Rosatom heralds landmark in ‘Breakthrough’ nuclear project
Russian nuclear equipment manufacturers have completed and shipped over 1,000 tonnes of specialised components for the Brest-OD-300, a next-generation fast neutron reactor under construction in Siberia.
Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom said the shipment marks a milestone in its ambitious Breakthrough project, part of a broader initiative to develop Generation IV nuclear power technology.
The components will support the 300-MW Brest-OD-300 demonstration unit, which is being built at the Siberian Chemical Combine in Seversk, south-central Russia.
The Volgodonsk-based Atommash plant delivered the central void shell and inner casing of the reactor’s core support barrel, which will house nuclear fuel. Izhora’s facility in St. Petersburg shipped four massive peripheral cavity shells that will encase the steam generators and coolant circulation pumps. Each component is more than 15 metres high and up to eight metres in diameter.
Rosatom said the equipment is designed to operate at extreme temperatures of up to 600°C, requiring the use of advanced steels with exceptional mechanical strength and thermal resistance.
Once fully assembled, the Brest-OD-300 reactor will comprise around 2,300 tonnes of machinery. Including reinforced concrete, the total installation is expected to weigh around 16,000 tonnes.
The Brest-OD-300 is intended to showcase a closed nuclear fuel cycle, which means spent fuel is reprocessed and partly reused. Closing the nuclear fuel cycle would ease concerns over limited uranium resources and contribute towards making nuclear energy sustainable over the long term.
Construction of Brest-OD-300 began in June 2021. According to earlier reports, the pilot plant is expected to become operational in 2026.
A fuel fabrication facility on the site is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, while construction of the irradiated fuel reprocessing plant is scheduled to start by 2024.
Rosatom said the shipment marks a milestone in its ambitious Breakthrough project. Courtesy Rosatom.
