The Petrozavodsk branch of AEM-Technologies said on 13 November that it had completed a shipment of equipment for unit 1 of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant under construction in Turkey.
The set of RCP casings for the main circulation pumping units (MCPU) manufactured at Petrozavodskmash was shipped in compliance with all anti-pandemic measures with the involvement of a minimal number of people in the process.
Igor Kotov, General Director of AEM-Technologies, noted that Petrozavodskmash, despite all the difficulties, was able to ensure the shipment of a set of RCP housings – complex nuclear equipment of the first safety class – within the required time frame.
“In general, this year the company has provided sets of key equipment for three power units. This is a record. But the most important thing for us is not breaking records, but the fact that we are moving to mass production, and that most of these products are being exported,” Kotov said.
The RCP casings for one power unit comprise four spherical housings with fastening elements – spacers. Each casing weighs more than 31 tons, has a height of 3.5 metres and a width of over 3 metres. Together with the spacer, the weight of the cargo totalled 50 tons. From Petrozavodsk, the products are sent by road to the Bronka terminal at the Big Port of St Petersburg for loading onto a ship.
In the process of manufacturing the RCP hulls undergo various types of control, including x-ray checks and a number of tests, the most important of which are final hydraulic tests with excess pressure (24.5MPa). Once the tests and inspections are completed, the equipment is prepared for shipment.
The reactor pressure vessel for Akkuyu 1 was delivered to the site earlier in November. The $20bn Akkuyu nuclear power plant will comprise four units with Russian designed VVER-1200 generation 3+ reactors.
Photo: The set of RCP casings for the main circulation pumping units of Akkuyu 1 (Credit: AEM-Technologies)
