On November 19, the reactor vessel was installed in the design position at Unit 1 of El-Dabaa NPP in the Arab Republic of Egypt (the general designer and general contractor is Engineering Division of Rosatom).
The videoconference solemn ceremony was attended by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The venue was attended by Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom Director General, Georgy Borisenko, ambassador of the Russian Federation in Egypt, Moustafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister of Egypt and Mahmoud Esmat, the Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) addressed the participants in video message.
The leaders of the two countries congratulated the El Dabaa NPP construction team who is implementing this large-scale project, with reaching a critical milestone in the construction of Power Unit 1.
“The Unit 1 reactor vessel being installed into its design position is the main production event of the year at the El Dabaa NPP construction site. I am sincerely pleased that we can thus celebrate the Egypt's Atomic Energy Day with a significant achievement, which is one of the key stages in the construction of the first GenIII+ unit on the African continent. Construction work on all power units is well under way, with over 30,000 people working on site,” Alexey Likhachev went on to say.
The reactor vessel is a key component of the reactor plant, housing the core and the controlled nuclear fission chain reaction in the fuel. It ensures a tight seal and is able to withstand high pressure and temperature, ensuring therefore the safe and reliable operation of the power unit.
The equipment, manufactured by the plant of the Rosatom State Corporation Machine-Building Division was delivered to the construction site in Egypt on October 21. Having passed the incoming inspection procedure, which involved specialists from Rosatom’s Engineering Division, representatives of the manufacturer, the Egyptian Owner and representatives of the country’s regulatory authorities, the specialists began installing the equipment in its design position.
The installation proceeded in several stages. During the first stage, specialists tilted and moved the 340-ton reactor vessel from a horizontal to a vertical position. The equipment was then installed in its design position in the center of the reactor shaft. All operations were performed using a heavy-duty crawler crane of 2,200t lifting capacity.
El-Dabaa NPP is the first NPP in Egypt. It is being built in the city of El-Dabaa, in the Matruh province on the Mediterranean coast, approximately 300 km. north-west from Cairo. The NPP consists of four 1200 MW power units equipped with Russian VVER-1200 pressurized water reactors of the latest third generation; these reactors are state-of-the art technologies that have been successfully operated at reference NPPs.
El-Dabaa NPP is being constructed in accordance with the package of contracts, which entered into force on December 11, 2017. In accordance with the contractual obligations, the Russian party will not only construct the NPP but will also supply nuclear fuel for the whole life cycle of the NPP and will provide assistance to the Egyptian partners in training of the personnel at the operation and maintenance stages during the first 10 years of NPP operation. Besides, under a separate agreement, the Russian party will build special storages and will supply special containers for storing spent nuclear fuel.
The Engineering Division of Rosatom unites the leading companies of the nuclear industry, namely: Atomstroyexport JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, branches in Russia and abroad), Joint Design Institute - Atomenergoproekt JSC (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg branches - design institutes, branches in Russia and abroad, R&D branches) and subsidiary construction organizations. The Engineering Division ranks first in the world by the order portfolio and the number of NPPs constructed simultaneously across the world. About 80% of the Division’s revenues originate from foreign projects. The Engineering Division implements construction projects for high-power NPPs in Russia and across the world, renders a full range of EPC, EP, EPC(M) services including project management and design activities, and develops Multi-D technologies for the management of complex engineering facilities. The Division relies on the achievements of the Russian nuclear industry and modern cutting-edge technologies. www.ase-ec.ru
Текст параграфа
