Rooppur NPP: Inner containment dome installed at Unit-2

Inner Containment (IC) dome metal structures have been installed in the reactor building of Power Unit 2 of the Rooppur NPP recently.

The upper portion of the dome 35.7 m in diameter and weighing 194 tonnes was placed in its design position at an elevation of 51.7 m; the construction height has now reached 60.5 m, reads a press release.

"IC dome installation is one of the 2022 milestones. We performed similar works at Power Unit 1 last year. Thanks to that, this time the dome pre-assembling activities required only 151 days, which is less than 56 days. Once both IC portions have been welded together, the dome concreting will take place," said Alexey Deriy, Vice President of ASE and Director of the Rooppur NPP Construction Project.

Installation of the IC dome was performed in two stages. The lower portion of the dome of 42.8 m in diameter and weighing 195 tonnes was placed in its design position a week earlier, on 20 June.

Assembly and installation work for the IC dome is carried out by specialists of the Branch Office of TrestRosSEM LLC, part of the Rosatom Engineering Division. 

The Liebherr LR11350 crane (with a lifting capacity of 1350 tonnes) was used to lift the upper portion of the dome and it took 4 hours. There was particular difficulty in the process since it was required to place both dome portions in the design position with maximum accuracy.

The inner containment is one of the main components of the nuclear power plant safety system. It not only protects the reactor compartment but also supports the polar crane used to service the nuclear reactor.

The Rooppur NPP will host two Russian VVER-1200 reactors and a total capacity of 2400 MW.  These reactors belonging to generation 3+ are fully consistent with the international safety requirements.  Russia's Rostam State Corporation Engineering Division is the general designer and general contractor of the project.