Second shunt reactor of Belarusian nuclear power plant commissioned

MINSK, 31 March (BelTA) – The second 330kV shunt reactor of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has been commissioned, the press service of the Belarusian national electric company Belenergo told BelTA.

According to the source, overhead power lines with the nominal voltage of 330kV represent one of the main sources of reactive power. This is why they affect voltage levels in the country's power grid. For instance, 100km of 330kV overhead power lines generate about 40-50 MVAr (mega volt-ampere reactive) of reactive power. To compensate for the reactive power of the 330kV overhead power lines that connect the 330kV gas-insulated switchgear of the Belarusian nuclear power plant and the rest of the power grid and to compensate for the reactive power of the nuclear power plant's generators, the project provides for installing two 330kV controlled shunt reactors with the nominal voltage of 330kV and the rated input of 180MVAr each as part of the switchgear.

The first 180MVAr shunt reactor of the Belarusian nuclear power plant was commissioned in December 2018 to allow the connection and operation of four 330kV overhead power lines. They connect the Belarusian nuclear power plant with the power substations Smorgon, Minsk North, Postavy No.1 and Postavy No.2. The second shunt reactor was tested and commissioned on 29 March 2020. Thus, the 330kV switchgear of the Belarusian nuclear power plant is ready for connection of the other three 330kV power lines. Those will connect the Belarusian nuclear power plant with the power substations Stolbtsy, Molodechno, and Ross.

At present the Belarusian power grid uses five 330kV 180MVAr controlled shunt reactors (two at the Belarusian nuclear power plant, one at each of the 330kV power substations Postavy, Baranovichi, and Miradino), two 750kV 330MVAr shunt reactors at the 750kV power substation Belorusskaya, and six 10kV low-yield shunt reactors (20-30MVAr) at the 330kV power substations Smorgon, Lida, Kaliynaya, and Mozyr. A 180MVAr controlled shunt reactor may be installed at the 330kV power substation Ross in the future. Two small shunt reactors may be installed at the 330kV power substations Stolbtsy and Mikashevichi.