21 Dec (NucNet): Setting up of the reactor internals has been completed at the Rostov-4 nuclear power unit under construction near Volgodonsk, southern Russia, with preparations underway to bring the VVER-1000/V-320 unit to its minimum power level, state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on 19 December 2017. Rosatom said this marks the half-way point of the first criticality programme, which began after completion of the first fuel loading on 6 December 2017. The programme will take around 25 days and involves a number of assembly steps, physical tests and measurements, and closure of the reactor pressure vessel. Once the tests are completed permission will be needed from regulator Rostekhnadzor to achieve first criticality. Commercial operation is planned for next year, Rosatom said, but did not give a schedule. Construction of Rostov-4 began in June 2010. There are three other units of the same design in commercial operation at Rostov. Last week Rosatom said all 163 fuel assemblies had been loaded into the reactor core. When Rostov-4 reaches full power and commercial operation next year, nuclear power will provide 54% of power in southern Russia, Rosatom said.
