Alexey Likhachev. CEO of Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear energy corporation gave a brief interview to the online publication, Strana Rosatom, in which he outlined how Russia will increase its focus on small modular reactors (SMRs) and low-power nuclear power plants (LPPP).
Likhachev noted how the rapid mobilization of American reactor developers shows that global forecasts for accelerated nuclear energy growth are not abstract hypotheses but a real trend unfolding in real time. At the same time, it’s important to understand that these systems are still closer to experimental installations than fully developed power plants. Based on Rosatom’s experience, refining such designs for commercial deployment will take years.. He also noted that much of America’s focus is on military applications, whereas Russia is focused on providing efficient infrastructure in remote areas (like the Arctic), and improving the standard of living.
Russia has signed agreements to build SMRs with a few African nations, including Algeria, Egypt and Rwanda, but no plants have yet been built.
He emphasized that Rosatom is focused on several development projects, including about a dozen small nuclear reactor designs at various stages of progress. Their most advanced and best selling technology is the RITM family of reactors for floating and land based power plants, and they’ve already produced 13 RITM units for the country’s nuclear icebreaker fleet. A fourteenth reactor has been completed for the lead floating power unit at the Baimskoye field, and a fifteenth is nearing the end of production.
In June, they began building a land based nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, which is scheduled to include two small power units; their reactors are already being manufactured. These are not experimental systems but serial commercial products.
Likhachev concluded by emphasizing that LLLPs and SMRs are relatively new technologies, and that there needs to be a national discussion regarding realigning nuclear regulations to reflect this.