BULGARIA - BELENE NPP

Belene NPP (Bulgaria)

General information.

Belene NPP is the largest project of the Russian-Bulgarian cooperation for today and has national value for Bulgaria.

On October 31st, 2006 the National Electric Company of the Republic of Bulgaria (NEK) has officially announced Atomstroyexport JSC (ASE) the winner of the tender for the construction of Belene NPP under the Russian design "NPP-92" with two VVER-1000/V-466 power units. 

It became the important victory of Atomstroyexport gained by the company in the open international tender together with the company AREVA NP and the concern Siemens. Having won the tender Atomstroyexport again has opened the road for the Russian nuclear technologies to Europe.

The preliminary Agreement on realization of the project was signed in 2006. During 2007 Atomstroyexport carried on the negotiations with ÍÝÊ of Bulgaria on the conclusion of the Contract Agreement.

Signing of the Contract Agreement between Atomstroyexport JSC and the National Electric Company (NEK) of Bulgaria for the construction of Belene NPP took place on January 18th, 2008 within the framework of the official visit of the President of Russia, V.V.Putin, to Bulgaria.

The cost of the project makes 3.997 billion Euros for 2 power units of 1000 MW.

The procedure of review of the NPP-92 design for its compliance to EUR requirements (the requirements of the European utilities) was completed in spring 2007. This design was taken as a basis for the construction of Belene NPP. Experts of EUR Club after the performed analysis have recognized the NPP-92 design as corresponding to all EUR technical requirements to the NPP with light water reactors of new generation. The solemn ceremony of presentation of EUR certificate took place in Moscow on April 24th, 2007. The certification of the NPP-92 design used by ASE JSC at the construction of nuclear NPPs of new generation in different countries of the world once again has demonstrated the level of reliability and safety of the erected projects. 

In 2007 the National Electric Company of Bulgaria received the positive answer from the General Management of Power and Transport of the European Commission concerning the Agreement concluded between NEK and Atomstroyexport JSC on the construction of Belene NPP. The conclusion of the European Commission states that Bulgaria can continue implementation of the Agreement on realization of Belene NPP Project. The approval of the Russian NPP design by the European Commission has once again confirmed conformity of the design offered by Atomstroyexport to all European standards and IAEA requirements. 

In Bulgaria ASE is constructing the NPP "on a turn-key basis". This is the feature which makes the contract different from other projects implemented by the company in China and India where the contracts had only the fixed scopes of the performed works. For realization of the Bulgarian project the complete responsibility for the project management lies with Russia represented by Atomstroyexport.

The basic advantages of the design are the high degree of protection provided due to use of four independent channels of the active safety systems, the double containment and the longer (over 60 years) design life time of the power units. 

The design of Belene NPP construction is characterized by a unique combination of the active and passive safety systems which provide a higher level of the NPP protection compared to the projects already realized in the world, including use of the device for catching core melt (the catcher) applied by Atomstroyexport at Tianwan NPS and Kudankulam NPP. At Belene NPP the present-day digital instrumentation system manufactured by Siemens will be used. The reactor plant will also include the advanced monitoring and diagnostics systems developed by the Russian scientists and experts. Besides the aspects connected with safety of the given project, the great attention was paid to the aspects of economy.

The design provides obtaining of high technical and economic parameters due to decrease of idle time duration, increase of life time of the main equipment up to 60 years, increase of installed capacity factor up to 90 % and possibility of heat production at the NPP for public utilities. At the NPP such fuel will be applied which provides maneuvering in a mode of dispatching regulation up to 75-80 % of duration of work of one fuel loading and the maximal burnup depth. 

For realization of this project Atomstroyexport JSC involves its traditional partners – the leading Russian organizations in the field of nuclear power machine building – Izhora Works, ZIO Podolsk, the Russian Scientific Center “Kurchatov Institute”, OKB “Gidropress”, Institute "Atomenergoproject" and others.

Belene NPP project is especially interesting from the point of view of integration of the Russian-European experience of the NPP construction. For this project the company applies the updated format of cooperation with the European companies. Many items of the equipment directly influencing the safety level, enhancing its technical and economic parameters will be supplied by the main partners of Atomstroyexport  JSC – companies AREVA and Siemens, in particular, the present-day digital NPP instrumentation system. Besides it is supposed to involve the Czech enterprises for realization of the project. 

Besides it is planned to attract actively the Bulgarian organizations for performance of the works on realization of the project. Their share of participation in the project will make 30 percent. The Bulgarian organizations will carry out a wide spectrum of the works on realization of the project, beginning from civil work and finishing with supplies of some kinds of the equipment. Installation of the most important equipment and also adjustment of the NPP will be performed by the Russian experts.

The design of Belene NPP  construction corresponds to all IAEA recommendations, the international requirements in the field of safety and represents a successful combination of the Russian-European technologies of nuclear mechanical engineering.

Information.

The construction of Belene NPP was started  in 1984 under the Intergovernmental Agreement between the USSR and PRB of 27.03.84. Thus the first construction phase provided construction of two power units with VVER-1000 under V-320 design.

In 1990 in connection with the economic and political changes in Bulgaria the construction was suspended, and in April, 1991 the government of the country made a final decision to terminate the NPP construction.

In 2005 the tender for construction of  2 power units of Belene  NPP was invited.

On October 31st, 2006 the National Electric Company of the Republic of Bulgaria  officially announced Atomstroyexport JSC the winner of the tender for construction of Belene NPP with two power units of  1000 MW capacity. 

Out of three options of Atomstroyexport’ bid the option was chosen which was based on NPP-92 design (two power units of 1000 MW with V-466 reactor plant). Belene NPP constructed under the Russian design, will differ from other NPPs, previously  constructed in the world, by the higher safety level. Safety of the NPP is explained, in particular, by introduction of the unique complex of the active and passive safety systems, double containment, device for catching core melt (the catcher) applied by Atomstroyexport at Tianwan NPS and Kudankulam NPP.

The design provides high technical and economic parameters due to decrease of idle time duration, increase of life time of the main equipment up to 60 years, increase of installed capacity factor up to 90 % and possibility of heat production at the NPP for public utilities.

For Belene NPP some part of the equipment will be supplied by the European consortium “CARSIB”(AREVA-Siemens) , in particular, the present-day digital NPP instrumentation system manufactured in Germany.