Belarus 1 Completes Pilot Operation

Pilot operation of unit 1 at the Belarusian NPP has been completed, Russia’s ASE EC announced on 24 May. This involved complex testing over 15 days, with the unit operating at 100% capacity,” explained Vitaly Polyanin, Vice President, Project Director for the construction of the Belarusian NPP at ASE EC, Rosatom’s engineering division. The purpose of the comprehensive testing is to confirm the operability of the main equipment at the design parameters in the normal operation mode. Successful completion of this stage signals readiness to begin commercial operation.

Polyanin said the testing stage ended without comment from the operating organisation RUE Belarus NPP. He added that the test results are required before the Act of preliminary acceptance of the unit cand be signed by the Acceptance Commission which enables commercial operation to begin. Belarus NPP will consist of two Russian supplied VVER-1200 power units. The plant was issued a permit for pilot industrial operation of unit 1 in December and it was connected to the grid earlier in March. It is expected that the unit 1 will be put into commercial operation in 2021 and unit 2 in 2022.