Rosatom gives global nuclear energy a public relations boost
Rosatom has raised the public relations profile of the global nuclear energy industry by launching the world’s first new-generation lead-cooled fast reactor.
Rosatom achieved a landmark milestone in constructing a power unit with the innovative fast neutron BREST-OD-300 reactor on the Pilot demonstration energy complex (PDEC) site in Seversk, Tomsk Region (West Siberia).
The containment structure is the outer part of the reactor vessel. It provides retention of heat-insulating concrete, forming an additional localizing barrier of protection, which surrounds the boundary of the coolant circuit. On its surface, the temperature should not exceed 60 degrees Celsius, and the radiation background is equal to the natural background.
The PDEC facilities are developed under Rosatom’s strategic “Proryv” project (“the Breakthrough”). In addition to the power unit, it also includes facilities of the on-site closed nuclear fuel cycle – a unit for the fabrication of uranium-plutonium nitride fuel, as well as a unit for reprocessing of irradiated fuel.
“We have started installation of the world’s first lead-cooled fast reactor, the fourth generation reactor BREST-OD-300. Unlike traditional light-water VVER thermal reactors, BREST has an integral layout. Its vessel is not an all-metal structure like the VVER, but a metal-concrete structure with metal cavities to accommodate the primary circuit equipment.
“The space between the cavities should be gradually filled with concrete filler during construction. In addition, the BREST vessel is larger in size, it can be delivered only in parts, and the final assembly is possible only at the PDEC construction site,” commented Vadim Lemekhov, Chief Designer of the BREST-OD-300 reactor unit and General Designer of the “Breakthrough” project team.
A third of the almost 30 countries currently considering nuclear power are in Africa. Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan have already engaged with the IAEA to assess their readiness to embark on a nuclear programme. Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and others are also studying the possibility of nuclear power.
According to the 2022 edition of “Climate Change and Nuclear Power” by IAEA, some 600 million people and 10 million small businesses in Africa have no reliable source of electricity and that, increasingly, connection to a national grid is no guarantee of electricity supply. Africa’s energy demand is increasing twice as fast as the global average, largely driven by urban population growth.
Russian experience can be useful for many countries. South Africa’s history with nuclear technology is also very notable. The success story of nuclear technology in South Africa is multifaceted, encompassing not only the generation of electricity but also advancements in medicine, agriculture, and science.
PR and nuclear power
The global Nuclear energy industry has often suffered from a negative perception. Rosatom’s latest initiative will certainly raise the industry’s public relations profile.
