Technology selection competition

TECHNOLOGY SELECTION COMPETITION

Two candidates participate in the competition and the main characteristics of the proposals are as follows:

Proposals of Atomstroyexport (with main international subcontractors Areva NP and Siemens):

Two main designs with 1000 MW pressurized water reactors:
- project A-92 with reactor installation V-466 (1000 MW) with four-channel structure of active safety systems and passive safety systems;
- project A-87 with reactor installation V-320 (1000 MW) with three-channel structure of active safety systems and passive safety systems.
Alternative variants of the A-87 project using the existing building structures and combining the reactor units;

Proposals of Skoda Alliance (an alliance between Skoda and Westinghouse):

Two alternative variants of V-320 design with different degree of use of the existing building constructions and equipment, with three-channel structure of the active safety systems.

The decision to select the proposal of Atomstroyexport, Russia for the construction of 2 units with 1000 MW each under project A-92 with reactor installation V-466 at the Belene site was taken based on the following considerations:

Important improvements in safety characteristics and safety margins, such as secondary hermetic construction around the reactor, four channels of active safety systems, expanded capacity of passive systems;
Less risk of unforeseen extension of the construction schedule, of licensing complications and of future safety improvements;
Application of the latest technologies, longer service life (60 years) and certification by European operating organizations, which puts the A-92 project on a par with other new nuclear projects around the world.

In addition, in the period 1998-2006, the AES-92 project successfully passed all the steps of analysis for compliance with the requirements of the European operating organizations and in April 2007 was certified by the EUR committee.

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