The Second Meeting of the Advisory Board of the
Consortium "International Research Center based on MBIR" (Multi-Purpose
Fast Neutron Research Reactor being erected in RIAR, Dimitrovgrad, Russia) was held
on September 23rd at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR, Dubna,
Moscow Region).
The event organized by Rosatom brought together
representatives of scientific and R&D centers from 15 countries (including
Belarus, Brazil, China, Vietnam, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and
others) as well as representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA), and the African Commission on
Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).
During the meeting the specified requests were addressed to MBIR by the members of the expanding Consortium and a wider range of stakeholders. These tasks cover such areas as fundamental physics, materials science, engineering, and industrial applications. The solution of these tasks at MBIR will contribute to training dedicated personnel. The nature of the tasks presented in the reports and discussions, as well as the state of the existing global fleet of research reactors, show that MBIR can solve most of the anticipatedchallenges and the planned commissioning of the MBIR reactor is a timely upgrade of the research reactor capabilities. Its high capacity and collaborative use through the Consortium provide for shorter and more efficient path to the global nuclear electricity and non-power targets. The participants noted the accumulated positive experience and good practices of such internationalcollaboration at the existing similar research facilities. The upcoming near-term commissioning of the MBIR reactor allowsto account on its resource in the relevant national and multilateral programs.
“The establishment of an International Research Center represents a crucial step forward in advancing both fundamental science and applied research,” said Natalya Ilina, Director of Science and Technology Program Management at Rosatom State Corporation, in her opening speech. “We can cope with global scientific challenges, develop new areas of research, and create innovative technologies through collaborative efforts ofspecialists from multiple countries.”
Deputy Director-General of the IAEA, Mikhail Chudakov, highlighted that international research conducted at the MBIR reactor aligns with the IAEA's vision of the advanced Generation IV energy technologies and closing the nuclear fuel cycle. He mentioned, "Large-scale research projects are scheduled concerning structural materials and fuel compositions for metal-cooled reactors, molten-salt reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and other groundbreaking initiatives. Cooperation with the IAEA facilitates the dynamic growth of international scientific programs and draws top-tier global researchers to engage with this exceptional infrastructure."
Grigory Trubnikov, Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, emphasized: "The goal of the International Research Center (IRC) based on the MBIR is to conduct advanced scientific research, develop new technologies, and train highly qualified personnel. This requires close international cooperation, the exchange of scientific ideas, and the transfer of technologies. JINR joined the MBIR consortium a year ago and hopes that its experience in organizing international cooperation will be beneficial for the development of the Consortium. In addition, JINR has started work on using the horizontal experimental channels provided by the MBIR project for fundamental and applied research in nuclear physics, solid-state physics, medicine, and radiobiology."
Ilham Sadikov, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Uzbekistan (principal member of the Consortium) and Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, emphasized the global significance of the project: "The Center's mission is to unite the efforts of leading scientists and experts from various countries to address the critical challenges of modern science. The successful implementation of our objectives depends on our collective efforts. I am confident that our meeting will continue the constructive dialogue and foster fruitful collaboration, enabling us to effectively achieve our goals."
Stepan Kalmykov, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the IRCMBIR Consortium, Academician and Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Scientific Director of the Department of Chemistry at Lomonosov Moscow State University, emphasized: "The International Center offers great opportunities for attracting colleagues from overseas. We work together to define the priorities and research areas for the Center. I am confident that our combined efforts lead to significant advancements in materials science, high-energy physics, neutron research, radiation biology, and related disciplines."
Vasily Konstantinov, General Director of Consortium Leader MBIR Reactor International Research Centre LLC (an organization of the Rosatom State Corporation), said: "The MBIR reactor is a manifesto of Russia's and Rosatom's technological and strategic leadership in the development of fourth-generation reactors. Since the project's launch, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Uzbekistan have joined the international Consortium. Negotiations with partners from Asia and Belarus are also in the final stages. The Advisory Board members are the initiators of the development of strategic directions that determine the vector of development of the global nuclear industry in the field of design and operation of fast neutron reactors in the medium and long term. The work carried out at the MBIR reactor will form the basis for the design of high-performance and reliable fourth-generation reactors."
MBIR is a multi-purpose fast neutron research
reactor with sodium coolant and a thermal capacity of approximately 150 MW. The
reactor is being built in the city of Dimitrovgrad at the site of JSC "SSC
RIAR" (part of the scientific division of Rosatom State Corporation). In
December 2024, the installation of technological equipment for the primary heat
removal circuit and transport-technological systems of the research reactor
began. The reactor is scheduled to be commissioned in 2028. It is expected that
the unique capabilities of the new reactor will expand the study of
technologies for two-component nuclear energy and closed fuel cycles, and will
also help accelerate and justify the creation of safe fourth-generation nuclear
power plants.
An International Research Center (IRC) MBIR is being formed based on the MBIR reactor. The scientific group will include Russian and foreign scientists and researchers. The center's activities will be carried out by the consortium "International Research Center based on the MBIR Reactor." The accession of new participants to the MBIR project occurs through the signing of a consortium agreement. This document legally formalizes the relations between the parties and fixes the rights and obligations of participants to use the MBIR reactor resource after its commissioning. Russian and foreign partners gain the opportunity to conduct experiments necessary for national programs for the peaceful development of atomic energy, without the need for direct ownership of the reactor facility and corresponding obligations to ensure its safe operation, as well as control and accounting of nuclear materials. This approach allows for flexible use of the reactor resource, meeting the needs of the scientific community participants. Negotiations are currently underway with potential partners from CIS countries and China.
