21.10.2021  The Kursk NPP Information and Public Relations Department

The Kursk NPP-2: installation of a polar crane started in the reactor building of the first power unit

At power unit No. 1 of the Kursk NPP-2 under construction, they started to install a polar crane with a lifting capacity of 390 tons on its proper location. This is one of the most important mechanisms of the reactor compartment. This device belongs to the first (highest possible) safety class of equipment for nuclear power plants.

“The polar crane is designed to complete a wide range of tasks at all stages of the NPP life cycle. During the construction of the NPP, the crane will implement lifting and transport operations for the installation of elements of the construction part and equipment of the sealed zone of the reactor building: the reactor vessel, steam generators, pressure compensator. And during the operation of the NPP, it will perform transport and technological operations associated with the operation of the power unit and the equipment of the reactor installation: for example, it will be involved in loading and unloading nuclear fuel,” clarified Andrei Osharin, first deputy director for construction of new units of the Kursk NPP.

The device of the polar crane provides for performing transport operations at any point in the central hall of the reactor building: the trolley moves along the bridge (span - 41.5 meters), the crane itself moves along a circular rail track above the reactor shaft. The total weight of all crane elements is about 440 tons.

“The polar crane is set at 38.5 meters. The heavy structures are assembled in several stages. This requires well-coordinated work of specialists of the branch of Installation and Construction Department No. 5 of Energospecmontazh. The metal structures of the polar crane bridge have already been assembled; cargo and service trolleys will be installed in the near future. Due to the enlarged assembly of the crane elements at the preparation site before being installed in the design position and the use of a number of improvement proposals aimed at reducing the process time, it is planned to reduce the installation time by 30%," said Mikhail Pinchuk, general director of Energospecmontazh.

The installation of the electrical part, commissioning and testing of the crane are scheduled for early 2022, when all the cable trends are installed.

A polar crane for the reactor building of power unit No. 1 of the Kursk NPP-2 of Russian production has been manufactured at the plant of TYAZHMASH, the city of Syzran.


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