Rosatom has built 15 RITM-200 reactors with a thermal power of 175 MW each

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Rosatom has built 15 RITM-200 small pressurized water reactor units, with another 13 currently under manufacturing. Alexey Likhachev, the head of the company, presented plans to expand the use of such small reactors into the broader energy sector at a government meeting on nuclear infrastructure. Likhachev stated that these units are particularly well-suited for hard-to-reach remote areas, and that Russia is currently the only country producing them on a large scale.

The RITM-200 has a thermal power of 175 MW per unit, a design service life of at least 40 years, and a system height of 7.3 meters (24 feet) and diameter of 3.3 meters (11 feet).

The key engineering feature of this reactor is its integrated layout. Traditional marine reactors place steam generators and coolant pumps outside the main vessel, connected by large piping; the RITM-200, by contrast, houses both the core and steam generators within a single pressure vessel. This design reduces the overall footprint of the system by about one-third compared to older units, while delivering approximately 1.5 times the power at a similar physical size.

The compact mechanical configuration has transformed ice operations for the Project 22220 icebreakers. With the reduced weight and footprint of the reactor, the hull has been designed with a dual-draft configuration: in deep water, ballast water is loaded to increase draft, allowing the vessel's mass to crush sea ice up to three meters thick; in shallow waters, ballast water is discharged to reduce draft, enabling the ship to enter Siberian river estuaries without running aground.

The same marine reactor is being adapted for civilian power grids on land and along coastlines. The land-based version, RITM-200N, has begun construction in the Yakutia region of Eastern Siberia; once operational, it will supply power to the Kyuchus gold mine and mineral resources, as well as ensure electricity for local settlements. The coastal version, RITM-200S, will be installed on floating barges, and Rosatom is building a fleet of floating power plants to serve the remote Baimsky mining site in Chukotka.

For remote areas with extremely low power demand, the company is also testing the Shelf micro-reactor, as well as the Elena combined heat and power unit developed by the Kurchatov Institute. The Elena unit uses thermoelectric materials to generate heat and electricity directly, without steam turbines, and with significantly fewer moving parts; it is claimed to be capable of autonomous operation for decades without regular maintenance.

In a press release, Rosatom stated that the RITM-200 is entering the international market, with the first international project for a small nuclear power plant based on Russian design already underway in Uzbekistan.