The fifth power unit of the Novovoronezh NPP has returned to the grid after scheduled repairs. Currently, the unit carries a load of about 500 MW – approximately half of its installed capacity. This was reported by the station's press service.
Power unit No. 5 was disconnected from the grid on August 28. During the repair period, specialists performed routine, medium, and major repairs of the main and auxiliary equipment, and also carried out refueling of the reactor core.
Separate works affected the turbine feed pumps. On their lubrication system, oil coolers were replaced with units with an increased heat exchange surface. Also, during the shutdown, work was carried out on the turbine unit equipment, including cleaning of the heat exchange tubes of the condensers.
The fifth unit uses a VVER-1000 reactor and is designed for an electrical capacity of 1000 MW. Its construction began in 1972, power startup took place in May 1980, and it reached its design capacity in February 1981. It is currently the oldest of the four operating power units of the Novovoronezh NPP.
The station itself began operation in 1964 and became the first NPP in Russia with VVER-type reactors. A total of seven power units were built on the site: the first four received VVER reactors of different generations, the fifth – VVER-1000, and the sixth and seventh – newer VVER-1200. Units No. 1–3 have already been shut down, while No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 remain in operation.