Novovoronezh NPP Transfers New Equipment to On-Site Fire and Rescue Unit

A ceremony was held in Novovoronezh, Russia, marking the 40th anniversary of the Federal Fire Service Special Directorate No. 72 of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM of Russia), which is responsible for fire protection at multiple Russian nuclear power plants.

During the event, Novovoronezh NPP Director Vladimir Povarov (Владимир Поваров) presented certificates for a new minibus and a batch of firefighting technical equipment to Fire and Rescue Unit No. 14, which provides fire protection for the plant. The NPP stated that this equipment will further strengthen the unit's material and technical base.

The fire protection mission of Novovoronezh NPP is carried out by Special Unit No. 14 under the Federal Fire Service Special Directorate No. 72 of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. Povarov noted at the event that the plant's firefighting personnel have long been responsible for ensuring the safety of the station area, and that professional firefighting expertise and equipment levels are of great significance to the safe operation of the nuclear power plant.

On the same day, a firefighting equipment display was organized locally. The equipment on exhibit included fire water tanker trucks, radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicles, gas and smoke protection fire trucks, pump-hose vehicles, and fire and rescue motorcycles. Rescuers also demonstrated personal protective equipment, portable multifunctional dosimeters, hydraulic rescue tools, breathing apparatus, and fire smoke exhaust equipment.

Event participants also laid flowers at a memorial installation. The memorial is a radiation reconnaissance vehicle converted from a BTR-70 RZ armored vehicle, installed this spring at the site of Special Unit No. 14 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Gennady Parinov (Геннадий Паринов), a retired Internal Service Colonel who served in the Novovoronezh NPP firefighting unit for over 20 years, noted that Special Unit No. 14 has repeatedly achieved outstanding results in competitions among nuclear power plant firefighting units.

Alexey Likhachev (Алексей Лихачёв), Director General of Rosatom, stated that safety is one of the company's core values, and that the Russian nuclear industry has long prioritized nuclear safety as well as the health and safety of employees and the public.

Novovoronezh NPP is located in the city of Novovoronezh, Voronezh Oblast, Russia, approximately 45 km south of Voronezh. It is the first nuclear power plant in Russia to use VVER-type pressurized water reactors. A total of seven VVER-type PWR units have been constructed and commissioned at the site, with four units currently in operation. Among them, Units 3, 5, and 6 are the first prototype units of the VVER-440, VVER-1000, and VVER-1200 series, respectively. Unit 6 entered commercial operation in February 2017, and Unit 7 was commissioned in October 2019.