OREANDA-NEWS. "Serviceability of reactor plant equipment and auxiliary process systems in project modes was checked at hot operational testing stage, - explained Vladimir Belov, vice-president for projects in Russia of unified company JSC NIAEP - JSC ASE. - The stage is completed successfully. All the equipment items correspond to project criteria. We have entered the final straight, and the next stage is physical criticality start-up of the power unit".

A great number of heat and hydraulic tests including functional check of all systems and equipment of reactor plant (RP) was carried out during hot operational testing (HOT) at Unit 3. Primary and secondary circuits of reactor were filled in with demineralized water during hot operational testing. Then, at heating of primary and secondary circuits, the rated project parameters of the equipment were reached: pipeline pressure was increased up to 180 kg/cm2 in the primary circuit and 88 kg/cm2 in the secondary circuit, with post-heating of the primary circuit up to 300 С. Furthermore, they checked serviceability and tested all RP safety systems under operating mode, as well as under interrupt mode and unit equipment complete deenergization mode.

The next stage, regarding the power unit commissioning order, is equipment revision which envisages functioning state checking of the equipment involved in hot operational testing. Besides, reactor is opened and fuel assemblies (FA) simulators are dismantled. Then RP shall be prepared for fueling.

After the revision stage and RP pre-fueling check, Rostekhnadzor will issue an authorization to carry out power unit physical criticality start-up.