Keywords
circular economy
nuclear power
energy security
energy forecasting
green energy
How to Cite
Abstract
The article discusses ways to ensure energy security of nuclear power plants as one of the
areas of circular economy within the framework of the European Green Deal. The necessity of energy
resources, namely nuclear energy as a type of "green" energy, and its role in the "green"
transformation are analyzed. Based on the analysis, it is found that for an effective green
transformation it is necessary to ensure energy safety of equipment operation, which is possible by
developing effective science-based approaches to technical diagnostics of the state of power systems
and individual equipment. The paper proposes a methodology for conducting studies of the technical
condition of power equipment and presents the results of experimental studies on the example of
pipeline systems of the main circulation circuit of a nuclear power plant. The experimental data,
which included the determination of wall thickness and metal hardness in different sections of the
pipeline, were compared with the requirements of regulatory documents and it was found that no
defects or deviations from the regulatory parameters were detected. Based on the experimental
studies, a calculated forecast of further safe operation of power equipment until 2035 was proposed,
which also includes the off-design life as an element of the circular economy. In order to refine the
forecast schedules, as recommendations for managing the technical condition and operational safety,
it is proposed to plan and perform control and diagnostics of technical parameters of power equipment
during the overhaul in the period of scheduled preventive maintenance in 2024.