Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom announced that the first nuclear fuel supply has started to the world’s only floating nuclear power plant (NGS) Akademik Lomonosov, located in the Pevek city of the Chukotka region in eastern Russia.
The fuel bundles were produced by Mashinostroitelny Zavod AS, which is part of Rosatom’s fuel company TVEL, according to a statement from the company.
The fuel bundles, brought to Pevek Port via the Northern Sea Route in special shipping containers, were transferred to Akademik Lomonosov.
Fresh fuel bundles were loaded into one of the two reactors on the starboard side of the floating NPP by experts from the company’s Rosenergoatom Concern AŞ.
The refueling process, which is carried out directly on the water, is planned to be completed by the end of the year.
Nuclear fuel supply to the other reactor at Akademik Lomonosov is planned to be completed in 2024.
Academic Lomonosov Chief Mechanical Engineer Alexey Fedotov, whose views were included in the statement, stated that all precautions were taken within the scope of radiation safety requirements during nuclear fuel supply operations and said, “Each of the 121 fuel bundles passed a strict approval check before loading into the reactor. All mechanisms were thoroughly examined by experts.” “Then they will be placed into the reactor sequentially using an automatic crane.” he said.
Head of Academic Lomonosov Nuclear Safety Department and Chief Physicist Maxim Shamambayev also noted that the radiation background in the area where the floating power unit is located did not change during the studies in question, and the radiation background was measured at levels that are natural for Pevek.
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