In 2016, Rosatom adopted its new innovation development program. Vyacheslav Pershukov, Rosatom Deputy CEO for Innovation Management, speaks to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti about the program, its prospects and importance for the nuclear industry.
– Adoption of Rosatom’s new innovation development program was one of last year’s milestones for the company. What is its purpose? Why didn’t you simply update the then existing program by adding new targets?
– I should first remind you that it was the government’s initiative launched in 2010 that all the state-run companies should adopt innovation development programs as a means of bringing innovations to the national economy. This initiative coincided with the adoption of our development strategy. At that time, Rosatom was going through a series of transformations from a government agency into a company with a divisional structure. For this reason, Rosatom’s first innovation program was aimed at both developing corporate divisions and building an innovative national economy.
– How successful was the first program?
– Its core targets were fully achieved and even exceeded. Our first program had four key indicators to measure Rosatom’s innovative activity. The first one was investment in research and development. We increased our R&D investments from 3.9% of total revenue to the global average of 4.5%, and our revenue was growing as well. The second indicator was revenue per R&D employee. We started with the average of 800,000–900,000 rubles per researcher and reached 1.4 million rubles by the end of the program.
Another indicator was the number of patents obtained outside Russia. With a target of 60 patents per annum by 2015, we obtained 160 patents, and the number keeps growing along with Rosatom’s global expansion.
By 2015, we had consolidated R&D assets, built necessary infrastructure and fully reorganized our research division. We completed a number of ambitious projects, such as production of molybdenum-99 for nuclear medicine, fabrication of TVS-K fuel assemblies for Western-designed pressurized water reactors, VVER-TOI project, and production of high-temperature superconductors. It soon became evident, though, that Rosatom needs a new innovation program to continue its development. The new innovation development program is project-based and centers on 75 projects.
– The program was adopted only half a year ago. Is there any apparent progress in its implementation?
– Yes, there is. Although my estimates are provisional, I can say that we have exceeded the program targets. Results will be finalized after the first quarter.
– The program text says that the number one goal is development of closed nuclear fuel cycle solutions involving fast breeder reactors. Can we call them a priority of Rosatom’s innovative development?
– It is common knowledge that further development of the nuclear industry depends on solving two basic problems. The first problem is how to make active safety systems cheaper as they remain a major cost driver of any nuclear station construction project. The answer is to develop systems with the so-called inherent safety. Fast-neutron reactors are just the case. The second problem is an ‘open’ nuclear fuel cycle, a cycle that generates radioactive waste. Closing the cycle, or making nuclear fuel fully recyclable, can be achieved with fast breeder reactors. Fast reactors can be used to fabricate fresh nuclear fuel and dispose of high-level radioactive waste.
– MBIR is the world’s most powerful research fast breeder reactor. How is the project progressing?
– MBIR is a complex, quite unusual project. The main difficulty is to decide in advance what tests will be carried out in the reactor. It is obviously hard to plan scientific research for 20 years ahead, but the project is running on schedule. The reactor vessel is being manufactured at Atommash in Volgodonsk. We have signed four memorandums that do not provide for financial obligations, but express interest of our partners in the project and their willingness to participate in bilateral and multilateral research. Besides, we hold advanced talks with France, China and Japan. India has also showed some interest in the project, be it informal so far. The MBIR project attracts potential investors from Europe, mostly those interested in material science and medical research, rather than power generation.
