OREANDA-NEWS.  February 2, 2012. Russian-French Joint Venture "Alstom-Atomenergomash" (AAEM) signed a contract on supply of turbine island equipment for units 1 and 2 of Baltic Nuclear Power Plant in the Kaliningrad region, which are to be commissioned in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

The total value of the contract exceeded 35 bln rubles (in excess of €875 mln).

The scope of supply agreement signed by AAEM includes steam turbines ARABELLE, generators, condensers, moisture separator reheaters and auxiliary equipment. Despite the fact that this is the joint venture’s first order, the share of equipment to be manufactured in Russia will exceed 50%. In future, this share is expected to reach 70% and more.

The order scope will be manufactured at production sites located in Russia in accordance with previous Russian-French agreements and in line with the program of ARABELLE turbine production localization for nuclear power plants with Russian reactor designs locally and abroad. Alstom’s Belfort plant in France will support the production of certain types of equipment included in the contract signed by AAEM.

“The contract signed today is an example of successful cooperation between Rosatom and Alstom  aimed at introducing state-of-the art technologies in Russia. The Baltic Nuclear Power Plant is one of the most significant investment projects in Russia and the use of ARABELLE reference technology is essential for attracting foreign investors. Its implementation will key to ensure energy security of the Baltic region and for improving the global competitiveness of Russia’s production of power equipment. It will create hundreds of new jobs and secure orders for the Russian nuclear industry”, said Kirill Komarov, Deputy Director General for Development and International Business, State Corporation "Rosatom".

“This contract marks an important milestone for our joint venture in Russia. Considerable experience of ALSTOM in implementing similar projects will be a key to success in developing AAEM competencies in the manufacture and supply of equipment for turbine islands based on the ARABELLE technology”, commented Patrick Kron, Chairman and CEO of Alstom.

Baltic Nuclear Power Plant is the first NPP project on the Russian territory that involves participation of foreign investors. Its will not only cover the energy demand in the Kaliningrad Region, but it will also secure energy exports to the Baltic States and North-West Europe. The Baltic Nuclear Power Plant will be constructed on the base of the serial project AES-2006 with the use of pressurized water reactor VVER-1200 (designed by OKB "GIDROPRESS") and will have capacity of 2 x 1200 MW. OJSC "NIAEP", engineering company of State Corporation Rosatom, is the general contractor for the construction of the Baltic Nuclear Power Plant.

Alstom’s ARABELLE technology provides maximum efficiency and enhances the reliability of electricity production at nuclear power plants, reducing the total construction and operating costs of nuclear power plants. Today, Alstom’s ARABELLE half-speed turbines are the most powerful on the market – able to reach power capacity of up to 1700-1800 MW - and guarantee excellent performance. When the total operating time of these turbines is more than 300 000 hours the average downtime is less than 1 hour per unit annually/per single year, which is an unprecedented level of turbine availability. ARABELLE ™turbine plants are located at a number of power units, including nuclear power plants in China and the largest one is in Flamanville 3 in France with a unit capacity of 1750 MW.

Alstom-Atomenergomash (AAEM) is a joint venture created in 2007 in Russia by Alstom (49%) and Atomenergomash (51%) to deliver nuclear conventional islands and assembly of machine for Russian and foreign nuclear power plants with Russian reactor types based on the licensed technology ARABELLE.