Petrozavodsk Branch of JSC “AEM-technology” (a part of machine-building division of Rosatom State Corporation – Atomenergomash, and a member of Karelian Regional Wing of the Russian Engineering Union) has started shipping pipe spools of the main coolant pipeline (MCP) for Kudankulam NPP, Unit 4 (India).
An MCP set comprises 16 pipe spools. The total weight of the shipment is more than 347 tons, the net weight is about 253.5 tons. During the month of August the entire set will be shipped from Petrozavodsk to Saint Petersburg sea port via motor transport for loading on a ship. Postponement of the shipping season this year was the reason that the pipe spools manufactured some time ago are due to shipment in August. The distance from Petrozavodsk to the construction site of Kudankulam NPP is about 10 000 kilometers.
The main coolant pipeline 850 mm in diameter and 146 m long connects basic equipment of the NPP primary circuit, such as reactor, steam generators and reactor coolant pumps. The MCP has been designed for coolant circulation at a temperature of up to 320°C and at a high pressure of about 160 atm.
Petrozavodskmash manufactures main coolant pipelines of own-produced pipe billets: an anticorrosive cladding coating is applied on the inner surface of the pipes by way of electroslag overlaying at the factory. Petrozavodskmash was the first one in Russia to master the technology of manufacturing MCP seamless clad pipes for nuclear power plants.
Kudankulam NPP is a nuclear power plant with VVER-1000 power units situated in southern India, in Tamil Nadu. The first power unit of Kudankulam NPP was brought to 100% of the capacity in June 2014; on December 30, 2014 the Indian party handed over the unit for commercial operation, and on April 5, 2017 Statement of final acceptance of Unit 1 was signed. This document states the fulfillment of JSC “ASE” obligations on main contracts for unit 1, fulfillment of guaranteed performances of the power units and ability of its uninterrupted operation at nominal capacity level. The second power unit was included into the national power supply system of India on August 29, 2016.
JSC “Atomenergomash” is the supplier of key equipment for Kudankulam NPP.