Rosatom has announced launching the commercial operation of the new power unit No. 1 of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant with the VVER-1200 generation 3+ reactor, which is the same type that will be installed in the Dabaa nuclear power plant in Egypt.
The chairperson of the board of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), Jacques Regaldo, visited the site in Russia and assessed the work of the unit. He expressed his best wishes to the team at the nuclear power plant.
The executive officer of Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev, said that the priority for the company is to abide by all international and national regulations ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities.
He added that the company implemented a number of new security systems that are unmatched in the world, such as a melting trap for the active part and the passive heat dispelling system, which allows cooling via natural air circulation in the active reactor zone under a lack of power supply or human intervention.
He noted that the possibility of radiation leaks in these reactors is unlikely thanks to the multiple barriers of protection systems, which have a structure to manage and correct human error.
Moreover, he explained that this advanced type of reactor will also be launched in Egypt, according to the agreement between Cairo and Moscow, which was signed in 2015. He added that the reactor in Egypt will be the generation 3+ type with four units, each putting out 1,200MW.
