“The beginning of hydrostatic tests means that preparations for the reactor startup are hitting the homestretch,” noted Alexei Kononenko, Rostov Construction Project Manager at ASE. The next step in the testing schedule is hot and cold tests on reactor systems and components. Rostov-4 is expected to generate the first electricity in December. The plant’s Units 1 and 2 started their commercial operation in 2001 and 2010 respectively; Unit 3 was brought online on 17 September 2015. Unit 4 is also based on a VVER-1000 reactor.