Russia’s Federal Service for Ecological, Technological & Nuclear Supervision of Russia (Rostekhnadzor) has issued a site licence to Rosenergoatom (Rosatom’s Electric Power Division) for unit 5 of the Beloyarsk NPP, which is to have a BN-1200M sodium-cooled fast reactor.
To obtain the licence, a set of documents was sent to Rostekhnadzor justifying the safety of the power unit and its compliance with established technical regulations, federal norms and rules, and the Russian legislation. In addition, Atomenergoprojekt (part of Rosatom’s Engineering Division) received a positive opinion from Glavgoskpertiza on the technical aspects of the preparatory period of the project. To develop project documentation for the preparatory period, a number of comprehensive surveys were carried out at the construction site, the results of which were recognised by experts as complying with relevant technical regulations and established requirements.
In July 2024 Rosatom’s Engineering Division, represented by Atomenergoproekt and Rosenergoatom, represented by the Capital Projects Implementation Branch (FRKP – Filiala po Realizatsii Kapitalnikh Proektov), signed an agreement to develop design documentation for the construction of Beloyarsk 5 with fast neutron reactor. The contract includes a full cycle of design and survey work necessary for the development of design documentation and materials to substantiate the licence for the facility. Beloyarsk 5 with the BN-1200M Generation IV reactor will become the lead model for reactors of this type.
“Siting the lead unit with the BN-1200M fast reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP will make it possible to take another important step towards a two-component nuclear power industry and fully realise the environmental and economic advantages of a closed nuclear fuel cycle,” said Beloyarsk NPP Director Ivan Sidorov. “The staff of the Beloyarsk NPP has accumulated extensive experience in operating the unique BN-600 and BN-800 sodium-cooled fast reactors, so it is logical that the lead BN-1200M will be established here.”
The service life of the BN-1200M power unit will be at least 60 years. The project uses technical solutions that have proven themselves during the operation of predecessor fast reactor power units – the BN-600 (Beloyarsk 3) and the BN-800 (Beloyarsk 4). Justification of structural materials and fuel for the BN-1200M is carried out based on the work of the BN-600.
The BN-1200M will include a number of innovations. It will have four liquid sodium circulation loops compared with three for the BN-600 and BN-800. The volume of in-reactor storage will increase in to enable fuel assemblies to be unloaded from the reactor directly into the cooling pool, eliminating the need for intermediate drums for used fuel assemblies. The turbine condensers will be cooled by an evaporative cooling tower.
