Novovoronezh NPP

Novovoronezh NPP

Largest producer of electric energy
in the Voronezh Region

45 km

from the regional center

(Voronezh)

The enterprise covers about 90% of energy consumption of the region and up to 91% of heat demand of Novovoronezh (the NPP’s host town). Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant is the first Russian NPP equipped with water-cooled water-moderated power reactors (VVER). At this plant, all innovative solutions are piloted in the course of construction, operation, upgrade and decommissioning of power units with this kind of reactor.

The first International Personnel Training Center has been established at the site of Novovoronezh NPP to train foreign specialists from partner countries of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.

  • 26 801mln kWh

    of electric power were generated by the NPP in 2020

  • 3 778MW

    plant installed capacity

Start-up of power units

  • 01

    VVER-210

    210 MW

    1964

  • 02

    VVER-365

    365 MW

    1969

  • 03

    VVER-440

    440 MW

    1971

  • 04

    VVER-440

    440 MW

    1972

  • 05

    VVER-1000

    1000 MW

    1980

  • 06

    VVER-1200

    1 200 MW

    2016

  • 07

    VVER-1200

    1 200 MW

    2019

reactor type

installed capacity

operational

decommissioned

Nuclear power plant configuration

VVER type reactors with various capacities are the “heart” of Novovoronezh NPP

VVER reactor unit

Novovoronezh NPP was constructed in three stages: stage one – power units No. 1 (VVER-210 in 1964) and No. 2 (VVER-365 in 1969), stage two – power units No. 3 and No. 4 (VVER-440 in 1971 and in 1972), stage three – power unit No. 5 (VVER-1000 in 1980).

A new generation 3+ power unit No. 6 with a VVER-1200 reactor unit was commissioned on February 27, 2017. Power unit No. 7 was commissioned on October 31, 2019.

VVER is a shell-type water-cooled water-moderated power reactor. Water, whose boric acid which concentration varies during operation, is the coolant and the neutron moderator of this reactor. Low enriched uranium dioxide is used as fuel in the reactor core. The VVER is housed in a sealed protective containment structure preventing any external effects or radionuclide release into the environment in case of a hypothetical accident.

The process flow scheme of Novovoronezh NPP power units comprises two circuits.

VVER reactor unit

The primary circuit is radioactive. It consists of the reactor, the main circulation pumps, the steam generators, and the pressurizer. The primary circuit is intended for heat removal from the reactor and transfer to water in the secondary circuit. The coolant in the primary circuit is high-purity water under pressure with boric acid dissolved in it, which is a strong neutron absorber.

Water is pumped by the main circulation pumps through the reactor core, where it is heated up to 290-320 degrees for the VVER-1000 and 295-325 for the VVER-1200 due to heat generated as a result of the nuclear reaction. Water in the primary circuit transfers heat to water in the secondary circuit through metal walls of the heat-exchange tubes in the steam generator and returns to the reactor.

The two-circuit system helps to prevent an escape of radioactive elements beyond the boundaries of the primary circuit. The design features six circulation loops at power unit No. 4 of Novovoronezh NPP and four circulation loops at power units No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7.

VVER

The secondary circuit is non-radioactive. It consists of a steam-producing part of the steam generators, the main steam pipes, the turbine unit with a regeneration system, the feed water unit, and several auxiliary systems.

The secondary circuit is designed the steam generation. Steam is supplied to the steam turbine. The turbine, in its turn, turns a magnet rotor. Electric current is produced as a result of electromagnetic induction.

As the generator rotor is turning, electric current occurs in the winding of the surrounding stator. All that is left to do is to deenergize the winding and transmit electric power to external consumers.

Spent steam is condensed and turns into water, which is then delivered back by the pump into the steam generators.

A cooling and process water supply system is used to remove heat generated during the condensation of steam from the condensers of the turbines: it comprises seven natural draught cooling towers for power unit No. 4, one cooling tower each power units No. 6 and No. 7, and a cooling pond for power unit No. 5.

Water for the cooling and process water supply systems of all power units at Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant is supplied from the Don River.

  • 60years

    design lifte of power units No. 6 and No. 7

  • 18months

    fuel cycle of power
    unit No. 6

  • 87tonnes

    weight of uranium dioxide in the reactor core

  • 3 000RPM

    turbine rotation speed

Process flow chart of Novovoronezh NPP

The reactor unit is comprised of four circulation loops, each of which includes a main circulation pump, a steam generator, main circulation circuit pipelines, and a pressurizer.

One or two turbine units are installed at the NPP power units. These include a turbine, a condensing plant, a regeneration system, a separator-superheater apparatus, and pumps.

Nuclear power plant configuration

The basic principle of safe operation of a nuclear power plant is to prevent an uncontrolled escape of radioactive products.

The power units of Novovoronezh NPP feature have a high safety performance. Their main safety features include the principle of self-protection of the reactor unit, the use of safety barriers (the defense-in-depth concept), and the multiple redundancy of safety channels.

Defense-in-depth concept

The defense-in-depth concept is applied to compensate for potential human errors or mechanical failures. This concept is based on several levels of protection with a sequence of barriers preventing the release of radioactive materials into the environment. This concept involves protection of the barriers through prevention of a damage to the plant or to the barriers. It includes further measures to protect the population and the environment against any impacts in case of a beyond-design-basis accident.

Safety barriers

  • 1

    The first barrier is a fuel matrix (i.e. a pellet).

  • 2

    The second barrier is fuel cladding.

  • 3

    The third barrier is comprised of fuel channels, pipelines, and the equipment of the repeated forced circulation circuit.

  • 4

    The forth barrier consists of reinforced concrete walls of the buildings housing the equipment of the repeated forced circulation circuit.

Self-protection principle

VVER reactors have a configuration of the reactor core ensuring “self-protection” or “self-regulation” of the reactor. When the reactor power increases and, consequently, the temperature of the reactor core rises, the nuclear reaction dies out due to natural feedback.

In order to stop the chain reaction quickly and efficiently, neutrons involved in this process must be absorbed. An absorber (boron carbide) is used to accomplish this. Rods made of boron carbide are inserted into the reactor core to reduce the neutron flux level or to shut down the reactor completely.

Electromagnets are used as the drives for the rods to ensure their immersion into the reactor core. This principle guarantees that the rods will drop even if the power unit is de-energized: the powered down electromagnets will stop holding the absorber rods and these will drop down by gravity.

Another way to stop the chain fission reaction is to increase the concentration of boric acid in the coolant: where necessary, the boric acid solution is used by numerous emergency systems.

Multiple redundancy of safety channels

Generation 3+ VVER power units employ 2 independent safety system trains, each of which can fulfill the functions of the entire system. Each train features standby power supply ensured by diesel generators and batteries.

The main feature of the VVER-1200 is a unique combination of active and passive safety systems.

More specifically, the following devices are used at a unit with a VVER-1200 reactor: a core catcher – a device used to catch molten fuel in the nuclear reactor core; a system for passive heat removal through steam generators (PHRS) intended to ensure prolonged heat removal from the reactor core to the atmosphere in the absence of any power sources, etc.

Environmental safety

Environmental safety is one of the key objectives of Novovoronezh NPP

  • 24

    permanent radiation monitoring stations that partially overlap with ARMS stations

  • 33

    ARMS stations

The basic principles and obligations in the field of environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and environmental safety are set forth in the environmental policy of Novovoronezh NPP.

Each employee follows these principles by performing of all operations in strict conformity with instructions. Novovoronezh NPP strives to increase the environmental culture level of managers and specialists of contractor organizations operating on the premises of the NPP.

  • 24

    стационарных дозиметрических поста, которые частично совпадают с постами АСКРО

  • 33

    поста АСКРО

The environmental condition of the premises of the industrial site, the buffer area and the control area of Novovoronezh NPP is evaluated by the NPP subdivisions as part of industrial environmental control and by supervisory bodies.

For the purposes of radiation monitoring, radiation monitoring stations have been set up within a 50 km radius, where parameters of atmospheric air, precipitation, soil and vegetation are measured. The external radiation monitoring laboratory of the nuclear power plant monitors the radiation level in surface water bodies, potable water from artesian wells and municipal heat supply systems.

At present, 33 ARMS stations operate simultaneously with the radiation monitoring stations in the buffer area, in the control area, and also in Liski and Voronezh.

The information from the ARMS is automatically transmitted to the Emergency Response Center of Rosenergoatom and the branch ARMS of ROSATOM, and is used to evaluate the actual radiation level in the vicinity of Novovoronezh NPP.

Every citizen of Russia can obtain information on the radiation level at nuclear power facilities online on: russianatom.ru.

Social responsibility

Novovoronezh NPP is the largest taxpayer of the Voronezh Region

Apart from the substantial tax payments to the municipal budget, the nuclear power plant renders considerable financial assistance to the city in the social and cultural sphere.

As part of the Cooperation Agreement signed by the Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom and the Governor of the Voronezh Region, additional funds have been transferred to the budget of Novovoronezh from the taxes paid by the NPP since 2013 to address social issues. The Voronezh Region has become the first region which has concluded such an agreement with ROSATOM.

Thanks to the Agreement, comprehensive improvement of streets and yards has been performed; schools and kindergartens have been overhauled, and roads have been constructed. Modern sports facilities have been built in the town of nuclear workers: the Start stadium, the Center for Martial Arts, the Ostalnaya ice skating rink, and the Atom-Arena sports and fitness center. An illuminated musical fountain has been built in the town’s recreational open space.

On the initiative of Rosenergoatom JSC, the Municipal Entity Development Assistance Fund Association of the Nuclear Power Plant Locations (ATR AES) was established in the spring of 2013. The Fund has already implemented dozens of socially important projects in Novovoronezh. Novovoronezh was declared the best among the host towns of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom in 2018 following the complation of the #ROSATOMVMESTE project.

The managers of Novovoronezh NPP prioritize the provision of healthcare to employees in their social policy. The Energetik health resort affiliated with the NPP is located five kilometers away from the town of nuclear workers. The workers of the nuclear power plant undergo rehabilitation and receive remedial treatment here.

The NPP’s employees are provided with financial support to improve their housing and to ensure that they have a good rest and receive high-quality healthcare services and higher vocational education.

Contacts

  • Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant Branch of Rosenergoatom JSC

  • 1 Yuzhnaya industrial area,
    Novovoronezh town,
    Voronezh Region 396072