Paks II has started in Roszatom’s St. Petersburg factory. Production of the reactor vessel of a nuclear power plant

The production of the components began in a festive setting. On the Hungarian side, Gergely Jákli, Paks II. Zrt.’s president and CEO, Péter Szabó, the mayor of Paks, from the Russian side Vitaly Polyanin, Paks II. Andrej Sinyakov, the vice president and project director of Atomstrojexport, the main contractor of the nuclear power plant, and the first deputy of the general manager of Atomenergomas, the reactor tank manufacturer, participated.

In the future, the cylindrical sub-assemblies that make up the VVER-1200 reactor vessel will be made from these castings, including the lower and upper truncated rings, which, after machining, will be welded together to form the reactor vessel. The forged parts are made in the St. Petersburg factory, which is one of the largest automated forging plants in Europe. The subassemblies are then machined on special carousel lathes suitable for the production of large parts.

“We are working to connect the new blocks to the grid by the early 2030s. To this end, work is being carried out in parallel at the Paks site and several thousand kilometers away, in St. Petersburg. It is important for us that, after the casting process, we can see the first stage of the production of the stub rings of the reactor vessel up close” – emphasized Gergely Jákli, Paks II. President and CEO of Zrt.

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“At the moment, Paks II, realized with VVER-1200 blocks. The construction of the gap wall has been completed in the construction area of ​​the nuclear power plant, soil strengthening works are underway in the area of ​​the future block 5, we plan to pour the first batch of concrete into the base body by the end of 2024, which is a key event in the construction of the nuclear power plant. In parallel, the main equipment of the future nuclear power plant is being manufactured. The zone melt trap is ready, and now we are manufacturing the blanks for the reactor vessel of Unit No. 5. Then comes the production of steam generators, volume compensators, tanks for safety systems and other equipment of the primary circuit” he added.

“The production of the reactor island’s primary circuit equipment is planned for 2028-2029, by which time the main construction works will be completed” – said Vitalij Poljanyin, vice president of Paks main contractor Atomstrojexport, Paks project manager.

Paks II. The production of the reactor vessel of a nuclear power plant also indicates the internationally marketable developments in the nuclear industry using modern technologies.

“The Russian machinery manufacturing sector is working steadily to fulfill the orders of the state company Rosatom. Currently, in St. Petersburg, parts are being manufactured for 9 VVER-type pressurized water units, as well as parts for 5 RITM-200 reactors, which will form the “heart” of the new floating nuclear power plants supplying electrical energy to the Bajmszkoye ore deposit in the Far East. Reactor sub-assemblies are also being prepared for the newest land-based small modular nuclear power plant in Yakutia” – stressed Igor Kotov, CEO of Atomenergomas, Rosatom’s machinery manufacturing division.

“Between 2024 and 2026, Reactors, steam generators, volume compensators, tanks for safety systems and other primary circuit equipment parts will be manufactured at Atomenergomas’ St. Petersburg plant. During today, another big project, Paks II. Production of the nuclear reactor for a nuclear power plant began. The breakthrough technological solutions of our factories enable products that meet the highest safety and quality requirements to be completed on time” – added the head of Atomenergomas, Rosatom’s machine manufacturing department.

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