A technical tour for international students was held at the Novovoronezh NPP (a branch of the Rosenergoatom Concern, the Electric Power Division of the Rosatom State Corporation). The event was attended by 39 students from Uzbekistan, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Tajikistan, Zambia, Indonesia, Armenia, Ecuador, Jordan and Egypt, studying at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (NRU), which is the main university of Rosatom.
During the visit, the students got acquainted with the work of the innovative power unit No. 6 of the Novovoronezh NPP. This power unit with the VVER-1200 reactor is a reference unit for several projects abroad. The VVER-1200 reactor belongs to the 3+ generation and is a flagship project of Rosatom, and also fully complies with international safety requirements.
Currently, six power units based on this technology are in operation: four in Russia and two in the Republic of Belarus. Power units with VVER-1200 reactors are currently being built in Bangladesh, Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, and China. The service life of the VVER-1200 is 60 years, with the possibility of extending it for another 20 years.
The specialists of the station told the guests in detail about the principles of safe operation of the equipment and the specifics of the organization of the production process. Special attention was paid to safety culture issues, which are of paramount importance in the daily activities of NPP employees. The 888th Technical Tour of international students was organized by the Resource Center for Practical Training of International Students, which has been operating on the site of the Novovoronezh Polytechnic Institute, a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI since 2016. With his help, more than 600 future nuclear industry specialists from abroad have already completed basic practical training at the Novovoronezh NPP and the Novovoronezh branch of Atomenergoremont.
"I liked that after the theory I was able to get acquainted with the operating equipment of the nuclear power plant. It was interesting for me to see everything with my own eyes. I want to pursue a career in the nuclear industry, but for this I will have to go to Brazil or Argentina. In Ecuador, more than 60% of electricity is generated by hydroelectric power plants, but there are no nuclear power plants yet. However, seminars are already beginning to be held, and there is a substantial interest. If I become president, I will immediately resolve the issue with Rosatom on the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Ecuador," said Brian Fernando, a 5th-year student at IATE from Ecuador.
An industrial practice was also organized for guests from Asia, Transcaucasia and Africa at the site of the Novovoronezh branch of Atomenergoremont. "International students were able to better understand the standards and technologies in the nuclear energy industry. The plans developed for the participants took into account their educational needs and interests, which contributed to a deeper assimilation of the material," said Sergey Yerin, head of the Novovoronezhatomenergoremont training unit.
The visit ended with a tour of the city of Novovoronezh and a visit to the Novovoronezh NPP information Center. Here, international students got an idea of the major projects of the Rosatom State Corporation aimed at creating the infrastructure of cities where the nuclear industry operates. In addition to professional training, the tour participants took part in a football match with a team from Novovoronezh. The friendly confrontation on the site of the Atom Arena ended with a score of 9:4 in favor of the Novovoronezh team.
