The Russian state-run nuclear corporation was founded on 18 December 2007. Its status, goals, functions and responsibilities are set out in Federal Law No. 317-FZ adopted on 1 December 2007. Rosatom Group comprises over 300 companies, including the world’s only nuclear icebreaker fleet. Rosatom is Russia’s largest electric power producer that generated 196.37 billion kWh (or 18.3% of total power output in the country) in 2016. The corporation has the world’s largest portfolio of international projects each at a different stage of development (a total of 34 reactors in 12 countries) and the second largest uranium reserves. It is also a Top 4 uranium producer that accounts for 36% of uranium enrichment services and 17% of nuclear fuel supplies in the world.

For the decade that passed since its foundation, Rosatom has given a new lease of life to its engineering design and construction companies and established AtomEnergoMash, one of Russia’s largest power engineering companies, having integrated all of its assets into a vertical value chain. Rosatom now controls the entire nuclear industry, from uranium production to spent fuel management and decommissioning of nuclear plants. As a result, the industry has a single responsibility center, which can be easily contacted by the government, consumers and communities.

“Just a decade ago, the Russian nuclear industry was associated with power generation and weapons only. Now nuclear technologies have a much broader application. They are used in medicine, non-destructive testing and many other areas. Diversified applications add to the stability of Rosatom’s business and enable it to increase revenue and profits already by 2030. Up to a third of the company’s earnings will come from these new areas,” says Sergei Kondratiev from the Economic Department of the Energy and Finance Institute Foundation. He stressed that Rosatom owed much of its success to the solid foundation laid by the Soviet Ministry of Nuclear Industry and Ministry of Mechanical Engineering, with their common history extending back almost 80 years. “Having preserved industry traditions, the nuclear corporation did not stick in the past and adapted to the market and global competition. It continues the work started by Soviet researchers, engineers and workers,” the expert said.

Highlights 2016:

Uranium production: 7,900 tons, including 4,900 tons produced by foreign subsidiaries

Power generation by nuclear plants: 196.37 bn kWh (195.2 bn kWh in 2015)

NPP share in total power output in Russia: 18.3% (18.6% in 2015)

NPP capacity utilization in Russia: 83.1% (85.95% in 2015)

Nuclear reactor construction projects: 8 in Russia and 34 abroad