At VNIIAES (All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Nuclear Power Plant Operation, part of the Rosenergoatom management system, Rosatom's Electric Power Division), practical work has begun on the creation of the first in Russia and the world so-called small NPP digital twin (SNPP).

Work in this direction began in February of this year with the participation of a number of organizations in the nuclear industry. Now the specialists of the institute have started their practical implementation, in particular, the development of basic computational modules and elements of digital twins of SNPP with two types of reactors - "RITM-200" and "Shelf".

It is planned that this digital twin will perform a whole range of functions at various stages of the plant's life cycle - from its design to decommissioning. It will be able to work out everything - from checking design solutions and equipment compatibility to personnel training.

“Today, digital twins of nuclear power plants are used for the most efficient project management, safety justification, as well as for optimization of construction and maintenance of operation throughout the entire life cycle of power units,” said Sergey Kalyakin, head of the department for computational modeling of processes at NPPs at VNIIAES.

Let us recall that VNIIAES already has experience in similar developments - in 2019, specialists of the institute created a software and hardware complex "Virtual-digital NPP with PWR", which has already found successful application at existing Russian nuclear power plants.

“The creation of such a complex is the contribution of VNIIAES to the digitalization program of both the Electric Power Division and the entire industry. This not only assists designers in development and research, but also improves operational safety and reliability. Where the replacement of human labor with a computer program is justified, it will be done, ” stressed Viktor Feldsherov, head of the information technology department of VNIIAES.

Testing of the new software and hardware complex "Virtual SNPP" and its acceptance into operation are scheduled for 2024.

Low capacity nuclear power plants (SNPP) are a promising direction for the development of nuclear energy, which makes it possible to provide remote regions of the country with electricity and heat. SNPP are currently the optimal solution for stable and environmentally friendly provision of consumers in areas remote from central power grids, as well as for replacing old power plants with increased CO2

emissions into the atmosphere. Such plants have a number of advantages in addition to the traditional advantages of nuclear power generation.