Nuclear physics, which arose as a science after the discovery in 1986 of the phenomenon of radioactivity by scientists A. Becquerel and M. Curie, became the basis of not only nuclear weapons, but also the nuclear industry.
The beginning of nuclear research in Russia
Already in 1910, the Radium Commission was established in St. Petersburg, which included the famous physicists N. N. Beketov, A. P. Karpinsky, V. I. Vernadsky.
Study of radioactivity processes with isolationinternal energy was carried out at the first stage of development of nuclear energy in Russia, in the period from 1921 to 1941. Then the possibility of neutron capture by protons was proved, the possibility of a nuclear reaction by fission of uranium nuclei is theoretically justified.
Under the leadership of IV Kurchatov, the staff of the institutes of various departments carried out concrete work on the implementation of the chain reaction in the fission of uranium.
The period of the creation of atomic weapons in the USSR
By 1940, a huge statisticaland practical experience, has allowed scientists to suggest the country's leadership is technically use a huge atomic energy. In 1941, the first cyclotron, which enabled a systematic investigation of excitation of nuclei accelerated ions was built in Moscow. At the beginning of the war, the equipment was transported to Ufa and Kazan, followed by employees.
By 1943, a special laboratory of the atomic nucleus appeared under the direction of I. V. Kurchatov, whose goal was to create a nuclear uranium bomb or fuel.
Use of atomic bombs by the United States inAugust 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki set a precedent for the exclusive possession of this country by the super-weapon and, accordingly, forced the USSR to accelerate work on creating its own atomic bomb.
Результатом организационных мероприятий стал the launch of the first uranium-graphite nuclear reactor in Russia in the village of Sarov (Gorky Region) in 1946. The first nuclear controlled reaction was carried out at the test reactor F-1.
An industrial plutonium enrichment reactor was built in 1948 in Chelyabinsk. In 1949, a nuclear plutonium charge was tested at the site in Semipalatinsk.
This stage was preparatory in the history of domestic nuclear energy. And already in 1949, design work began on the creation of a nuclear power plant.
In 1954, the first in the world (demonstration) nuclear installation of relatively low power (5 MW) was launched in Obninsk.
An industrial dual-purpose reactor, where in addition to generating electricity, weapons-grade plutonium was also accumulated, was launched in the Tomsk Region (Seversk) at the Siberian Chemical Combine.
Russian nuclear power: reactor types
Atomic power industry of the USSR was initially focused on the use of high-power reactors:
- Thermal neutron channel reactor RBMK(high power channel reactor); the fuel is low-enriched uranium dioxide (2%), the reaction moderator is graphite, the coolant is boiling water, purified from deuterium and tritium (light water).
- VVER reactor (water-cooled power reactor) on thermal neutrons, enclosed in a pressure vessel, fuel - uranium dioxide with enrichment of 3-5%, moderator - water, it is also the heat carrier.
- BN-600 is a fast neutron reactor, the fuel is enriched uranium, the coolant is sodium. The world's only industrial reactor of this type. Installed at the Beloyarsky station.
- EGP - thermal neutron reactor(energy heterogeneous loop), works only at Bilibino NPP. It differs in that overheating of the coolant (water) occurs in the reactor itself. Recognized as unpromising.
In total, there are 33 power units with a total capacity of more than 2,300 MW in operation at ten NPPs in Russia today:
- VVER reactors - 17 units;
- with RMBK reactors - 11 blocks;
- with BN reactors - 1 block;
- with EGP reactors - 4 units.
List of NPPs of Russia and the Union Republics: the commissioning period from 1954 to 2001.
- 1954, Obninsk, Obninsk, Kaluga region. Appointment - demonstration and industrial. Type of reactor - AM-1. Stopped in 2002
- 1958, Siberian, Tomsk-7 (Seversk), Tomsk region Purpose - production of weapons-grade plutonium,additional heat and hot water for Seversk and Tomsk. Type of reactors - EI-2, ADE-3, ADE-4, ADE-5. Finally stopped in 2008 by agreement with the United States.
- 1958, Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk-27 (Zheleznogorsk). Типы реакторов – АДЭ, АДЭ-1, АДЭ-2.The purpose is to produce weapons-grade plutonium, heat for the Krasnoyarsk Mining and Processing Plant. The final stop occurred in 2010 under an agreement with the United States.
- 1964, Beloyarsk NPP, Zarechny, Sverdlovsk Region Types of reactors - AMB-100, AMB-200, BN-600, BN-800. AMB-100 stopped in 1983, AMB-200 - in 1990. Active.
- 1964, Novovoronezh NPP. Type of reactors - VVER, five blocks. The first and second are stopped. Status - acting.
- 1968, Dimitrovograd, Melekess (Dimitrovograd since 1972) of the Ulyanovsk region. Types of research reactors installed -WORLD, SM, RBT-6, BOR-60, RBT-10/1, RBT-10/2, VK-50. Reactors BOR-60 and VK-50 generate additional electricity. Constantly extended stopping time. Status - the only station with research reactors. Estimated closure - 2020 year.
- 1972, Shevchenkovskaya (Mangyshlak), Aktau, Kazakhstan. BN reactor, stopped in 1990.
- 1973, Kola NPP, Polyarnye Zori, Murmansk region. Four VVER reactors. Status - acting.
- 1973, Leningrad Region, City of Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region Four RMBK-1000 reactors (the same as at the Chernobyl NPP). Status - acting.
- 1974 Bilibino NPP, Bilibino, Chukotka Autonomous Region. Types of reactors - AMB (now stopped), BN and four EGP. Acting.
- 1976 Kursk, Kurchatov, Kursk region Four RMBK-1000 reactors have been installed. Acting.
- 1976 Armenian, Metsamor, Armenian SSR. Two WWER units, the first one was shut down in 1989, the second one is in operation.
- 1977 Chernobyl, Chernobyl, Ukraine. Four RMBK-1000 reactors have been installed. The fourth block was destroyed in 1986, the second block was stopped in 1991, the first in 1996, the third in 2000.
- 1980 year Rivne, Kuznetsovsk, Rivne region., Ukraine. Three units with VVER reactors. Acting.
- 1982 Smolenskaya, Desnogorsk, Smolensk region, two units with RMBK-1000 reactors. Acting.
- 1982 South Ukrainian NPP, Yuzhnoukrainsk, Mykolaiv region, Ukraine. Three VVER reactors. Acting.
- 1983 Ignalinskaya, Visaginas (formerly Ignalinsky district), Lithuania. Two reactor RMBK. Stopped in 2009 at the request of the European Union (when joining the EEC).
- 1984 Kalinin NPP, Udomlya, Tver region Two VVER reactors. Acting.
- 1984 Zaporozhskaya, Energodar, Ukraine. Six blocks on the VVER reactor. Acting.
- 1985 Balakovo, Balakovo, Saratov region Four VVER reactors. Acting.
- 1987 Khmelnitsky, Netishin, Khmelnitsky region, Ukraine. One VVER reactor. Acting.
- year 2001. Rostov (Volgodonsk), Volgodonsk, Rostov Region By 2014, two units are operating in VVER reactors. Two blocks under construction.
Nuclear power engineering after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
1986 was fatal for this industry.The consequences of a technological catastrophe were so unexpected for humanity that the natural impulse was the closure of many nuclear power plants. The number of nuclear power plants worldwide has declined. Not only domestic stations under construction but also foreign stations under construction under the USSR projects were stopped.
- Gorky AST (heating plant);
- Crimean;
- Voronezh AST.
List of nuclear power plants in Russia, canceled at the design stage and preparatory earthworks:
- Arkhangelsk;
- Volgograd;
- Far East;
- Ivanovo AST (heating plant);
- Karelian NPP and Karelian NPP-2;
- Krasnodar.
Abandoned nuclear power plants in Russia: the reasons
Finding a construction site ontectonic fault - this reason was indicated by official sources during the conservation of the construction of nuclear power plants in Russia. The map of the seismically intense territories of the country isolates the Crimea-Kavkaz-Kopetdag zone, the Baikal rift, Altai-Sayan, Far Eastern and Amur regions.
From this point of view, the construction of the Crimeanthe station (readiness of the first unit - 80%) was really launched unreasonably. The real reason for the conservation of other energy facilities as expensive was the unfavorable situation - the economic crisis in the USSR. At that time, many industrial facilities were mothballed (literally abandoned for looting), despite their high availability.
Rostov NPP: resumption of construction in defiance of public opinion
The construction of the station began in 1981.And in 1990, under pressure from the active public, the regional Council decided to preserve the construction site. The readiness of the first unit at that time was already 95%, and the 2nd one - 47%.
Через восемь лет, в 1998 году, был скорректирован the initial project, the number of blocks is reduced to two. In May 2000, construction was resumed, and in May 2001, the first unit was included in the power grid. From next year, the construction of the second one was resumed. The final launch was transferred several times, and only in March 2010 it was connected to the power system of the Russian Federation.
Rostov NPP: 3 block
In 2009, it was decided to develop the Rostov nuclear power plant with the installation of four more units based on VVER reactors.
Given the current situationThe Rostov NPP should become the electricity supplier to the Crimean peninsula. Unit 3 in December 2014 was connected to the power system of the Russian Federation with minimum power. By mid-2015, it is planned to start its industrial operation (1011 MW), which should reduce the risk of under supply of electricity from Ukraine to the Crimea.
Nuclear energy in modern Russia
By the beginning of 2015 all nuclear power plants of Russia(existing and under construction) are branches of the Rosenergoatom concern. The crisis in the industry with difficulties and losses were overcome. By the beginning of 2015, there are 10 nuclear power plants operating in the Russian Federation, 5 ground and one floating station are under construction.
- Beloyarskaya (beginning of operation - 1964).
- Novovoronezh NPP (1964).
- Kola NPP (1973).
- Leningrad (1973).
- Bilibinsky (1974).
- Kursk (1976).
- Smolensk (1982).
- Kalinin NPP (1984).
- Balakovskaya (1985).
- Rostov (2001).
Russian NPPs under construction
- Baltic NPP, Neman, Kaliningrad region. Two units based on VVER-1200 reactors. Construction started in 2012. Start-up - in 2017, reaching the design capacity - in 2018
It is planned that the Baltic NPP will export electricity to Europe: Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia. The sale of electricity in the Russian Federation will be made through the Lithuanian power grid.
- Beloyarsk NPP-2,Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region, on the existing site. One unit is based on the BN-800 reactor. The initial launch planned for 2014 was postponed due to short shipments from Ukraine due to the 2014 political events.
- Leningrad NPP-2,Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Region. Four-block station based on VVER-1200 reactors. It will be replacing for Leningrad NPP (Leningradskaya). The first block is planned to be introduced in 2015, the next - in 2017, 2018, 2019. respectively.
- Novovoronezh NPP-2 inNovovoronezh Voronezh region, not far from the current. It will be replacing, it is planned to build four units, the first - on the basis of VVER-1200 reactors, the following - VVER-1300. The start of reaching the design performance is in 2015 (in the first block).
- Rostov (see above).
World Atomic Energy: A Brief Overview
In the European part of the country almost all of them are built.NPP of Russia. A map of the planetary location of nuclear power plants shows the concentration of objects in the following four areas: Europe, the Far East (Japan, China, Korea), the Middle East, Central America. According to the IAEA, in 2014, about 440 nuclear reactors were operating.
Nuclear power plants are concentrated in the following countries:
- in the US, nuclear power plants produce 836.63 billion kWh / year;
- in France - 439.73 billion kWh / year;
- in Japan - 263.83 billion kWh / year;
- in Russia - 160.04 billion kWh / year;
- in Korea - 142.94 billion kWh / year;
- in Germany - 140.53 billion kWh / year.