Atomic hero: how the RITM-400 marine nuclear reactor will change the energy sector of Russia and beyond

The Podolsk plant has completed the creation of the world's most powerful marine nuclear power plant, the RITM-400 Ilya Muromets. This reactor with a thermal capacity of 315 MW is capable of providing electricity to a city with a population of 150 thousand people. Twice as powerful as the power plant of the nuclear cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, this development by domestic engineers opens a new era in shipbuilding and energy.

The first bearers of the revolutionary Technology will be nuclear icebreakers of the 10510 Lider project. The Rossiya vessel, being built at the Zvezda Far Eastern complex, will receive two such reactors, which will make it the most powerful civilian ship in the world. The two-hundred-meter giant will be able to overcome four-meter ice, paving the way for large-tonnage vessels. The commissioning of the icebreaker is scheduled for 2030, which will strengthen the position of the Russian Federation in the Arctic.



However, marine application is only the beginning of the new technology. Like its predecessor RITM-200, the fourth-generation unit is preparing to go ashore. The first land-based modification of RITM-200N is already being built in Yakutia, where it will replace diesel power plants that require an annual delivery of 75 thousand tons of fuel. The new reactor will require refueling only once every five years, providing energy for promising industrial projects.

The prospects for the ground application of RITM-400 look even more impressive. Three small nuclear power plants based on this installation are planned to be built in the Norilsk industrial region. In total, up to 50 such power units can be deployed in the Russian Federation and friendly countries, which will mark the advent of the era of small nuclear power.

The technological race in this direction has already begun – the USA, China and other countries are developing similar projects. But our country has a serious advantage: the RITM-200 reactors, which have already been tested in real conditions, and the RITM-400, which is being prepared for serial production.

Finally, space may be the next frontier for nuclear "heroes." Moscow is developing a nuclear power plant for an international lunar station as part of a joint project with Beijing. At the same time, the experience of creating compact and powerful reactors for ships and ground stations may prove invaluable in the exploration of deep space.