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Rosatom and Yakutia planning for SHELF-M small nuclear plant

Friday, 17 June 2022

Rosatom's director general Alexey Likhachev and the head of the Republic of Sakha (also known as Yakutia) Aysen Nicolayev have signed an agreement "on intentions and a procedure for organising cooperation for promoting projects involving a small nuclear power plant based on the SHELF-M reactor".

Rosatom and Yakutia planning for SHELF-M small nuclear plant — The SHELF-M reactor concept (Image: Rosatom)

The agreement will see the two sides develop and approve a roadmap for the implementation of the project this year - the scheduled commissioing of a pilot nuclear power plant, with an installed electricity capacity of up to 10 MW, based on the SHELF-M integral PWR reactor, is 2030.

The project is within the framework of the federal programme Development of Equipment, Technologies and Scientific Research in the Field of Nuclear Energy Use in the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2024.

The idea of the micro nuclear power plant is to enable the provision of a reliable source of electricity to remote communities and industries where there is little existing energy or transport infrastructure.

Yakutia, which is in the east of Russia, is already due to get a Rosatom-designed small nuclear power plant based on the RITM-200 reactor which is intended to ensure a stable and clean power supply for the development of the Kyuchus gold deposit. Its commissioning is scheduled for 2028.