The innovative Novovoronezh NPP 6th power block became the first one in Russia to launch a brand new electronic central control station managing electric power production.

The new control station operates breakthrough equipment. In fact, it is a large wall electronic mnemonic scheme the Novovoronezh NPP’s service desk uses to monitor electric power output on a 24/7 basis at all power blocks and to manage its transfer to the single power system of the country. The mnemonic scheme shows any changes in the workload parameters in the real time.

“This unit constantly manages electric power generation at all Novovoronezh NPP power blocks currently running. There is a senior operational staff member available here 24/7 – a duty operator, who is to approve any changes in the workload, except for emergency ones”, said Vladimir Stepanov, the chief duty operator of the Novovoronezh NPP.


According to Ilya Pystin, the duty operator who made the first entry in the daily log, the equipment has changed dramatically. “We used to work with pointer instruments that were at least 40 years old. Now, everything runs electronically, so we can track even the quickest changes in the parameters. Having a visual contact makes operative work much more efficient”.

Currently, the electronic mnemonic scheme already tracks the parameters of the new 6th power block that was launched on August 5th, 2016, and that is now being prepared for pilot production. There is also a room for adding the parameters of the 7th power block under construction.

The Novovoronezh NPP-2 project (the general designer is Atomenergoproject, the general contractor is ASE Group) is the most comprehensive investment project in the Central Black Earth Region. It presupposes building the Novovoronezh NPP’s 6th and 7th power blocks with VVER-1200 reactors based on the NPP-2006 project. This equipment can operate for 60 years.
The 6th power block will be commissioned into production run at the end of 2016, once 100% of its capabilities are tested and delivery trials are completed.

With regards to the 7th power block, it is now undergoing building and installation works. In June 2016, the top deck of the reactor building’s dome was installed at its proper location. According to the project, the 7th power block construction pre-supposes a double (external and inner) protective cover for the reactor building. The construction is due to be over in 2018.

The 6th and the 7th power blocks are being constructed in accordance with the Rosatom Corporation operational program approved by the Russian Government Decree No.705 dated September 20, 2008, and funded from the asset contributions and the Rosenergoatom Concern’s own funds. The latter acts as the property developer.

The Novovoronezh nuclear power plant is a branch of the JSC "Concern Rosenergoatom". The station is located on the bank of the Don River in 42 km to the south of Voronezh. It is the Russia's first nuclear power plant with VVER reactors (water-to-water power reactors of case type with regular water under pressure). Each of five reactors of the station can be a main one – a prototype of serial power reactors: the power unit No. 1 with the VVER-210 reactor, the power unit No. 2 with the VVER-365 reactor, the No. 3, 4 power units with the VVER-440 reactors, the power unit No. 5 with the VVER-1000 reactor. 

The first power unit was launched in 1964, the second – in 1969, third – in 1971, fourth – 1972, fifth – 1979. There are three power units (power units No.1, 2 were stopped in 1984 and 1990 respectively) in work at the moment.

The up-to-date information on the nuclear environment close to the Russian NOOs and other nuclear objects is available at www.russianatom.ru


Novovoronezh NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.