Novovoronezh nuclear power plant has signed an order for a 2MWe self-propelled mobile emergency genset from Wärtsilä. The genset is to provide electricity for residual heat removal from the plant’s reactor in case of problems with electrical supply. The project is part of an agreement between the Russian government and the European Bank.
A vital factor in the design of this genset was that it had to be ready for start-up within 30 minutes in any weather conditions, no matter how extreme. The temperature range allowed for is -37OC to +38OC. It also had to be transportable to other operating sites.
The design of the mobile genset was based on a similar genset supplied to Ringhals. The electrical room was extended to contain a lot more electrical equipment, such as 6.3 kV switchgear and 11 cable drums with 150 m of cable on each drum. All equipment was built on a 24 m, self-propelled transporter with 9 axles and 36 wheels.
Due to the size and weight of the genset, the transport arrangements needed careful planning. The 135 ton mobile genset was transported on a barge to Lake Lagoda, and then along the Volga and Volgograd rivers to the river Don, and thence to the Novovoronezh plant. As no suitable port was available, a road was built from the river bank to the power plant, a distance of about 150 m.
