On July 27,  power unit No.2 of Belarus NPP (its General Designer and General Contractor being ROSATOM Engineering Division) has proceeded to the reactor plant hot functional test, which is the most large-scaled stage of commissioning works before the physical start-up. The permit to carry out this technological process was issued by the Gosatomnadzor of the Republic of Belarus.

During the hot functional test, specialists check the operability of the power unit main equipment for meeting the design documentation requirements, including compliance with operation safety standards. All main and auxiliary equipment and the reactor plant systems are tested at the following operating parameters: the primary circuit temperature reaches 280 °C, while the pressure reaches 160 atmospheres (more than 165.3 kgf /cm2).

"The stage of the hot functional test checks operation of the main and auxiliary equipment of the unit, the reactor plant systems in the design operating modes, except for nuclear fuel loading, steam supply to the turbine and power output into the grid," - this is an insight to the forthcoming process offered by Vitaly Polyanin, ASE JSC Vice-President, Project Director for the Belarus NPP construction. “This stage aims primarily to confirm the equipment and systems’ readiness for the power start-up stage and the unit safe operation during all 60 years of the design service life”, he went on to say.

Besides testing the primary circuit equipment (such as reactor, steam generators, main circulation pumps, main circulation pipeline, etc.), the specialists will also test safety systems, auxiliary power systems, reactor control and protection systems.