The core catcher for unit 2 of the nuclear power plant at Ostrovets in Belarus has been delivered to the construction site, Atomenergomash said yesterday.

A core catcher is a device provided to catch the molten core material — corium — of a nuclear reactor in case of a nuclear meltdown and prevent it from escaping the containment building.

The core catcher was made by the Volgodonsk-based branch of OAO AEM Technologies and was transported by water — the rivers Dnieper, Volga, Sheksna, Svir, and Volkhov — and road.

AEM-Technologies general director Evgeniy Pakermanov said: “Much has been done for the delivery of equipment to the Belarusian NPP along the new route, which will allow us to provide further equipment for the nuclear power plant on the territory of Russia and Belarus without transiting third countries”.