The first batch of low-enriched uranium nuclear fuel has been delivered to the construction site of Belarusian nuclear power plant (NPP), reported Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The Russian-made fuel assemblies are currently being prepared for unloading and inspection.
“The initial delivery of fresh nuclear fuel is a landmark event in the construction of any nuclear plant and is of particular importance to Belarus, as it marks the first event of its kind in the republic,” said Vitaliy Polyanin, vice president of ASE, Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division, and director of the Belarusian NPP construction project
“I sincerely congratulate our Belarusian colleagues for this joint achievement,” he continued. “In fact, this is the moment when the countdown to the physical launch actually starts. We, alongside the customer, Belarus’ Ministry of Emergency Situations, and Gosatomnadzor (Belarus’ nuclear watchdog), have done a tremendous amount of work to ensure the necessary conditions for fuel delivery, have putting pertinent facilities, systems and equipment, including the unit’s emergency and physical protection installations, into operation to guarantee the delivery and safe storage of fresh nuclear fuel.”
The two-unit Belarusian NPP, with a total power capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW), is equipped with state-of-the-art, Russian-designed water-water energetic reactor (VVER – 1200). This is the country’s first NPP. It is being built in the Belarusian town of Ostrovets and is based on a Russian generation design that fully complies with international standards and the safety recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).