It will be the first of its kind in the modern history of Russia and will return the country to the number of leaders in the field of low-power nuclear power plantsToday, Rosenergoatom Concern JSC (the Electric Power Division of Rosatom State Corporation) has received a license from the Federal Service for Environmental Technological and Nuclear Supervision to locate the Yakut Low-power nuclear Power Plant in Ust-Yansky Ulus of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
The project of a low–power nuclear power plant is based on the latest Russian development - the RITM-200N water-water nuclear reactor, which is the result of the adaptation of innovative low-power technology of ship design for ground placement.
Low-power ground-based nuclear power plants are modern compact power plants designed to produce electricity in remote or hard-to-reach areas where it is necessary to provide energy supply for small settlements, industry and infrastructure facilities.
They operate on the basis of nuclear fuel, which ensures high efficiency and cost-effectiveness, since small installations use fewer resources and do not need large investments in infrastructure, which are necessary for large nuclear power plants.
Low-power ground-based nuclear power plants can also be used in emergency situations during natural disasters, where they can provide energy to evacuation points and medical facilities. In general, such installations are safe and environmentally friendly and can be useful for reducing dependence on fossil energy sources.
Photo: Rosatom
At the moment, low-power ground-based nuclear power plants are already operating in several countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, China and India. Two low-power ground-based nuclear power plants have already been put into operation in Russia - the Akademicheskaya NPP and the Severodvinsk NPP. China is currently building several low-power ground-based nuclear power plants that will be used to supply power to remote regions and small islands. In India, it is planned to put into operation in the near future two low-power ground-based nuclear power plants intended for power supply to remote villages and cities.
The last low-power nuclear power plant, which was commissioned in Russia, is called "Academician Lomonosov". It was put into operation in 2019 on the coast of the Chukchi Sea and is designed to provide electricity to Far Eastern settlements and industrial facilities. The NPP consists of two floating vessels, on which reactor installations with a capacity of 35 MW each are located.
Floating power unit "Academician Lomonosov" Photo: Pavel Lvov/RIA Novosti
The last low-power ground-based nuclear power plant of the VVER-M type was built in the USSR in 1991 in the city of Chernogolovka, Moscow region.
Rosatom is one of the world leaders in the development and application of low–power nuclear power plants. At the same time, the growing demand for low-power nuclear power plants is observed all over the world. The presence of reference projects within the country allows Rosatom to conduct an active dialogue with foreign customers. Over the past year, bilateral agreements have been signed with partners from the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, etc.
