On December 18, 2019, one of the most critical maintenance campaign operations has been competed at the Kalinin NPP 1st power block – the new generator stator has been installed at its designed place. Previously, the old stator was dismantled and removed from the power house.

‘The generator stator replacement project is held as a part of the program to extend the life span of the 1st power block’, Alexander Dorofeev, the chief engineer at the Kalinin NPP, said. ‘Thanks to the replacement of the generator stator, we will improve the reliability and stability of electric equipment at the power block’. According to Mr. Dorofeev, this is the first time this activity is carried out at a running power block with that power house equipment configuration.

It is important to recall that scheduled maintenance commenced at the Kalinin NPP 1st power block in November 2019, with all major life support systems being upgraded. The main goal of the upcoming activities is to perform the technical renovation of the power block with deep modernization to improve the technical parameters of the equipment. Currently, the 1st power block holds a license from Rostekhnadzor to remain in service with the time line extended until 2024. Following the successful completion of these operations, its life span can be extended until 2044.

The generator stator is the key element of a turbine generating unit designed to transform mechanical energy coming from a turbine into electric one. Besides, it is also one of the heaviest equipment units at the NPP with the weight of over 300 tons.

This piece of heavy machinery was transported to the power house using special portal system and hydraulic skidding horizontal movement system. Two overhead cranes were utilized to lift it to the seventh mark of the power house and to install it at its designed place.

These technically complex operations were performed by the team of the Kalinin nuclear power plant involving a number of specialists from AO TITRAN and the genera contractor Kalininatomenergoremont.