Unit 4 of Russia's Rostov nuke plant tests at 75% power

- Commissioning of Unit 4 for commercial operations is planned for 2018, says company

Dynamic tests for 75 percent of rated power began for unit 4 of Russia's Rostov Nuclear Power Plant located in the southwest of Russia as part of the Pilot Commercial Operation (PCO), the company announced on Thursday.

The reactor plant power offload and limitation system performance was checked along with the in-core monitoring system and automated process control system and factual equipment performance data.

'The physical tests of the reactor plant at 75 percent power are completed. On March 30 the dynamic tests at 75 percent power started as part of the PCO,' Svyatoslav Chukavin, deputy chief engineer for operations of the Rostov nuclear power plant Phase II, was quoted as saying.

The PCO program provides for the gradual increase of unit power up to the rated level of 100 percent. Since March 10, unit 4 has been operated at 75 percent of its thermal power and at 735 megawatts of electric power.

According to the company, the commissioning of unit 4 for commercial operation is planned for 2018.

By Huseyin Erdogan,

Anadolu Agency

energy@aa.com.tr