In a significant stride towards strengthening domestic nuclear energy, the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is gearing up to construct an advanced power unit.
The BN-1200M, equipped with a fast neutron nuclear reactor, is set to be the first of its kind in commercial installations. Director Ivan Sidorov confirmed that the construction is scheduled to begin in 2027.
“According to the road map, it is planned that the first concrete will be poured into the foundation in 2027,” Sidorov told a corporate news source called, Fast Neutron.
Sidorov noted that progress on the future power unit No. 5 of the Beloyarsk power plant with the BN-1200M reactor is going according to schedule.
“The site for the new unit has already been determined, and public hearings on its placement have been held. In accordance with the program, we are doing engineering surveys and drilling wells for them,” the station director added.
The Rosatom State Corporation is developing technologies to transition to a competitive two-component energy system based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle (CNFC). This involves integrating the operation of traditional water-water energetic reactor (WWER) thermal neutron power reactors with fast neutron reactors.
Fast neutron reactors within the CNFC aim to enhance nuclear fuel production, particularly plutonium, thereby significantly expanding the nuclear energy fuel reserve. This groundbreaking innovation not only alleviates the necessity for extensive mining of natural uranium but also mitigates the volume of radioactive waste from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, hence reducing associated biological risks.
The primary goal of these reactors is to neutralize minor actinides, utterly hazardous radionuclides, thereby effectively tackling critical concerns such as the limited availability of natural uranium.
Russia is presently testing the core technologies of the CNFC, as evidenced by the operational testing of the energy complex situated at the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant. This involves the utilization of power units No. 3 and 4, featuring "fast" reactors BN-600 and BN-800. These reactors employ liquid metal coolant, specifically sodium. The initiative also encompasses existing and newly-established facilities for producing nuclear fuel, reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, and managing both SNF and radioactive waste.
The advancement in fast sodium reactor technology hit a milestone by developing a 1,200 MW commercial power unit under the "Breakthrough" industry project. The reactor plant's technical design was finalized in 2016, followed by an evaluation to enhance its technical and economic indicators.
Subsequently, the aim of the modernized BN-1200M reactor project was to enhance competitiveness against the advanced high-power nuclear units. In 2018, the technical specifications were approved, which initiated research and development efforts to validate the innovative engineering approaches, safety protocols, and commercial viability of the new unit.
The incorporation of the BN-1200M reactor into the new power unit at the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant is outlined within the broader framework of the Russian Federation's electric power infrastructure till 2035.