ByAsifAydinli
Yakutia,oneofRussia'slargestandmostchallengingterritories,isexperiencingincreasingenergydemandsamidindustrialgrowth.Therisingdemandforenergyresourcesrequiresinnovativesolutionstoensureastableandreliablepowersupplyinaregioncharacterizedbyitsremotenessandlackofcentralizedinfrastructure.Inresponsetothesechallenges,theRussiangovernmentisconsideringconstructingsmall-scaleAttheEasternEconomicForum(EEF),Yakutia'shead,A.Nikolaev,announcedplanstobuildasmall-scalenuclearthermalpowerplant(NTPP)intheregion.ThisinitiativeaimstoaddresstheenergydeficitthathasemergedduetoincreasedindustrialelectricityconsumptioninYakutia.
Since2021,withindustrialgrowth,electricityconsumptioninYakutiahasbeguntosurpassitsproduction.Toaddressthisissue,theRussiangovernmentapprovedaprojectinSeptember2022toconstructapilotsmall-scalenuclearpowerplant(SSNPP)usingRITM-200Nreactorinstallationsunderthefederalproject"NewNuclearEnergy."RosatomiscurrentlybuildingthisplantinthevillageofUst-Kuyga,withplansforittobeoperationalby2028.
Thesmall-scalenuclearpowerplantprojectinUst-Kuygaisdesignednotonlytomeettheregion'senergyneedsbutalsotocreate600permanentjobs.TheRITM-200Nreactorinstallationhasathermalpoweroutputof150MWandanelectricalpoweroutputofupto56MW,whichcansignificantlyreducetheregion’senergydeficit.Thereactorhasalifespanofupto60years,andasinglefuelloadisequivalentto540,000tonsofArcticdieselfuel,makingitaneconomicallyviableoptionforremoteareas.
Additionally,thereisconsiderationofbuildingevensmallernuclearpowerplantsbasedonthe"Shelf-M"project.Thefirstpowerunitfrom"Shelf-M"isplannedneartheSovinoyegolddeposit.Thisproject,whichwillpavethewayformassproductionofmodulesstartingin2032,boastsuniquefeaturessuchascompactnessandmobility,allowingtheinstallationtobetransportedtovariouslocations,includingonbarges.
The"Shelf-M"projectrepresentsoneofthesmallestpoweroptionsintheSSNPPclassbutiswell-suitedtoprovideelectricitytoremoteregionswithoutcentralizedpowersupply.
SpecialattentionisbeinggiventotheElena-AMnuclearthermalpowerplantproject,initiallydevelopedduringtheSovietera.Theprojectwashaltedatthetechnicaldesignstageduetoalackoffunding,butRosatomisnowrevivingit.ThenewElena-AMproject,developedbytheKurchatovInstitute,isdesignedtooperatewithouttheconstantpresenceofpersonnel.
TheElena-AMprojectfeaturesuniquetechnicalsolutions,suchasawater-cooledreactorwithself-regulatingpower,naturalcoolantcirculation,andahighlevelofsafety.Theinstallationisintendedtoprovideheatingandelectricityinremoteandinaccessibleareaswithoutcentralizedpowersupply.
Small-scalenuclearpowerplantprojectsofferapromisingsolutionforensuringenergysecurityinRussia'sremoteregions.Theynotonlyaddresselectricityshortagesbutalsostimulatelocaleconomicgrowthbycreatingjobsandimprovinginfrastructure.BuildingNTPPsinYakutiarepresentsasignificantstepinadvancingnuclearenergyinRussiaandensuringsustainableenergysupplyinregionswithharshclimaticconditions.
Theseprojectsarealsonotablefortheirenvironmentalsafetyandeconomicefficiency.Thehighburn-uprateofnuclearfuelandthelongoperationallifespanoftheseinstallationsmakethemcost-effectiveforbothinvestmentandoperation.
Thedeploymentofsmall-scalenuclearpowerplantsinYakutiaandotherremoteregionsofRussiawillnotonlyensureareliableenergysupplybutalsoplayakeyroleinthesustainabledevelopmentstrategyforthecountry’senergysector.
