State nuclear corporation Rosatom said approval had been granted for a four-month pilot operation phase during which the gross power of the 1,085-MW Generation III+ pressurised water reactor, or VVER, will be increased in stages from the current 20% to 100%.
During this phase almost 200 tests of technological systems and safety systems will be carried out, Rosatom said.
Last month Leningrad 2-2 was synchonised to the grid and began to deliver electrical energy for the first time. Gross power was increased to 240 MW, or 20%, with the turbogenerator synchronised with the east European electric power grid.
After the completion of this pilot operation phase, the plant will be stopped for inspection of equipment and inspection by Rostechnadzor.
Rosatom said the plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2021.
Leningrad 2-2, north of St Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland, will replace Leningrad-2, a 925-MW Soviet-designed light-water graphite reactor, or RBMK, which has been in commercial operation since February 1976 and is scheduled to be permanently shut down.
The identical Leningrad 2-1 unit, which began commercial operation in October 2018, replaced, Leningrad-1, which began commercial operation in November 1974 and was permanently shut down in December 2018. Leningrad-1 was also a Soviet-era RBMK.
Commissioning of Leningrad 2-2 will mean Russia’s fleet of Generation III+ units will increase to four. The others are Leningrad 2-1, Novovoronezh 2-1 and Novovoronezh 2-2.
According to International Atomic Energy Agency statistics, Russia has 39 nuclear power reactors in commercial operation and four under construction. In 2019 the nuclear fleet provided almost 20% of the country’s electricity production share.