13 Jan (NucNet): Russia’s planned VVER-600 reactor unit will be used as the “priority reference unit” for Phase 2 of the Kola nuclear station in Murmansk, north-western Russia, state nuclear corporation Rosatom said.
The VVER-600 is a medium-sized reactor based on the components and processes of the existing AES-2006 type VVER-1200 unit, two of which are under construction in Russia at Leningrad II and two at Novovoronezh II.
In February 2013, Rosatom’s joint scientific and technical board and nuclear plant operator Rosenergoatom accepted proposals for the two-loop VVER-600 from designers at OKB Gidropress.
Rosenergoatom said there is a need for nuclear reactors of average capacity in regions with poorly developed network infrastructure and where the delivery of fuel is difficult. Russia has plans to market the VVER-600 overseas, but first it must build a reference unit, a statement said.
Rosatom said maximum borrowing of main components from the VVER-1200 allows for a reduction of reactor design development for the VVER-600 and simplification of components delivery to the site.
According to Rosenergoatom, the VVER-600 has the same levels of safety required by Generation III+ reactors and a designed lifetime of 60 years. It is also designed to contain core melt inside the reactor vessel during a severe “beyond design basis” accident.
VVER, or WWER reactors (from the Russian Vodo-Vodyanoi Energetichesky Reactor), are a series of pressurised water reactor designs originally developed in the Soviet Union, and now Russia, by OKB Gidropress. Their power output ranges from 440 megawatts to 1,200 megawatts.
According to OKB Gidropress, VVER reactors of various capacities are in commercial operation at 18 nuclear power plant sites in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and China.
VVER reactors are also under construction at Kudankulam in India and Tianwan in China.
