The builders have finalized another key event: Concreting of the third tier of the inner containment shell (ICS) of the reactor building of power unit No. 1. This event has marked the completion of the construction work on the cylindrical part of the shell.

“The inner containment consists of a cylindrical part and a dome. We have completed the concreting of the cylindrical part, and the total height of the structure amounts to 36 meters now. After the concrete gains strength, we will proceed with the installation of reinforced blocks that will make up the dome of the inner shell,” – Chief Engineer at Kursk NPP-2 Aleksey Volnov explained.

The inner containment is one of the main elements of the NPP reactor safety system, it is constructed to prevent radioactive substances being released into the environment. The height of the shell with the dome will make up 61.7 meters.

The concreting of the third tier was carried out continuously for 48 hours by three concrete pumps. 1262 cubic meters of self-compacting concrete mixture were laid during this time period; this is the volume that equals 140 concrete mixing machines. The technology of laying concrete in winter required certain conditions. The structure of the ICS tier was insulated with curtains, constructing a kind of tent, and heated with heat guns to maintain the temperature inside the tent not lower than +5°C.

Laboratory control of the quality of the concrete mixture was carried out throughout the entire process of concreting. Each concrete mixer truck provided a sample of concrete, and the concrete mixture was only then allowed to be placed in the structure when it corresponded with the required technological characteristics.

2 out of 10 reinforced metal blocks for the fourth tier have already been manufactured in a workshop which is located not far from the construction site. Their installation is scheduled to begin at the end of December this year.