The molten core catcher, or a so-called ‘melt trap’ has been delivered to the ‘nuclear island’ of the power plant’s second power block.

‘A melt trap is a unique development of the Russian nuclear power plant and one of the most crucial safety systems of an NPP. This passive protection technical tool is designed to capture liquid and solid radioactive materials in a hypothetic case of an emergency reactor destruction’, Rostislav Kimlik, the deputy chief engineer of capital construction and head of construction control unit, said. ‘The core catcher has been customized for the Kursk NPP-2 based on its site conditions and safety requirements, it has advanced earthquake resistance, hydrodynamic and impact resistance capability, flooding protection, and simplified assembly technology’.

The device is made of three parts: a vessel, a cantilever truss, and a slide plate. Its total weight is 381 tons: the slide plate is 97 tons, the cantilever truss with the diameter of 9.5 meters is 145 tons, and the trap vessel, which is 5.8 meters high, is 139 tons.

The company called CJSC Energotex, which is based in Kurchatov, produced the catcher. It was transported by heavy-duty tractive vehicles at 10 km/h. During the transportation, the Ivanino – Makarovka highway were closed for motorists travelling in both directions. Drivers were assisted by operators coordinating the travel at the most challenging routes: turns, the bridge over the Seym river, passage under the high-voltage power lines.

Until late December, the core catcher components will be located at a specially designed concrete site. Further on, the equipment will be deployed at the reactor hall of the 2nd power block.