UrBC, Yekaterinburg, November 12, 2015. Experts at Beloyarskaya Nuclear Power Station launched BN 800 Reactor at Power Generating Unit 4 at 10:10 PM on November 10, 2015, the station’s press service reports.

The new fast reactor is meant, partially, for experimental use, so the key task at the moment is to acquire expertise and come up with technological solutions for a closed cycle. Based on the results of the trial runs, a decision will be made whether it would be expedient to produce fast reactors on a serial scale.

Rostechnadzor recently provided the station with a new operation license which allows its experts to increase the reactor’s operation capacity. Additionally, 5,540 sets of performance documentation had to be provided for Beloyarskaya to be allowed to start the launch process.


‘The current launching stage consists in the gradual increase in the reactor’s capacity from 1% (the factual launch) to 35% (the level needed for electric power generation) to 50% (the level needed for full-scale industrial operation). All these steps presuppose a large number of tests and trials of the reactor and all kinds of other equipment. This is necessary to make sure the power generating unit is and will remain safe to use,’ the press service says.