Business news

VOLGODONSK, 31 October (BelTA) – The Volgodonsk-based enterprise Atommash of the Russian company AEM Technologies (part of Atomenergomash, which is the mechanical engineering division of the Russian state corporation Rosatom) will make three steam generators for the second power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant by the end of 2016, BelTA learned from Atomenergomash Director General Andrei Nikipelov.

One power-generating unit needs four steam generators. The first set for the first power-generating unit has been made and delivered. It is now at the Ostrovets construction site. “We are about to finish making the second set. We intend to ship three out of the four steam generators to the customer this year,” explained Andrei Nikipelov. The remaining steam generator will be made in early 2017.

“We are working ahead of schedule and are absolutely convinced that our equipment will be delivered on time,” stressed the Atomenergomash Director General.

A steam generator is a first-class safety product. A steam generator is over 4 meters in diameter and about 15 meters in length. This piece of equipment weighs 340 tonnes.

A steam generator is a horizontal cylinder with two elliptical ends. In the middle one can find manifolds to pump and drain hot heat transfer agent. The upper part is occupied by steam while the lower part is used for heat exchange, with 11,000 stainless steel pipes located there.

Steam generators have to go through a number of tests, including ultrasound inspection, magnetic-particle inspection, and x-raying. A steam generator is designed to work for 60 years.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build a VVER-1200 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW).