World’s first Generation 3+ nuke unit starts operation in Russia

Russia began the commercial operation of the world’s first third generation plus nuclear power reactor—the same one that would be installed in Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in the near future.

According to a press release of Rosatom that is building the Rooppur plant, the generation 3+ Water-Water Energetic Reactor (VVER reactor) has been installed in the number one unit of Russia’s Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Project (NPP) 2. It started commercial operation from February 27. 

The unit was first connected to the Russian grid and started electricity generation on August 5 last year. Testing was successfully completed on February 23 this year after 15-day performance testing at 100 percent capacity.

Design of generation 3+ power unit includes the most powerful type of the Water-Water Energetic Reactor (VVER reactor) with a capacity of 1200 MW, as well as a high-speed turbine specially designed for new-generation NPPs. 

The Rooppur power project will have two power units with Generation 3+ VVER reactors, each with a capacity of 1200 MW. The first of two units is expected to go into operation in 2023, the second in 2024.

Design of generation 3+ power unit includes the most powerful type of the Water-Water Energetic Reactor (VVER reactor) with a capacity of 1200 MW, as well as a high-speed turbine specially designed for new-generation NPPs. 

This provides a combination of active and passive safety systems and fully meets all post-Fukushima requirements set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the press release said. 

The first phase of work of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna's Ishwardi upazila is going on in full swing. The photos were taken in June last year. STAR file photo

Main features of Generation 3+ reactors include a double containment shell of the reactor hall and a core catcher located under the reactor vessel, physical protection against natural disasters, industrial accidents and other emergencies, Passive residual heat removal system enabling sustained heat removal from the reactor core in the absence of any power sources among others.