The Rostov NPP power block No.4 construction is now at its peak, as Vitaly Medyakov, the JSC “NIAEP” Vice President of Projects in Russia, has reported. “That is the period for which a number of important steps are planned, the major one being the open reactor wash-out”, he noted.

This essential technological operation preceding the reactor assembly is planned for December 2016. According to Mr. Medyakov, at the moment, the construction, pre-commissioning and installation activities are going on at the power block.

Among other questions discussed during the meeting were the aspects of equipment and materials delivery to cater for the open reactor wash-out.

Andrey Salnikov, the Rostov NPP director, have stressed that it is extremely important to meet the delivery deadlines and the quality standards by saying: “The equipment delivery is something both the power block’s readiness to the wash-out and the power block’s launched planned for 2017 depend on”.

As the meeting participants have noted, the fact that the main circulation line welding (with the diameter of 850 mm, wall thickness of 70 mm, total length of over 130 meters) to connect the power block’s primary circuit equipment – the reactor unit, the steam generators, and the primary circuit pumps (PCP) - has started was one of the most important construction site events in Q1 2016.

The primary circuit pumps are designed for thermal medium circulation under high pressure. The PCP welding activities are planned for several months, and the first joints are being welded now. The requirements towards the quality of work are extremely tough: before the welding even started, the installation organization responsible for welding, the welders themselves and the welding technology had to undergo a certification procedure.

The experts have also noted that the turbine installation activities are on the go at the fourth power block’s machinery hall, and the transformers’ exposed installation foundation arrangement is nearing completion.

During the meeting, the construction and installation contracting companies were recommended to upscale their teams. As of now, around four thousand people are involved in the power block construction; however, the project needs another 500 specialists.

The Rostov NPP is an affiliate company for Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC. The plant is based at the Tsymlianskoe reservoir shore 13.5 km away from Volgodonsk. The NPP operates VVER-1000 reactors with the installed capacity of 1000 megawatts. The power block No.1 commenced commercial operations in 2001, with the second and the third power blocks to follow in 2010 and on September 17, 2015, respectively. The power block No. 4 is currently under construction.

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

The Rostov NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.