Manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants. How to become a certified supplier for NPP

Today, 10 nuclear power plants operate in Russia and three are under construction. In addition to domestic power units, Rosatom Corporation is conducting 35 projects abroad. For the uninterrupted operation of nuclear energy, manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants are required. Each of them supplies products for the operation, maintenance, technical support and modernization of launched and not yet commissioned nuclear power plants.

Manufacturing of equipment for nuclear power plants

As a rule, manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants specialize in a certain narrow segment. For example, shut-off and control valves, construction equipment, water-heating boilers, pumps. A separate category are suppliers of nuclear fuel, uranium dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, gas mixtures.

Equipment for nuclear power plants is produced in the following categories:

Nuclear fuel cycle.
Transport, logistics, mechanical engineering.
Pipe rolling, fittings manufacturing.
Design, construction.
Research Institute, expertise.
Electrical appliances, software, production automation.
Financial services, banks, lending, insurance.

In 2014, the Nuclear Industry Suppliers Directory was released. Twice a month, a catalog is published with an up-to-date list of Russian manufacturers, which contains contacts, specialization and general information about the plant. The subscription is paid and is more focused on finding partners in the nuclear industry.

Well-known manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants

Today, more than 200 specialized companies are registered in Russia. Manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants are located in different parts of the country: Moscow and the region, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Tambov, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Cherepovets, etc. The usual practice is the main office in the capital, and the direct production facilities are located in the Urals or in the depths of the country.

Major contracts in 2022 were signed by manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants:

SPC «Aspect» — manufacture of fixation devices for the Belarusian NPP — 14 million rubles.
Eurotech-Engineering — supply of dosimeters for 34 mln.
SpecialTara — accessories and boxes. The amount is 22 million.
Chepetsky Mechanical Plant — production and installation of transformers for 16 million rubles.

Equipment for nuclear power plants has been produced for 20 years Alfa Laval — equipment; Bopp & Reuther — fittings, gate valves; PJSC «ZVEZDA» — diesel generators; JSC «Vozdukhotekhnika» — ventilation systems and air conditioning. Newly formed enterprises can also be included in this list. The main conditions are to have equipment certification and be registered in the Rosatom Procurement system.

Prospects for young companies

In a recent interview, Procurement Director of Rosatom Corporation Roman Zimonas gave a rather rosy prospect for everyone who wants to participate in open bidding. According to him, in recent years, the corporation has done everything to remove the monopoly on the supply of equipment. So, according to statistics, at least 3 suppliers apply for one lot.

Misconception that the registration and bidding procedure is too complicated. Thanks to electronic document management, the number of participants increased by 17 times. The training program for employees of the nuclear industry also contributes to the growth.

Firms whose activity is the manufacture of equipment for nuclear power plants should go through the standard authorization procedure on the procurement website. Further, depending on the specifics of the equipment, the manufacturer should collect permits. Simply put, confirm that the equipment complies with safety classes. Beginners will most likely have to pass certification. But this moment is negotiated bilaterally between the customer and the contractor.

Rosatom is interested in the appearance of new names on the market. If a plant producing equipment for nuclear power plants is ready to offer a competitive price, can invest in delivery times and guarantees compliance with standards, then it will be able to quickly enter the tender platform and win purchases.

Assistance to manufacturers of equipment for nuclear power plants

At first glance, the procurement process seems quite simple. But in fact, the application of the company as a new supplier is a multi-stage task. Difficulties may arise at the stage of obtaining a certificate for equipment, audit, classification and assignment of a safety class. Even if all points are successfully passed, participation in the auction may be on the verge of failure due to insufficient preparation and lack of documents.

TD-Group specialists provide assistance in the following areas:

Preparation of production of equipment for nuclear power plants.
Development and maintenance of documentation.
Manufacturer support, control and certification.
Software development.
Training and education of employees.

We have successfully closed over 30 cases. A lot of work has been done with each client on the development of specifications and support for OS, audits, trainings, consultations. Manufacturers from Russia, Turkey, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Portugal became our partners.

If you are engaged in the manufacture of equipment for nuclear power plants and plan to expand the geography of supplies, please contact us. We will advise on all issues.

You will find a lot of useful information on the topic of nuclear energy and work in this area in our blog, and also follow our news.

We also want to draw your attention to the fact that we train specialists and conduct trainings in the following areas: «Nuclear energy market», «Requirements for suppliers», «Employees and their knowledge», «Conformity assessment», and much more, you will find more detailed information in our academy.

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Tags: TD Group Company, Technical Decision Group, EOS-Quality, nuclear power plants, NPP Experience