GENERAL INFORMATION
Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is the biggest power generating company of the north-western region of the united energy system of the Russian Federation. Its capacity is 3000MW. The three RBMK-1000 reactors of Smolensk NPP were commissioned in 1982-1990 (1 st – Dec 24 1982, 2nd – Mar 30 1985 and 3 rd - Jan 30 1990). The reactors of Smolensk NPP are the improved versions of RBMK with a number of innovative safety systems. In the past years Smolensk NPP has generated as much as 283bln KWh and has proved its high efficiency and safety. The plant has been repeatedly proclaimed the best NPP in Russia and awarded by "Rosenergoatom" Concern for excellent performance and safety. The plant has no negative effect on the nearby environment – in the past years the radiation background in the area has not changed and is stably within norm.
Smolensk NPP gives top priority to safety and fully complies with the requirements of the federal law "On the Use of Nuclear Energy," other nuclear safety rules and standards of the Russian Federation as well as with the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Independent experts of ACCET system (Analysis of Consequences and Causes of Events Tool) have repeatedly visited the plant to see if it complies with the IAEA Safety Standards. All of them have confirmed the high safety of the plant. Smolensk NPP is very safe: in fact, it is safer than many nuclear power plants worldwide.
The key goal of a nuclear power plant is to reduce the risk of incidents that may have negative effect on the personnel and the environment. All the measures provided for by the safety enhancement concept of "Rosenergoatom" Concern are aimed at reducing the risk of incidents at the REA NPPs. The safety declaration of Smolensk NPP says that the plant seeks to become the safest NPP in Russia.
And the plant works hard towards this end. All the units have been equipped with modern emergency response systems preventing release of radiation even in case of very serious accidents, such as break of the pipes of the reactor cooling system. All the equipment of the reactor cooling system is placed in hermetic boxes made of reinforced concrete and able to stand pressure of 4.5 gms/cm2. The emergency response system has a special steam condenser with 3000 m2 of water. Smolensk NPP has special systems that will be able to remove heat from the reactor even in case of the plant’s complete deenergization.
A 42 km2 artificial reservoir on Desna River supplies the plant with drinking and service water. Heat is supplied via a special intermediary circuit preventing release of radioactive matters into the heating system in case of accident. The plant has a reserve boiler for emergency situations.
The plant carries out a complex of radiation safety measures aimed at preventing excessive irradiation of the personnel and reducing the real dosage to minimum. The measures are based on the concept of protection barriers – systems preventing spread of radio-nuclides.
The environment radiation control sub-system conducts round-the-clock monitoring of the 30-km zone with the help of sensors installed all over the area and collecting information about the radiation situation of the air, waters, soil, flora and agricultural produce consumed by the local population. The findings of independent experts from the State Sanitary Inspection and the State Hydro-meteorological Committee say that the radiation background at Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant and in the nearby area is within norm. Hence, Smolensk NPP is an ecologically friendly company having no significant radiation or chemical effect on the population and the environment.
Presently, Smolensk NPP is carrying out an effective integrated quality management program, which is part of the plant’s safety enhancement measures. The top priority of the plant is to make safety culture the firm basis of its work.
Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is a team of 70,000 personalities: each of them has his own character but all of them have one thing in common – they all seek to work safely. Over 800 people have worked at the plant for 20 years and all of them can say: "I launched the first unit but I am still working at the plant." Over 600 of them have been awarded orders and medals, dozens of them have risen from ordinary worker to manager. Smolensk NPP is proud of them.
The three units of Smolensk NPP have so far produced electricity equivalent to 90,000,000 tons of coal and have prevented the emission of 6,000,000 tons of contaminants and the burning of 2,000,000 tons of oxygen.
For detailed information about Smolensk NPP contact the plant’s Public Information Center: Desnogorsk, Smolensk region 216532; tel/fax: 7-05-21.
career
Innovations
Projects
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS