First new Kursk unit 'ready for commercial operation'

The 1,250 MWe unit was connected to the grid in December. During pilot operation there were a series of checks and tests at each capacity level before it was allowed to increase in steps to 100% capacity, which it reached last month. During pilot operation, Rosatom says, the new unit has already generated more than a billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

A decision is now awaited by Russia's nuclear regulator Rostekhnadzor, confirming its compliance with all safety and design documentation before Rosatom can issue a permit for commercial operation of the new unit.

Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Director Alexander Uvakin said: "Pilot operation is a crucial stage, confirming the design conformity of the power unit's systems and equipment under various operating conditions. Following the completion of the pilot operation phase, the first nuclear giant is already one step away from full commissioning. This is a significant achievement for the entire Kursk NPP-2 team and Rosenergoatom, who are working hard every day to bring the unit's commissioning closer."

Oleg Shperle, Vice President and Director of the Kursk NPP Construction Project at JSC Atomstroyexport, said: "The completion of the pilot testing phase of Unit 1 of Kursk NPP-2 is a confident step forward for our team of like-minded professionals on the road to its commissioning. This was preceded by years of painstaking work by tens of thousands of highly qualified specialists from across the country. We brought this ambitious and technically complex project to completion, maintaining quality, meeting deadlines, and meeting budget."

Yuri Markov, General Director of Atomtechenergo, said: "The launch of Unit 1 of Kursk NPP-2 addresses an important strategic objective of ensuring Russia's energy security, replacing the decommissioned capacity of existing nuclear power plants and increasing the reliability of power supply in the central part of the country. The experience accumulated by Rosenergoatom and Atomtechenergo in commissioning NPPs with various types of VVER-1200 reactors allowed us to optimise the timing and scope of commissioning work at each stage of the unit's commissioning. Thanks to the coordinated and organised work of all participants, tasks were accomplished efficiently and effectively, enabling us to successfully complete all dynamic tests and commissioning work on the first attempt."

Background

Kursk II is a new nuclear power plant in western Russia, about 60 kilometres (37.5 miles) from the Ukraine border, that will feature four of the new VVER-TOI reactors, the latest version of Russia's large light-water designs. They have upgraded pressure vessels and a power rating of 1,250 MW.

Construction of the first unit began in 2018, its polar crane was installed in October 2021 and the reactor vessel was put in place in June 2022. Concreting of the outer dome of the first unit was completed in August 2023. The second unit is also under construction and the target is for all four units to be in operation by 2034.

Rosatom says the service life of the main equipment has doubled, and that the VVER-TOI units feature a mix of passive and active safety systems and include a core meltdown localiser. The new units at Kursk II will replace the four units at the existing, nearby Kursk nuclear power plant, which are scheduled to shut by 2031.

The first unit was shut down after 45 years of operation in December 2021 and the second unit followed in January 2024. The original design life for the four RBMK-1000 reactors at the plant was for 30 years but had been extended by 15 years following life extension programmes.