Organizational and technological modelling of NPP modular assembly for reducing the construction investment cycle

Introduction. The paper is devoted to the development of an organizational and technological model for modular construction of nuclear power plants aimed at reducing the investment and construction cycle while maintaining regulatory requirements for reliability and safety. Under conditions of high capital intensity and long construction periods of power units, the transition to industrialized technology with a high degree of factory readiness requires formalization of process parallelization, module enlargement, and management of transportation and installation risks. The scientific problem lies in developing a reproducible model that ensures quantitative reduction of construction time without compromising structural strength and stability.

Materials and methods. The study employs schedule network modelling, organizational and technological analysis, structural process optimization, and computational verification of temporary structural states in accordance with current construction and industry regulations. A comparison of conventional on-site construction technology and modular erection schemes was performed, taking into account factory fabrication, transportation, and installation stages of large modules. Data from typical Generation III+ power unit projects, as well as regulatory indicators of labor intensity and construction duration, were used.

Results. A formalized model was developed to assess the impact of module enlargement degree and process parallelization level on construction duration. It was established that within a module enlargement coefficient of 0.6–0.75, a 15–30 % reduction of the investment and construction cycle can be achieved while maintaining regulatory requirements for structural strength, stability, and seismic resistance. The structure of transportation and installation risks within the overall project risk system was also determined.

Conclusions. The proposed organizational and technological model provides a quantitatively verified reduction in construction time of power units without compromising safety and reliability. The methodology is reproducible and can be applied to serial construction of power units of various capacities, including small modular reactor projects.

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