun, the press service of the Belarusian Energy Ministry told BelTA.

During this stage test results are supposed to confirm the designed safety and reliability parameters of all the systems and equipment, the source said. Once specific output levels are reached (75-90-100%), tests will continue at reduced power levels. Scheduled shutdowns of the power-generating unit will be part of the process as well.

The first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant began equipment testing on 22 December, with the reactor unit operating at 75% of the nominal output level.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is being built near Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast using the Russian design AES-2006 featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW.