Rosatom says 13 small reactor pressure vessels at various production stages

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev recently stated that 13 small reactor pressure vessels are currently at various production stages, and the equipment will be used for nuclear-powered icebreakers and small nuclear power plant projects.

Likhachev noted that the batch includes reactor pressure vessels for the Uzbekistan nuclear power plant, which is planned to start construction in 2026. He said that the simultaneous manufacturing of 13 small reactor pressure vessels is "unprecedented" in the history of Russia's nuclear industry.

The reactor pressure vessel is one of the core components of the primary circuit of a nuclear reactor, used to house the core and related internal structures, and withstand high temperatures and pressures during operation. The centralized manufacturing of small reactor pressure vessels reflects the ongoing project demand in Russia's nuclear-powered icebreaker and small nuclear power plant sectors.