Rosatom Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation is one of the global technological leaders in the field of nuclear technology. It is one of the largest companies of the Russian Federation. It unites assets in the field of nuclear energy, design and construction of nuclear power plants and the power engineering industry.
Rosatom provides customers with an integrated offer that is a set of product solutions and services to ensure comprehensive support for the customer country's national nuclear programme at all stages and make the whole range of products and services from a single supplier available to the customer throughout the power plant lifecycle. The company brings together nuclear power and power engineering assets, as well as NPP design and construction.
It is the largest power generating company in Russia, which provided 202.868 billion kWh of electricity (or 18.9 per cent of the total output in the country) in 2017 in Russia only.
Rosatom is the global leader for the largest portfolio of foreign construction projectsû 36 nuclear power units in 12 countries, including Turkey, Egypt, Belarus, India and Bangladesh. The company produces annually approximately 3,000 tonne of uranium production abroad excluded. Raw materials of the Russian and foreign deposits (particularly in Kazakhstan) will be enough to supply both domestic and international projects of Rosatom for the next 100 years. Rosatom covers 17 per cent of the global nuclear fuel market.
The scope of activity of Rosatom includes the production of equipment and isotope products for the needs of nuclear medicine, scientific research, materials science, supercomputers and software, production of various nuclear and non-nuclear innovative products. Rosatom unites over 300 enterprises and organisations, including the world's only nuclear-powered ice-breaking fleet and the world's only floating nuclear power unit (FPU) Academik Lomonosov.
In South Asia, Rosatom implements the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant project (KKNPP), which is one of the largest nuclear power stations in India as well as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which is the first nuclear power station in Bangladesh. The scope of Russian obligations includes the development of design, commissioning and maintenance documentation, supply of equipment and materials, technical support for the construction, installation and commissioning, as well as training of Indian and Bangladeshi personnel. The Strategic Vision adopted in December 2014 for strengthening cooperation in the peaceful use of atomic energy between Russia and India stipulates that at least 12 units of Russian design are to be commissioned in India within the next 20 years.
Just recently in June, the Russian and Chinese nuclear executives have signed the biggest package of contracts in the history of the two countries' nuclear partnership. The package consists of four deals and envisages the construction of four Generation 3 + VVER-1200 units (at the Xudabao and Tiawan sites), cooperation in the CFR-600 fast reactor pilot project and supply of the RITEG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) parts for China's lunar exploration programme.
The VVER-1200 generation 3+ technology was first implemented at Novovoronezh NPP-2 in Russia, where the first power unit of that type was connected to the grid on August 5, 2016 marking the transition to the use of the generation 3+ reactors. In March 2018, another VVER-1200 reactor was connected to the power grid and started power production at Unit 1 of the Leningrad NPP-2.
Moreover, the Rosatom State Corporation constructed the world's only floating nuclear power unit (FPU) Academik Lomonosov. Soon it will be based in the town of Pevek in Chukotka (Russian Far East) where, upon connection to the grid, it will become the world's so far only operational floating nuclear power plant and the northernmost nuclear installation in the world. It will replace a coal-fired power plant and an aging nuclear power plant Bilibino supplying over 50,000 people with electricity and reducing carbon footprint in the Arctic by tens of thousands of tonne of CO2 emissions each year.
A rapid development of nuclear power can be regarded as a means of combating global warming. Every year, nuclear stations reduce CO2 emissions by 700 million tonne in Europe. Russian nuclear stations prevent nearly 210 million tonne of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere every year, making Russia the world's fourth country in terms of CO2 prevention.
An important science and technology achievement that may be taken as another evidence of Rosatom's leadership in innovations is its transition to a new technological platform- closed nuclear fuel cycle with fast reactors that has come into being in Russia. Fast reactor BN-800 was brought to the first criticality at Beloyarsk NPP in thesummer of 2015. Besides, MOX fuel fabrication facility was put on line at Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC or GKhK). For the first time ever, these events embody breeder concept on a commercial scale. Fabrication of fast reactor MOX fuel at MCC is a key to the fabrication of fuel for a new-generation nuclear power.
Moreover, Rosatom is constructing Centres of Nuclear Research and Technology (CNST). It is a set of product solutions and services provided by the Russian nuclear industry entities that ensures comprehensive support for the customer country's national nuclear programme at every stage and provides the customer with the whole range of products and services from a single supplier throughout the CNST lifecycle.
In May 2018, Rosatom has signed a general contract for the construction of a CNST in the Republic of Zambia. Construction of the centre will enable the Republic of Zambia to become one of the leading players in nuclear technologies application in the Central and Southern African region. Furthermore, Rosatom State Corporation supplies nuclear fuel and uranium production, products and services based on non-energy nuclear technologies. Rosatom also collaborates with such international organisations as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (NEA OECD). Russian specialists make a significant contribution to the implementation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor construction project.