Unit 1 of Russia’s Leningrad II NPP, under construction at Sosnovy Bor, will begin commercial operation in May 2018, with hot testing scheduled to begin in early 2017, station director Vladimir Pereguda told RIA Novosti on 4 August. Leningrad II is adjacent to the existing Leningrad NPP, where four RBMK reactors are operating. Two 1200 MWe AES-2006 design units are being built there, with two further AES-2006 units planned. Leningrad II-1 was scheduled for commercial operation in 2015, but the deadline was put back to 2017. Unit 2 is scheduled for start up in 2019.
In May, Rosenergoatom said construction had been completed of the concrete containment building at unit 2. Installation of fuel racks into the used fuel pool is nearing completion, principal contactor Concern Titan-2 said on 1 August.
The stainless steel racks weighing 265t are installed on special metallic frames mounted in the used fuel pool. After installation of all the racks, the pool will be filled with water again to continue tests, Titan-2 said.
Meanwhile, Titan-2, has filed a claim for RUB1.479bn ($22.5m) against Metrostroy JSC, one of contractors, for the failure to meet contractual obligations related to construction of unit 1. “In fact, Metrostroy has breached due dates of some important facilities. Some work is more than 100 days behind the schedule,” according to a Titan-2 statement on 2 August. In addition to breaches of the schedules, the company “has failed to give the principal contractors the executive documents for the work done for a long time”.
As a result of the listed violations, several milestones at unit 1 were completed behind the schedule, such as building structures on the dome of the containment, and completion of concreting of the outer containment dome, Titan-2 pointed out. Also, due dates were breached for installation of fire-extinguishing systems that led to untimely in-house power supply, which, in turn, “affects other milestones which support the timely commissioning of unit 1”. To meet the established construction dates, Titan-2 had to replace Metrostroy. However, Titan-2 notes that it had “managed to offset the project delay”. The Court of Arbitration of St Petersburg and Leningrad Region has noted the claim and appointed the first hearing for 26 September.
