Bilibinsakya Nuclear Power Plant: 23 years operation in the specific conditions of the Russian far north-east

The Bilibinskaya Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) is situated near the town of Bilibino in the Chukotsk Autonomous District. BNPP has been in operation from early 1974 and has proved to be a highly efficient use of nuclear power in the far north-east conditions of Russia. BNPP is designed as a nuclear heat and power co-generation plant. Specific features of the location required solving many unique and difficult technical problems. The correctness of these solutions has been confirmed by operational experience. BNPP consists of four power units of the same type. The rated electric capacity of the plant is of 48 MW with simultaneous heat production of 78 MW. The capacity factor of BNPP was about 85% and the availability factor was about 90-92% during the period of stability in Russian economics (up to 1991). At that time the electric power prime cost was 1.3-1.5 times lower than that from organic fuel power sources located in the most favorable conditions (in terms of organic fuel cost) for this region on the Arctic Ocean coast. The heat prime cost was 2-2.5 times lower than that in Bilibino's heating plant that was fuelled by imported organic fuel. At present this difference has increased even more in favor of BNPP. Analysis of accidents to the safety systems operations and their failure has revealed 'inherent' safety features of the plant. It is ensured by a combination of the following factors: negative feedback of physical characteristics; natural coolant circulation; tubular fuel elements in contact with the graphite moderator whose thermal capacity is considerably higher than that of the fuel elements; a considerable margin in graphite moderator and fuel elements working temperature as compared to that at which a bulk loss of tightness of the external fuel element cladding occurs; and relatively small dimensions of the core. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.