Preparatory work has begun for the construction of unit 5 at Russia’s Beloyarsk NPP, which is to have a BN-1200M sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). The event was attended by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. Beloyarsk 5 will be the first serial unit with a 1,200 MWe commercial SFR – the largest in the world. First concrete is planned for 2027. It is expected that construction of the unique facility will become a driver for the development of the nearby city of Zarechny (formerly known as Penza-19).
The service life of the BN-1200M 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. The turbine condensers will be cooled by an evaporative cooling tower.
Likhachev inspected the operating site of the Beloyarsk NPP, including the turbine room, the unit 4 control centre and elements of the mobile backup infrastructure. He was also shown a unique protective suit for working with alkali metals – such equipment is available only at the Beloyarsk NPP and ensures a high level of personnel safety. After this, an award ceremony was held for distinguished station employees.
Likhachev also visited the Institute of Reactor Materials – part of Rosatom’s Scientific Division – where he was shown advanced technologies for the production of radioisotope products and research methods for structural materials and fuels used in the nuclear industry. He presented state and industry awards to the institute’s employees.
During his working visit, Likhachev signed an agreement with the acting governor of the Sverdlovsk region, Denis Pasler, to develop master plans for three nuclear closed cities in the region – Zarechny, Novouralsk and Lesnoy. Novouralsk (formerly Sverdlovsk-44) hosts the Urals Electrochemical plant (UEKhK – Uralskii ElektroKhimicheskii Kombinat), a major uranium enrichment facility. Lesnoy (formerly Sverdlovsk-45) hosts ElektroKhimPribor (EKhP) which produces materials for the weapons programme as well as medical isotopes and equipment. The plans aim to improve the urban environment, develop the economy, and implement youth and social initiatives and to attract federal funding for infrastructure projects.
“The launch of work on unit 5 at the Beloyarsk NPP strengthens its status as a leader in the development of fast reactor technology … and of our advanced project to create two-component nuclear energy. Implementation of the project will make it possible to fulfil the order of the President of the Russian Federation to increase the share of nuclear generation in the country’s energy balance to 25% by 2045,” said Likhachev. “In addition, moving forward in the field of fast reactors will allow us to strengthen the leadership of Russian nuclear technology in the world. Understanding that leadership is based primarily on people, Rosatom attaches special importance to the development of the territories where we operate. The Sverdlovsk region is one of our key partners. Master plans that we, together with the region and residents of the nuclear cities, will develop and implement will become a new impetus for their development and for the qualitative improvement of people’s lives.”
The cooperation agreement between Rosatom and the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region has been in force since 2013 and has become a solid foundation for a sustainable partnership aimed at developing Zarechny, Lesnoy and Novouralsk. In recent years, as a result of joint work with the government of the Sverdlovsk region, a number of significant projects have been implemented in these cities. Substantial resources have been mobilised for their implementation, including more than RUB10.5bn ($135m) from the regional budget.
