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Construction of a nuclear power plant in Belarus began in late 2013, but in the last decade there has been talk of future construction.
After almost seven years, Belarus will start to load nuclear fuel into the first reactor of the power plant, and the power plant can start producing electricity in two to four months.
Lithuania is also preparing for this: considering that the power plant is unsafe, the central government in recent days has begun to criticize more often municipalities that are not fully prepared to protect the population in the event of an accident, the People in pharmacies are more actively looking for iodine tablets.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Exercises on possible Astravas A.E. accidents
To make it difficult for the Astrava nuclear power plant to exist, Lithuania will also suspend electricity trade with Belarus and is still waiting for other Baltic countries to join the boycott.
What is a “physical” startup?
A total of 163 nuclear fuel assemblies will be loaded into the first reactor at the Astrava nuclear power plant in August.
The State Atomic Energy Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) says that during this process events that determine radiological consequences should not occur on the territory of Lithuania.
The Authority explains that, according to Russian practice, the commissioning of VVER-type reactors consists of four stages.
These are final works prior to commissioning, which include equipment adjustment and testing, physical commissioning of the reactor, commissioning of reactor power, and pilot industrial operation. After these steps, the reactor is put into normal operation.
Ernesto Naprio / 15min photo / Astrava nuclear power plant
Now the Belarusians are in the second stage. The “physical” startup of a reactor means that nuclear fuel is loaded into it and, for the first time, a controlled and self-sustaining fission chain reaction is set off.
At this stage, various equipment tests are carried out and the physical characteristics of the reactor are determined.
“Also at this stage, the reactor can be started at the minimum power, stopped, restarted, the reactor power can be raised to the minimum controlled level, that is, to the level at which the reactor control and other necessary systems are working but the electricity generator has not started yet. ” in response 15 minutes indicated by VATESI.
According to her, according to the start-up practice of other VVER-type power plants, this stage can take around 2 months.
What is an “energy” release?
Experts understand “energetic” start-up as a stage in the recognition of a nuclear power plant as suitable for its operation.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15 min photo / State Atomic Energy Safety Inspectorate
Through it, the power of the reactor is increased to such a level that a sufficient amount is produced in the steam generators. This will allow you to start turning the steam turbine and the electricity generator.
“At this stage, the production of electricity begins and the supply to the electrical networks begins,” says VATESI.
This phase can also take up to 2 months, depending on the success of the validation program.
According to the authority, although the “first electricity” can be produced during the energy start-up, its supply to the electrical network can be unstable due to various tests, equipment adjustments or repairs.
What is pilot industrial exploitation?
VATESI notes that during the pilot industrial operation, the capacity of the nuclear power plant unit is gradually increased to nominal capacity.
Complex equipment tests are also conducted to demonstrate the ability to operate stably at rated power and other technology modes.
“Once these phases are completed, the industrial operation begins and the nuclear power plant becomes fully operational,” the authority said in its response.
Taking into account the past practice of commissioning VVER-type reactors, he estimates that the first electricity can be generated by the Astravo nuclear power plant two to four months after the loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor.
Earlier, Minsk announced that the first reactor at the Astrava nuclear power plant should reach design production capacity in February 2021.
The second reactor is expected to come online approximately one year after the first reactor starts operating.
If Belarus gives up electricity, will Lithuania pay more?
At some point, when the Astravo nuclear power plant starts generating electricity, Lithuania will stop trading electricity with Belarus.
In this way, Lithuania will seek to prevent electricity from the Astrava power plant from entering the domestic market for commercial purposes. In this way, the country seeks to reduce the profitability of the power plant, but in theory, electricity prices may increase in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian operator of the electricity transmission system, Litgrid, claims that you will be able to receive information about the electricity generation at the Astravo nuclear power plant in two ways: by receiving a report from colleagues in Belarus or by viewing real-time data in the Management System. dispatch.
Source: Litgrid / Lithuania Commercial Electricity Imports by Country
Statistics show that Belarusian electricity in the first half of this year accounted for about 4.9 percent. all electricity imported to Lithuania.
In 2019, 11.3 percent. Imported electricity was from Belarus, in 2018: 8.3 percent.
However, this is not just Belarusian electricity.
“Electricity from mainland Russia also reaches Lithuania through Belarus; this year it accounted for about half of all imports through the Lithuanian-Belarusian section.” 15 minutes said Liutauras Varanavičius, Director of Litgrid’s Strategy Department.
Litgrid claims that it does not have data on electricity prices in Belarus, but emphasizes that electricity in the Lithuanian market is traded on the Nord Pool exchange according to demand at a certain time and on the basis of the lowest price.
This means that, if necessary, Lithuania buys electricity from the supplier that offers it the cheapest.
“As imports from Belarus decreased significantly this year, the electricity produced in third countries was more expensive this year than the Scandinavian or Lithuanian generation that dominated the Lithuanian market,” said L. Varanavičius.
According to Rytas Staselis, an expert at the Lithuanian National Energy Association, in theory this means that the price of electricity can increase as the supply of electricity decreases.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Morning Staselis
However, such a price increase would not be significant, as import statistics show that Lithuania buys electricity from the Scandinavian countries cheaper.
“Theoretically, given that any restriction of sources reduces supply, in this sense, as supply decreases, (…) this is the assumption that prices will rise – 15 minutes) can”, – 15 minutes Staselis said.
“However, since we get the cheapest electricity in Scandinavia, it is that section that matters the most to us, not the East section,” he added.
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