‘No Decision’ On Beloyarsk BN-1200 Before 2019

22 Mar (NucNet): A decision on whether to go ahead with the construction of a Generation IV BN-1200 sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor at the Beloyarsk nuclear power station in central Russia will not be taken before 2019, reports in Russia said. The decision will depend largely on the results of operating Beloyarsk-4, the pilot BN-800 plant, which was connected to the grid in December 2015, but has not yet begun commercial operation, the reports said. State nuclear operator Rosenergoatom had planned to build two BN-1200 units at Beloyarsk with commercial operation scheduled by 2025. There is one existing, commercially operational sodium-cooled fast reactor at Beloyarsk, the BN-600. Both the BN-600 and the BN-800 are smaller versions of the BN-1200. There are also two permanently shut-down light-water reactors at the site. The Russian government said in November 2013 that if the BN-1200 design was successful, two reactors of this type will be built at a new nuclear station called South Ural, about 200 km southeast of Yekaterinburg.