Members of the Atom-CIS Commission (representatives of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), as well as specially invited representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) paid a reference visit to the Leningrad NPP.

The guests met with the management of the nuclear power plant, examined a number of facilities of power unit No. 5 that was put into commercial operation in 2018, and received comprehensive information on issues related to the unit’s safety systems, its operational features, training of operational personnel, etc.

The visit organizers from the State Corporation "Rosatom" noted that the interest of foreign partners in the new Leningrad units is natural: some CIS countries (Belarus) are already performimg similar projects of nuclear power plants, others are cooperating with Rosatom on the modernization of power units and extending their service life (Armenia). Still others plan to give a new impetus to the development of the nuclear industry (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan).

The innovative PWR-1200 units were also of great interest to those foreign colleagues who cooperate with Rosatom on other no less important programs - in the sphere of nuclear non-energy technologies, nuclear medicine, remediation of nuclear legacy facilities, etc.

Mikhail Mikhadyuk, deputy minister of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Belarus: “The Russian project of power units with PWR-1200 reactors optimally combines active and passive safety systems. It also takes into account the events at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The referential units have proven themselves both in Russia and abroad. They are modern, efficient, reliable and safe. Therefore, we chose them for the construction in Belarus. Today, the first Belarusian power unit has already been put into commercial operation and is generating electricity for the country's needs. The second power unit is on the home straight. Construction is coming to an end, but cooperation with Rosatom will continue.”

Mikhail Mikhadyuk also noted that the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus gave a serious start to the development of the city of Astravyets and the entire region where the nuclear power plant is situated: new microdistricts, a modern hospital, schools, kindergartens and sports centers have appeared in the city, a swimming pool has been built, and more two are under construction.

   

Mikhail Chudakov, deputy director general of the IAEA - director of the Department of Nuclear Energy: “Working at the IAEA, I visited 2/3 of the world's nuclear power plants. My personal experience and the experience of operating PWR confirm that these are very good, seriously thought-out units. They meet all international safety requirements. Our organization conducts regular inspections of nuclear power plants, including operational safety. PWR-1200 power units (including those from Leningrad and Belarus) pass all tests successfully.