Rosatom Holds Small NPP Workshop

On October 27, representatives of ministries and agencies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and experts of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom held an online workshop. They discussed the global and Russian experience of using Small Nuclear Power Plants (SNPPs).

Both global and Russian SNPP-related experience has demonstrated the advantage of such projects in comparison with other types of power generating technologies along with socioeconomic significance of SNPP construction. The Russian-designed SNPP is based on Rosatom's reference technology using RITM series reactors developed through many years of experience in operating small reactors onboard the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet (over 400 reactor-years).

The workshop included a teleconference with the world's only floating nuclear thermal power plant (FNPP), the flagship of ROSATOM’s small power projects. The FNPP was put into operation on May 22, 2020, and officially became the 11th nuclear power plant in Russia and the northernmost NPP in the world. The FNPP power capacity is 70 MWe, while its heat capacity is up to 50 Gcal/h.

Six reactors have so far been manufactured and installed on three newest multi-purpose icebreakers. On October 21, the head, new-generation icebreaker Arktika returned from the final ice trials and officially joined the Russian nuclear fleet.

“Ground-based SNPP is designed to supply power to isolated power systems or remote areas and consumers. It can boast compact architecture, modular design, short construction time, and high safety standards. At present, field surveys at a potential site have been completed, and by the end of 2020, we plan to finalize a Declaration of Intent (DOI) to invest in SNPP and forward it to the Republic of Sakha’s officials for approval. I am confident that the project will not only accelerate the development of Yakutia, but also strengthen Russia's leading position in the field of nuclear energy worldwide,” said Oleg Sirazetdinov, Vice President for SNPP Projects, Contracting and Complete Equipment Supply at Rusatom Overseas, JSC.

“The SNPP project in the village of Ust-Kuyga will make it possible to mitigate the power shortage in the remote Arctic region and contribute to the development of the region’s industry, infrastructure and entrepreneurship. It will also mean decades-long uninterruptable power and heat supply in this area, independent of navigation and ice road availability. Environmentally speaking, unlike diesel power plants and coal-fired boiler houses, SNPPs do not produce any harmful emissions into the atmosphere and pose no risk of water pollution. The project is undoubtedly very promising, and we will be happy to become one of the first Russian regions with an SNPP constructed,” emphasized Vladimir Chernogradskiy, Minister for the Development of the Arctic and Affairs of the Peoples of the North from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

The Republic of Sakha and Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation are cooperating on the project as part of the Agreement of Intent concluded in September 2019.