– After Chernobyl, nuclear energy in the world was in “sleeping” mode for a long time. But progress cannot be abandoned, so the task was to make nuclear power plants as safe as possible, says Andrey Kuchumov, director of technical policy at the Atomenergoproekt Institute.
Our engineers succeeded: modern Russian engines are among the safest in the world and, perhaps, even the best in this regard. First of all, we are talking about the most widespread reactors of the VVER (water-cooled power) type. They began operating in the 1950s-1960s and have been continually improved since then.
– The first serial industrial power unit was the VVER-440, which became quite widespread both in our country and abroad. Its power gradually increased and the next generation was represented by the VVER-1000 reactor, which today is installed in many nuclear power plants. Serial production made it possible to perfect both the equipment used and the construction technology and, at the same time, ensure a very high level of reliability and safety, explains Andrey Kuchumov.
The basis for ensuring the safety of nuclear power plant projects developed by Rosatom’s engineering division is the principle of defense in depth. Emergency safety systems must ensure four things: stop the reactor, cool it, prevent radioactive substances from escaping, and remove heat from the nuclear fuel so that it cools.
When creating a line of modern reactors, both active and passive safety systems were used – those that do not require external power or human control. For example, a double containment layer of the reactor building, capable of withstanding the fall of a 400-ton Boeing or a tsunami wave, as well as a “melt trap”, a container located directly below the reactor in which deposits the contents of the The core will fall if it melts. Of course, there is also an active protection system that ensures the removal of heat and the localization of radioactive materials within the containment. As well as alternative equipment outside the power unit building, which can be additionally connected to quickly eliminate the consequences of an accident.
In modern nuclear power plants, even if the power supply is completely cut off, no radiation is released into the environment.
– The accident that occurred in Japan at the Fukushima nuclear power plant forced us to resort to safety analysis again. Thus a new nuclear power plant project with a VVER reactor was born. Provides even greater protection against extreme external influences. The time for analyzing the situation and taking appropriate measures by personnel to localize the possible consequences of the accident has also been increased,” says Alexander Polushkin, advisor to the director of the industrial center for planning and control of the construction of the facilities. Atomstroyexport.
The newest Russian plants are equipped with third-generation reactors, whose safety systems are designed to manage accidents beyond those by design. Simply put, they will withstand even cataclysms, the probability of which is almost zero.
For example, when building nuclear power plants in seismically dangerous zones, designers, according to Andrei Kuchumov, take the maximum magnitude of an earthquake in 10 thousand years as a basis for calculations.
By most indicators, the integrated protection systems for VVER reactors of generations “3” and “3+” are already the best in the world. However, according to Andrei Kuchumov, development continues, because new threats must be taken into account. In particular, work is being done to strengthen cybersecurity, as well as the development of an equipment aging management system, which also increases the reliability of nuclear power plants.
Direct speech
Andrei Kuchumov:
Series production has guaranteed a very high level of reliability and safety.
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