The hands-on experience accumulated by the Kalinin NPP with regard to using nuclear power for heat supply to localities became a key subject during the People Republic of China’s team visit to Udomlya (Tver Region).

The delegation comprised experts of the Chinese National Nuclear Power Company, the Chinese Nuclear Power Engineering Company and the Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation.

According to Tsen Sun from the Chinese National Nuclear Power Company, China is implementing a program facilitating transition from heating to environmentally-friendly sources of energy. ‘Most heating and power plants in China run on coal, which makes the population suffer from smog. If we use nuclear power to heat residential areas, we can cut the usage of coal and reduce the carbon footprint. This is why we have turned to our partners in Russia who have huge experience in this area’, Tsen Sun noted.

Alexander Dorofeev, the chief engineer of the Kalinin NPP, gave a detailed overview of a nuclear power plant’s operation and city heat supply setup. The Kalinin NPP supplies hot water and heat to the production site, the whole city and all nearby localities. The heat power comes from five heat supply sources – the power blocks’ cogeneration plants and the heating water converter plant. Specially treated delivery water is used as a heat medium as it’s warmed up by the steam coming from the turbine. The heat is transported to the consumers via transmission and inner-bloc networks with the total length of over 160 km.

‘The net cost of the heat generated at a nuclear power plant is significantly lower than the net cost of a heat medium generated by burning organic fuel’, Alexander Dorofeev stressed. ‘Besides, we need to consider that the impact of an NPP on the environment is minimal. The amount of pollution discharge and emissions is far below the limits set by the environment protection authorities’.

During the trip, the guests have visited the production site and the 3rd power block of the Kalinin NPP. They have also reviewed the cogeneration plants’ equipment.

At the end of the trip, the parties confirmed their mutual interest in further cooperation and sharing experience in the realm of power and heat supply.