The audit of main reactor equipment has been completed at the Leningrad 2-2 nuclear power plant under construction in western Russia, with the unit now ready to enter the physical startup stage and scheduled for commercial operation at the beginning of next year.

State nuclear operator Rosenergoatom said specialists had carried out more than 200 tests on key safety systems at the Generation III+ plant.

They performed pre-operational tests on the reactor vessel, steam generators, emergency core cooling system tanks, welded joints in the main circulation pipeline and system pipelines.

“The results of numerous inspections confirm that the unit is ready for loading nuclear fuel,” Rosenergoatom said.

The audit showed that the plant works at operating parameters and is ready for the start of physical startup processes, it said.

The company said 163 fuel assemblies with fuel will be loaded into the reactor core. The plant will now undergo pilot production operation and final comprehensive testing at rated power.

Construction of 1,085-MW pressurised water reactor unit began in April 2010. An identical unit, Leningrad 2-1, began commercial operation in October 2018.