Rosatom has installed two reserve diesel generator sets at unit 1 of the Kursk-II NPP. The generators will provide power to the equipment and systems of the NPP should external and internal sources of power fail. The plants are part of the emergency power supply system and enable continued operation of pumping equipment. They provide power to the primary circuit, the used fuel pool, steam generators, and individual ventilation systems.
“Throughout their entire life of the diesel generator sets are on standby, ready for automatic startup and load reception when the signal arrives,” said First Deputy Director for the Construction of New Units at Kursk NPP, Andrei Osharin. In an emergency they will start up within 15 seconds of a signal arriving from the control security systems. “There is also the possibility of remote start of diesel generators with unit and backup control panels of the reactor in case of failure of automation, as well as during routine testing of equipment,” he added.
Installation was undertaken by specialists of JSC Energospetzmontazh. “Now we have to do the work on the preparation of the diesel generators, electrical and commissioning work to ensure they are ready for the hot and cold testing of the reactor unit,” said Oleg Shperle, Vice President of Atomstroyexport and director of the project for the construction of Kursk-II.
Kursk-II 1&2 are being built according to the VVER-TOI project (standard optimised informatised pressurised water power reactor), which is a development of the VVER-1200 reactor design. Kursk II is intended as a replacement station for the currently operating Kursk NPP, which comprises four RBMK reactors. Unit 1 was closed in 2021 and unit 2 is to close in 2024.
Image: The Kursk-II nuclear power plant, currently under construction in Russia (courtesy of Kursk NPP)
