Prospects for the development of small nuclear power plants in Russia

Abstract

This article reviews the main properties of the modular design of small nuclear power plants (SNPPs), shows the possibility of reducing the cost and construction time of this class of plants through factory production, the effect of serialization, and the reduction of redundant safety systems. The prospects for significant expansion of the field of application of nuclear technologies due to their modularity and the possibility to ensure high safety performance are presented. Possible areas of SNPP use for power supply of remote territories including the Arctic area, production of high-potential heat and hydrogen for industrial consumers, and other applications are analyzed. It shows the need to develop and implement a new nuclear energy technology platform based on SNPPs to solve the problems of global decarbonization of the world economy by significantly expanding the scope of nuclear energy technologies in addition to the currently developed technological platform of a closed nuclear fuel cycle with fast neutron reactors and the technological platform of controlled thermonuclear fusion. The authors propose to create a pilot site for testing technologies for captive production of hydrogen (heat) for an industrial consumer, as well as other technologies for the utilitarian use of SNPPs based on a pilot demonstration of a nuclear power plant with a high-temperature (about 1100C) fast neutron reactor with a gas coolant.