Rosatom’s Fuel Division has
delivered fresh nuclear fuel to the city of Pevek in Chukotka for Reactor Unit
No. 1 of the floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) Akademik Lomonosov (The FNPP
operates as part of Rosatom's Electric Power Division). The fuel was manufactured at the JSC ELEMASH
Machine-Building Plant in Elektrostal (JSC MSZ, a Rosatom Fuel Division
enterprise). Prior to shipment, the fuel assemblies successfully underwent
acceptance testing and technical inspection, receiving certification from the Russian
Maritime Register of Shipping (the authorized organization responsible for the
acceptance of nuclear fuel designated for marine reactor installations).
The FNPP features two KLT-40S
icebreaker-type reactor units. Unlike
standard large-scale, land-based nuclear power units that require partial
refueling every 12 to 18 months, these marine reactors operate for several
years before undergoing a full refueling cycle. This procedure involves the
complete unloading of the entire reactor core and a total replacement with
fresh fuel. The initial refueling of Reactor Unit No. 1 took place in late
2023, followed by Reactor Unit No. 2 in 2024.
This marked a major milestone for the facility, demonstrating that the
floating power unit had successfully completed its inaugural fuel cycle across
both reactor installations as scheduled.
The next scheduled refueling for
the second FNPP reactor is slated for 2027.
The Akademik Lomonosov is the world’s only operational floating power
unit equipped with a nuclear power installation. The unit’s reactors were first
connected to the power grid in December 2019 and entered commercial operation
in May 2020. The total electrical
capacity delivered by the FNPP to the onshore grid in Pevek stands at
approximately 76 MW when there is no onshore thermal energy consumption;
however, when operating in maximum heat extraction mode, the unit's electrical
output is reduced to around 44 MW. Although the population of Pevek is just
over 4,000 residents, the FNPP has the potential to supply electricity to a
city of up to 100,000 people.
The commissioning of the FNPP
addresses two primary objectives. First,
it replaces the retiring capacities of the legacy Bilibino NPP, which has been
operational since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya CHPP, which is now over 70
years old. Second, it provides a stable
energy supply to mining enterprises located in western Chukotka within the
Chaun-Bilibino energy hub (including gold mining operations and infrastructure
projects tied to the development of the Baimskaya Ore Zone). In September 2023, a 490-kilometer,
110-kilovolt power transmission line was commissioned to link the cities of
Pevek and Bilibino.
Serial floating power units based on reference innovative RITM reactors
represent a state-of-the-art, high-tech solution for delivering a reliable,
cost-effective, and carbon-neutral energy supply to coastal and isolated
regions. Floating power units are currently under construction to supply
electricity to one of Russia’s largest non-ferrous metals infrastructure
projects. A wide range of international
markets continue to express strong interest in these floating nuclear power
plants.
JSC ELEMASH Machine-Building Plant (located in Elektrostal, Moscow Region) is
one of the world’s leading manufacturers of nuclear power plant fuel. The facility fabricates fuel assemblies for a
diverse lineup of commercial reactors, including the VVER-440, VVER-1000,
VVER-1200, VVER-1300, RBMK-1000, BN-600, BN-800, and VK-50 models, as well as
propulsion reactors for the Russian nuclear fleet. Additionally, the plant
manufactures fuel pellets for export to international customers and produces specialized nuclear fuel for
research reactors. ELEMASH operates as an integral enterprise within Rosatom’s
Fuel Division.
Rosatom's Fuel Division brings together enterprises for fabrication of nuclear fuel, uranium conversion and enrichment, manufacturing of gas centrifuges, as well as R&D and design institutions. As the sole supplier of nuclear fuel to Russian nuclear power plants, the Fuel Division provides fuel to more than 70 power reactors across 15 countries, research reactors in nine countries globally, and propulsion reactors for the Russian nuclear fleet. One in six power reactors worldwide runs on fuel manufactured by the division. The Fuel Division is the largest global manufacturer of enriched uranium and a major player in the global market of stable isotopes. The Division is actively developing new businesses in the fields of chemistry, metallurgy, energy storage technologies, 3D printing, digital products, as well as decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Furthermore, Rosatom has established dedicated industry integrators within the division to spearhead additive manufacturing and electrical energy storage systems.
