15 Apr (NucNet): Workers have poured first concrete for construction of the Kursk 2-2 nuclear power unit in western Russia, state nuclear corporation Rosatom confirmed to NucNet today.
Rosatom said concrete pouring for the Generation III+ VVER-TOI plant had begun almost two weeks ahead of schedule.
The first cubic metre of concrete was poured for what will eventually form the base plate of the reactor building that will house the second unit at the site.
Construction of the first unit, Kursk 2-1, began in April 2018. The VVER-TOI technology being used for Kursk 2-1 and Kursk 2-2 was developed from the 1,200 MW AES-2006 pressurised water reactor.
Rosatom said the two VVER-TOI units, the first to be built, offer “a significant reduction in construction, timeframe and operational costs”.
According to reports in 2017, commissioning of the first two units at Kursk 2 was planned to be synchronised with the decommissioning of Units 1 and 2 at the existing Kursk station after 2021 and 2022.
The existing Kursk nuclear station has four RBMK-1000 graphite-moderated nuclear reactor units (LWGRs) that began commercial operation between October 1977 and February 1986.
