Country profile: Russia

Summary figures for 2017

The following information is from the NEA publication Nuclear Energy Data, the annual compilation of official statistics and country reports on nuclear energy in OECD member countries.

Country Number of nuclear power plants connected to the grid Nuclear electricity generation (net TWh) Nuclear percentage of total electricity supply
Russia 35 189.5 18.5
OECD Total3111 856.817.6
NEA Total 352 2 062.6 17.9

Country report

The State Program on the Development of Russian Nuclear Power Generation Complex (the Development Program) – the latest version of which was approved by government resolution no. 344-11 of 28 March 2017 – outlines the continued construction of nuclear power units in Russia. The plan for future NPPs in Russia has been set out by Government Order of the Russian Federation no. 1634-r of 1 August 2016. The list of NPPs scheduled for construction until 2030 includes 11 new power units.

The most significant events of 2017 were:

  • Novovoronezh NPP-2 (unit 1 – VVER-1200) started commercial operation.
  • A physical start-up took place at Rostov NPP (unit 4 – VVER-1000) and Leningrad NPP-2 (unit 1 – VVER-1200).

In addition, the following investment projects are in active stages of implementation:

  • Novovoronezh NPP-2 (unit 2 – VVER-1200) and Leningrad NPP-2 (unit 2 – VVER-1200) are being completed.
  • The main stage of construction of Kursk NPP-2 (units 1 and 2 – VVER-1200) has begun.
  • The floating combined heat and power (CHP) nuclear station was completed.

Complex works for the extension of the operational life of the Balakovo NPP (unit 2 – VVER-1000) were completed. The operating licence for the additional period has been obtained.

Rostechnadzor has granted permission to increase the nominal thermal power of reactors by 104% in the pilot operation mode for unit 3 of the Rostov NPP and in the industrial operation mode for units 1 and 2 of the Kalinin NPP.

Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management

Centralised SNF storage is being provided at two sites: Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC) and PA Mayak. PA Mayak has started reprocessing VVER-1000 SNF (in addition to VVER-440, BN-600, RR SNF and others).

The MCC "wet" storage facility for VVER-1000 SNF has been operational since 1986. Its reconstruction was completed in 2011, providing an enhanced level of safety (with a new system for emergency cooling and spraying, a smoke exhaust system, and efforts to manage beyond-design-basis accidents/"crash-tests" and enhanced seismic resistance). The first section of a "dry" storage facility at MCC was commissioned in 2012 (the dry storage facility for RBMK-1000 SNF). In 2016, the second section of the dry storage facility designed for VVER-1000 and RBMK-1000 SNF was commissioned.

In 2016, a licence was granted to operate the first start-up complex of the SNF reprocessing pilot- demonstration center (PDC) at the MCC site. An R&D programme aimed at elaborating innovative SNF reprocessing technologies has been launched. Construction of the second PDC section with a design capacity of 250 tons of SNF per year is underway. It is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Source: Nuclear Energy Data 2018

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