The first technological equipment has been installed at unit 1 of Russia’s Kursk II NPP, on 29 July.

“The builders installed electric pump units for the cooling system of the reactor building equipment at unit 1. A total of four units were installed. This is the first process equipment installed in the reactor compartment at the first power unit of Kursk II,” the statement said.

This system is designed to remove heat from the used fuel storage pool, ventilation systems involved in the cooling of the containment, and other equipment located in the buildings of the reactor compartment. The system also acts as a barrier preventing the release of radioactivity into the environment.

"The electric pumping units delivered to the construction site have passed acceptance tests at the manufacturing plant and entrance control at the construction site with the participation of Kursk II specialists. The service life of each unit is at least 60 years," said Nikolay Mitrofanov, first deputy director for the construction of new units.

After all the electric pumps are installed, they will be concreted and aligned. At the next stage, the builders will start installing the pipeline system. Kursk II is a replacement station for the current Kursk NPP. Commissioning of the first two units with the new design VVER-TOI reactors will be synchronised with the decommissioning of Kursk 1&2 of the operating plant.