The management of Bulgaria's NPP Kozloduy has required a certificate of quality of the metal, of which the two high pressure heaters recently installed at power units five and six are made. This has become clear from a statement of NPP Kozloduy CEO Alexander Nikolov. The two heaters cost 29 million euros.
The nuclear plant's management has sent letters to the manufacturer, OAO ZiO-Podolsk, and the supplier, Atomtoploproekt, in which they insist on being provided with extra information regarding the control on the parts' manufacturing.
The concern of NPP Kozloduy's management is caused by a recently published report of the Russia's Federal Security Service, according to which for several years now the heaters have been made of lower-quality steel, and those involved in the affairs have made huge profit. The high pressure heaters installed at power units five and six have been functioning flawlessly since May 2011 and October 2010, respectively. Although they have no direct relation to the power units' safety, these devices are economically important, because they increase the reactors' efficiency.