[en] Cost on construction of fast reactors as compared to thermal reactors of new generation under current conditions are considered. Data on capital investments into the NPP construction with reactors of various types under conditions of one site are presented. Impact of serial production factor is considered, as well as materials consumption of perspective reactor facilities is considered. The conclusion on the ambiguity of the statement that the fast reactors are more expensive as compared to the thermal ones is made on the basis of these data relative to the Russian nuclear power engineering. 6 refs., 5 tabs

[en] It is necessary to use computer codes for evaluation of possible applications and role of nuclear district heating plants in the local self-balancing power and heating systems, which are to be located in the remote isolated and hardly accessible regions in the Far North of Russia. Key factors in determining system configurations and its performances are: (1) interdependency of electricity, heat and fuel supply; (2) long distance between energy consumer centres (from several tens up to some hundred kilometers); and (3) difficulty in export and import of the electricity, especially the fuel in and from neighbouring and remote regions. The problem to challenge is to work out an optimum expansion plan of the local electricity and heat supply system. The ENPEP (ENergy and Power Evaluation Program) software package, which was developed by IAEA together with the USA Argonne National Laboratory, was chosen for this purpose. The Chaun-Bilibino power system (CBPS), an isolated power system in far North-East region of Russia, was selected as the first case of the ENPEP study. ENPEP allows a complex approach in the system expansion optimization planning in the time frame of planning period of up to 30 years. The key ENPEP module, ELECTRIC, considers electricity as the only product. The cogeneration part (heat production) must be considered outside the ELECTRIC model and then the results to be transfer ed to ELECTRIC. The ENPEP study on the Chaun-Bilibino isolated power system has shown that the modelling of the heat supply sources in ENPEP is not a trivial problem. It is very important and difficult to correctly represent specific features of cogeneration process at the same time. (author)

[en] The Wien Automatic System Planning Package (WASP) has been used for the development of an optimal capacity expansion plan for the power sector in Russia. The object of the WASP study is the Central Power Pool, which is the largest power pool in Russian and has an essential share of nuclear power in electricity generation. The objective of the study is to assess the long term competitiveness of nuclear power in the region. Major features of the model of the power system have been developed with WASP; the following items have been considered: four types of electricity generators: condensing fossil fuel plants, cogeneration fossil fuel plants, nuclear power plants and hydropower plants; nine fuel categories: the gas/fuel oil fuel, several types of coal and several nuclear fuels; and a model of the escalation of capital, operation and maintenance and fuel costs as a result of the economic transition. A regional optimal capacity expansion plan has been developed. The following conclusions can be drawn: (1) Until the year 2004, there will be no need for new electricity generation capacities because of the drop in demand in the 1990s, a certain lifetime margin of existing capacities, predetermined inputs of cogenerators and planned refurbishment/repowering measures. (2) The structure of the optimal capacity mix confirms that nuclear power can retain its role as one of the major electricity generation sources in the region. The most important factor with a positive effect upon the competitiveness of nuclear power plants is the projected escalation of the price of fossil fuels. (3) The application of WASP has proved that the model can serve as a valuable planning tool for power pools in Russia. (author). 13 refs, 8 figs, 10 tabs

[en] The Wien Automatic System Planning Package (WASP) is used for the development of an optimal capacity expansion plan in Russia. The object of the WASP study is the Central power pool, which is the largest power pool in Russia and has an essential share of nuclear power in electricity generation. The objective of the study is to assess the long-term competitiveness of nuclear power in electricity generation. The objective of the study is to assess the long-term competitiveness of nuclear power in the region. There are the following major features of the model of the power system developed with WASP: (1) four types of electricity generators are considered--condensing fossil fuel plants, cogeneration fossil fuel plants, nuclear power plants and hydraulic plants; (2) nine fuel categories are considered: the gas/fuel oil fuel, several types of coal and several nuclear fuels; (3) escalation of capital, operation and maintenance, and fuel costs as a result of economic transition is explicitly modeled. Under these assumptions, a regional optimal capacity expansion plan is developed that showed the following: (1) until 2004 there is no need for new electricity generation capacities due to the drop in demand in the 90s, certain lifetime margin of existing capacities, predetermined inputs of cogenerators and planned refurbishment/repowering measures; (2) the structure of the optimal capacity mix confirms that nuclear power can retain its role as one of the major electricity generation sources in the region; (3) the application of WASP has proved that the model can serve as a valuable planning tool at the power pool level in Russia

[en] Experience accumulated in Russia allows to determine in different way role and place of fast reactors in modern nuclear power system. Initially, the main objective of fast reactor development was plutonium breeding to provide an alternative to natural uranium. Now the objective of plutonium breeding proved to be much less actual, and is delayed as a more distant prospect. Operation experience of the BN-600 fast reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP in Russia and development of the BN-800 fast reactor design have shown possibility to create facilities, which are not inferior to new generation of the VVER-type thermal reactors in safety and economic characteristics. This paper is based on estimates, which show that specific capital investment for NPP with the BN-800 fast reactors are going to come closer to those of NPP with VVER-type new generation thermal reactors. Estimated power production cost will be discussed for NPP with BN-800 fast reactors in comparison with those of NPP with VVER-type new generation thermal reactors. (authors)

[en] The paper presents the authors' outlook for nuclear power development in Russia. The analysis is based on the documents published and other materials as well as on the experience of the authors who participated in working out the state fuel-power program Power Strategy of Russia. The crucial point of the Strategy is that moratorium on the nuclear power development in Russia is inadmissible and a part of electricity production in the country will be covered by NPPs with increased safety. The studies which have been carried out by the organizations of MINATOM and ROSENERGOATOM and by some authors have shown that a potential of the Russia nuclear power complex meets the requirements of the nuclear power development up to year 2010. From the standpoint of the authors of the paper the investment climate in the country is the most important and uncertain factor influencing the program realization. But nuclear power preserves competitive ability in any option of new electric capacities introduced in Russia. Application of the market-oriented IAEA's planning tools have confirmed the competitive ability of nuclear power in the central region of Russia. This study is to be continued for other Russian regions. The estimates of the long-term prospects of nuclear power development in Russia made by the authors are based on the assumptions of natural uranium resources conservation, plutonium stockpile minimization and reduction of the radiotoxical waste to the lowest possible level. These requirements may be answered in the plutonium balanced system of thermal and fast reactors with a very economical consumption of natural uranium and a very small quantity of radioactive waste (mainly consisting of fission products and losses in reprocessing operations). (author)

[en] Estimates obtained both in Russia and abroad show tat fast reactors can be re-oriented from breeding to address new global problems - accumulated civil and weapons-grade plutonium stocks management and minor actinide transmutation. Construction cost still is one primary development challenge for fast reactors. This paper points that capital cost of last reactors within the Russian nuclear power industry could be very similar to the cost of new generation medium size VVER type improved safety reactors. (authors)