According to experts, the boom of low-power reactors is to be expected by 2020. Rosatom these days is also working on the subject. One of the most promising projects today is SVBR-100 (lead bismuth fast breeder reactor). The technology adoption is conducted by “AKME-Engineering”, an enterprise created by the State Corporation and “EuroSibEnergo”.

Later the share of the former was bought by “Irkutskenergo”. The stockholders participation interest is distributed as follows: “Rosatom” – 50%, “Irkutskenergo” – 50 %. The industrial prototype is being constructed on the he State Scientific Center – Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (A Rosatom enterprise) site. The launch is planned for 2017.

Foreign companies participation is also planned. “AKME-Engineering” has recently signed several memorandums with Czech companies concerning the participation in construction using the specified type of reactor, both in Russia and abroad.

Here are some quotations of the interview with Petrochenko.

– This year there has been more world activity concerning low-power reactors. Do you believe the rivalry situation at the market is heating up?
– I do believe so, since some efficient technology is used today. South Korea, Argentina, USA, as long as other countries possessing NF, have water-to-water low power reactors. Also, the US suggests that only acknowledged technologies should be accepted to market, which is water-to-water only. However our technology is different, it’s a lead bismuth fast breeder reactor. That’s why our task is to show the regulators, who are going to evaluate our technology, some indisputable proofs of efficiency so they can admit it.

– Which means that a reference and a development prototype won’t be enough in the future?
– I guess not. Besides there are still some problems to solve. After we build an experimental unit, we will have to do some very exact calculations concerning financial models of the NPPs with design modularity. The models are 100-200-300-500-600 MW and we have to make them impressive. It is necessary to show some CAPEX OPEX in order to increase kilowatt-hour rate. Our global objective is to show more efficiency than high-power NPP in terms of economy and to come closer to coal-fired generating. Should we achieve this, our commercial prospective will be quite serious.

– Are you going to involve an adviser?
– We already have several. Besides, Rosatom has a database for low-power NPPs market analysis. We are working in a regional plan single structure with Rosatom.

Reference 
Project main participants: “Hydropress” EDB JSC (Podolsk) Leading Institute “VNIPIET” OJSC (Saint-Petersburg) FSUE “SSC RF IPPE” (Obninsk)

– Are you going to license the project abroad before you have your development unit? 

– There are several schemes of how to present the new technology abroad. Step by step scheme is one of them. After we get our license approval by the RF board of supervisors, we can check on the supervisors’ approval of the countries where we are planning to offer our technology.

The other way is to get the IAEA certificate, forming a joint working party of supervisor experts from three target countries. The evaluation made by the group will help us in our work with supervisors, showing them some proof of our efficiency. And, finally, a radical way: start licensing in NRC. We are planning to get an approval here first, then get the IAEA certificate and further apply to the target countries markets.

– Rosatom has created “Rusatom Overseas”, the company, promoting domestic technologies abroad. Are you going to interact in some way?
– At this point we are working within the same normative base. Technology promotion is the jurisdiction of Rosatom. Strategy is our mutual task. Technology promotion strategy in Rosatom is single. “Rusatom Overseas” for us is the ground for our project promotion. While the domestic business decisions are made by shareholders.