Rosatom Plans to Build Large Plant for Next-Generation Nuclear Power

Russia's Rosatom State Corporation is taking a giant step toward developing next-generation nuclear power. The corporation is designing the country's largest high-capacity plant specializing in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. This project is expected to be of decisive importance in providing raw materials for Generation IV nuclear power projects, as reported by Ixbt.com news reports.

Currently, Rosatom specialists are working on investment justification. Within this process, the site for the new industrial complex will be determined. A final decision on the construction site is planned to be made by the end of this year. Russian media are reporting this based on corporate data.

Modular Structure and Massive Capacity

The design of the new plant will be based on a modular system. This will allow for the gradual increase of production capacities in the future. According to the plan, the first module will have a reprocessing capacity of 400 tons of fuel per year. The complex is expected to reach its full design capacity over the next decade.

This enterprise will be distinguished by its ability to reprocess fuel for both thermal and "fast" reactors. This serves as a critical link in transitioning to a closed nuclear fuel cycle in the Russian atomic industry. Once commissioned, the plant's infrastructure will allow for the repeated reintegration of regenerated nuclear materials into the fuel cycle.

Toward Generation IV Technologies

Generation IV nuclear power aims for more efficient fuel utilization, increased safety levels, and a significant reduction in the amount of radioactive waste. Russia is considered one of the world's leading countries in this direction. In particular, preliminary work has begun on the construction of the BN-1200M power unit at the Beloyarsk NPP.

Additionally, in the Tomsk region, the BREST-OD-300 reactor and a closed nuclear fuel cycle complex are being built on a single site for the first time in global practice. The new plant will serve to provide a stable fuel supply for exactly such innovative projects.

While Uzbekistan is also planning to develop nuclear power to diversify its energy balance, such technological achievements of Rosatom, a regional partner, are being closely monitored by industry specialists. Closed-cycle technologies are expected to take the environmental purity of nuclear energy to a new level in the future.