19.11.2007 // RIA Novosti

Interview with senior vice president of Atomstroyexport Alexander Nechayev

In early Nov 2007 Russia and China signed a framework agreement for the construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China. Earlier, on Sept 12 2007, Russian Atomstroyexport launched the 1st and 2nd units of the plant. The senior vice president of Atomstroyexport CJSC Alexander Nechayev has told RIA Novosti about the plans of Russia and China concerning the Tianwan NPP project.

— This year Russia has completed many-year high-tech project — the construction of a nuclear power plant in China. What can you say about Tianwan NPP?

— The project of Tianwan NPP is based on advanced solutions and technologies. Today, it is one of the most modern nuclear power plants in the world and our Chinese partners perfectly know and highly appreciate that. It was a complex large-scale project and we could not but have certain problems: mistakes in design, defects in construction. Most of the problems arose from the unpreparedness of our Chinese partners to perceive innovations. But, on the whole, they have very high culture of labor.

— The introduction of unique – experimental – systems, particularly, the safety system – was it their or our initiative?

— Of course, our! For example, we suggested building a special “trap” under the reactor shell – a system for entrapping and cooling down melted reactor core and preventing it from destroying the reactor shell. Of course, the probability of such an accident at a plant like Tianwan is 1 to 10,000,000 but our partners asked us to enhance the safety of the plant and now China is the first country in the world to have such a system. The “trap” project has been approved by Russian and Chinese regulatory authorities and an IAEA special commission.

Speaking of other innovations, the reactor building of Tianwan NPP has a double shell: the internal hermetic shell keeps radiation inside, while the external one protects the reactor from undesirable outer impacts, particularly, from heavy falling objects and explosion shock waves. Tianwan NPP can stand all earthquakes, floods and hurricanes that may theoretically happen in the area.

Among the other innovations are the four-channel structure of the safety systems, the combination of active and passive safety systems, digital control and protection system. All this makes Tianwan NPP a unique project – the only plant in the world that has so high safety parameters. We will certainly apply these solutions if we are allowed to build the 3rd and 4th units.

— This looks like a serial construction of nuclear power units of Russian design?

— Initially, China planned to construct eight units at Tianwan in line with its plans to build 40GW of nuclear power generating capacities by 2020. But, if we build the next units, we will hardly finish them by 2020.

The 3rd and 4th and, perhaps, the 5th and 6th units, will be similar to the first two ones. But we are already discussing the possibility of raising the capacity of the units from 1060 to 1073MW.

— What is the deadline for the construction of the 3rd and 4th units?

— The deadlines are set by the Chinese party. They say that the 3rd and 4th units should be built by 2015, but we can do it even quicker. We have enough experience and capacities to finish the project one or even one and a half year ahead of time. But we will try to be as responsible and efficient as before.

Tianwan NPP-1 is a fully Russian project: we were responsible for all decisions made on the site and for the supply of all technological and electric equipment, including the one purchased from third countries.

One of our best partners was Siemens, who supplied us with an automated unit control system. But the reactor system and the reactor control system – i.e. the most important thing for an NPP – are of Russian manufacture.

We continue our partnership with Siemens: presently, we are negotiating for cooperation under Atomstroyexport’s Belene NPP project in Bulgaria.

The construction at Tianwan NPP-1 was carried out by the Chinese party, while the installation of the equipment of the four main buildings – by Atomstroyexport. The machine compartment and the auxiliaries have been built by our Chinese partners under our supervision. It was economically inexpedient to involve Russian constructors in the project – in that case, we would have had to bring and accommodate almost 1,500 people.

China is planning to enlarge the participation of its companies in the construction of Tianwan NPP-2. The design and the supply of equipment will be carried out by us, while their installation in the above-mentioned four main buildings and start-up will be carried out by local specialists. The complex testing of the plant will be carried out with our support.

— Do you already know the cost of the project? When are you planning to start to discuss the cost parameters of the contract?

— By the end of this year we are planning to prepare the commercial proposal, which will include the price. The estimates are not ready yet, so, we don’t know the estimated cost yet. The cost will depend on the amount of the work we will have to do under the project. I am sure that it will be comparable with competitive world prices. The above-mentioned division of work may significantly influence the cost of the project.

The framework agreement we have signed with Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation formulates just the general principles and the schedule of our further cooperation. The next step is the preparation of the general contract, which is supposed to be signed in 2008. Before that we will have to prepare the commercial offer and to sign the engineering design contract. Even though Tianwan NPP-2 will be similar to Tianwan NPP-1, it will, still, have some novelties, for example, common water conditioning system for both units. We also have to draft primary working plan, to level the site and to prepare the foundation area. Our Chinese partners have already prepared the pits for Tianwan NPP-2. They did it when Tianwan NPP-1 was not yet ready as one can’t carry out blasting operations near a finished reactor.

— When are you planning to start the project?

— According to the legislation of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, we will be able to lay the foundations of the reactor compartment only after we receive a permission of China’s regulatory authority (China National Nuclear Safety Administration). Under the agreement, we are to lay the foundations in the second half of 2009 – of course, if we sign the general contract in 2008.