Rosatom on track for first land-based SMR in Yakutia in 2028

Russian state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom is on track to start operations at its first land-based small modular reactor in Yakutia, Russia, in 2028, Kirill Komarov, first deputy director general for development and international business, told the Rosatom SMR Day meeting in Dubai Jan. 20.

Rosatom said in August 2021 that its Rusatom Overseas JSC subsidiary received a license from Russian nuclear regulator Rostekhnadzor to build SMRs in Yakutia, located in Russia's far northeast.

SMRs are considered a solution for sustainable and reliable power supply in remote areas away from central grids, where construction of large-scale power facilities is not rational, the company had said, adding that SMRs can also replace older fossil fuel-fired power plants.

SMRs are cost competitive with other power sources including diesel, wind and coal-fired generation, Sergey Ryzhov, chairman of Russian tin and gold miner Seligdar, told the meeting. He signed an agreement at the meeting with Rusatom Overseas on the supply and consumption of energy generated by the Yakutia SMR to develop the Kyuchus gold deposit in Ust-Yansk and Verkhoyansk districts in Yakutia.

Seligdar will use at least 35 MW of nuclear power supplied over 40 years, starting in June 2028. Both parties also said they intend to sign a contract for energy supply until Sept. 30, 2025, but did not elaborate.

Rosatom also said at the meeting that it was moving forward with developing nuclear energy in the Philippines using SMRs, while it signed deals with Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to move ahead with SMRs.

Rosatom and Kyrgyzstan signed a memorandum of cooperation to construct an SMR plant based on the RITM-200N reactor plant, provide assistance in the development of nuclear infrastructure in the country and "improve the qualification of R&D and technical support personnel in various areas of the peaceful use of nuclear energy," according to a statement.

Rosatom signed a memorandum of understanding with Armenia to look into possible cooperation to construct new nuclear power units in the country.