MINSK, 4 July (BelTA) – All the four main circulating pumps of the first unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant have been turned on for a brief test run, BelTA learned from the website of ASE Company. The company is the general designer and general contractor in the project for building the Belarusian nuclear power plant. It also represents the engineering division of the Russian state nuclear industry corporation Rosatom.
The pumps were checked as part of preparations for the hydraulic testing of systems and equipment of the reactor unit's primary circuit and the secondary one.
According to Vitaly Polyanin, ASE Company Vice President and supervisor of the Belarusian nuclear power plant construction project, hydraulic testing is one of the most important stages in commissioning the unit. The primary equipment has to be checked before the hydraulic tests can begin.
In order to verify the first unit is safe to operate and has a high durability margin, pressure in the primary circuit will be gradually raised to 24.5MPa while pressure in the secondary circuit will be raised to 11.5MPa.
The Belarusian nuclear power plant with two VVER-1200 reactors with the total output capacity of 2,400MW is being built using a Generation III+ Russian design, which fully meets international safety norms and recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
