b'Power & Energy | Engineer InnovationFigure 1: A VVER-1200 nuclear power plant design shown in augmented reality.these aggressive energy targets. To We do CFD simulations with produce one kilowatt hour (KWh) of electricity, the emissions from nuclearSimcenter STAR-CCM+ to power is 40 times less than burning coal for the same amount of electricity. Nuclear energy is also the safest energymake the reactors better, source per terawatt hour (TWh) and the most environmentally friendly,cheaper and safer.contributing the same amount of emissions as offshore wind energyand significantly less than hydro andVasilii Volkov solar power. Design Engineer OKB GIDROPRESSBut the nuclear industry is at a crossroads. Most of the current reactorsToday, VVER-1200 reactors are operating are reaching the end of their 40-yearor under construction in a handful of lifecycle and are not economical tocountries, primed to play an important operate. More importantly, their safetyrole in lowering emissions. Better, safer systems are not up to post-Fukushimaand more economical than Generation III standards. Newer technology like smallreactors, the Generation III+ reactor modular reactors (SMR) are incrediblycomes at a significant time for the promising but unproven, unlicensed andnuclear industry.not yet under construction.The VVER-1200 reactorThis is where the role of Generation-III+The VVER-1200, a thermal neutron reactors like the VVER-1200 is amplifiedreactor, is the latest reactor from OKB in the fight against climate change.GIDROPRESS, the Russian state nuclear Designed with some of the mostagency with 70 years of experience in sophisticated engineering simulation inoperating and constructing nuclear any industry, the VVER-1200 is a readyplants. An update from the popular answer to the immediate threat ofVVER-1000 design, VVER-1200 reactors climate change and can help meet theaddress the two main factors hampering worlds carbon-free energynuclear adoption today: safety and requirements. economics.17'