Complex exercises launched at NPP in Beloyarsk
By Georgy Letov

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 28, 2004 Tuesday 1:11 AM Eastern Time

YEKATERINBURG, September 28 — Rosenergoatom Concern, that operates
numerous nuclear power utilities across Russia, launched complex
exercises at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant near Yekaterinburg
at 8.00 Moscow time on Tuesday. Over 500 people take part in the
two-day exercises.

Observers from the United States, France, China, Ukraine and Armenia
will monitor the exercises. The top managers and personnel of the
Beloyarsk NPP, specialists from the Rosenergoatom crisis-management
centre and experts of the group for assistance to NPPs in emergencies,
as well as means and forces of the Ministry for Emergency Situations
and the Russian Defence Ministry take part in them.

The objective of the exercises is to improve operational interaction
and information exchanges in the course of clean-up operations after
possible emergencies at nuclear power plants and to test special
hardware and means of communication.

One reactor of the BN-600 series is now operational at the Beloyarsk
nuclear power plant. It is the world’s most powerful fast-neutron
reactor. Rosenergoatom specialists plan to use the spent nuclear fuel
imported into Russia in the fast breeders of the BN-600 type. The
design service life of Power Generating Unit 3 at the Beloyarsk NPP
is 30 years, and it runs out in 2010.

The Beloyarsk nuclear power plant is now building its fourth power-
generating unit that will use a BN-800 breeder with s capacity of
800 megawatt. It will be commissioned in 2009.