Research Reactors Support Kazakhstan's Safe Nuclear Energy Development

Against the backdrop of growing demand for low-carbon electricity, nuclear energy is being regarded by many countries as a key energy option. Kazakhstan is also advancing its own nuclear energy development. Equally critical to the construction of nuclear power plants is the long-term research, testing, and validation of nuclear fuel, structural materials, reactor operating conditions, and safety systems. Research reactors and experimental facilities are precisely the core platforms undertaking such work.

Unlike power reactors, which primarily target electricity generation, research reactors are closer to specialized nuclear science laboratories. Researchers can study the behavior of nuclear fuel and structural materials, simulate different reactor operating states, including off-normal conditions, test new technologies, and validate engineering solutions subsequently used in the design and operation of nuclear power plants. These studies can be used to improve safety systems, verify engineering calculations, and support the development of next-generation nuclear technologies such as Generation III+ and Generation IV reactors, as well as small modular reactors (SMRs).

For Kazakhstan, research infrastructure holds practical significance. The National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NNC RK) has established experimental platforms dedicated to the safety research of nuclear technologies and future fusion technologies, capable of conducting a relatively complete range of scientific work from reactor testing to materials science research. The Center's scientific and technical capabilities also serve the relevant needs of domestic and international institutions in Kazakhstan.

The pulsed graphite reactor (IGR) is one of the Center's key experimental facilities. Over the years, this reactor has been used to study the behavior of nuclear fuel under conditions approaching severe accidents, and the results can be used to improve computational codes and safety systems for modern nuclear power plants.

The "Baikal-1" reactor complex is another important scientific research infrastructure, which includes the IVG.1M research reactor. This platform enables testing of nuclear fuel and structural materials, research on thermophysical processes, and experimental validation of nuclear engineering solutions. Samples after reactor testing are also transferred to the materials science complex, where researchers analyze changes in their microstructure and properties after neutron irradiation and high-temperature exposure, to assess the lifetime of structural materials, develop new materials, and validate their application safety.

The Center is also equipped with a variety of specialized experimental test benches. The EAGLE test bench is used to study processes related to severe core meltdown accidents in fast neutron reactors, including interactions between molten fuel and structural materials, as well as mechanisms of melt retention and cooling. The "Lava-B" test bench is used to study the interaction of high-temperature melts with protective structural materials of thermal neutron reactors. The results of these experiments can provide a basis for improving computational models and developing modern safety systems for nuclear power plants.

The KTM materials science tokamak also holds an important position in the Center's research framework. As the first and only dedicated experimental facility in Central Asia, KTM is used to study the interaction of high-temperature plasma with structural materials and to test materials potentially used in future fusion energy devices, serving the development of controlled thermonuclear fusion technology.

The pulsed graphite reactor, the IVG.1M research reactor, the materials science complex, the EAGLE and "Lava-B" test benches, and the KTM tokamak together constitute the research infrastructure system of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This system supports comprehensive research ranging from fuel and material testing to severe accident simulation, and further to the development of next-generation nuclear and fusion energy technologies.

The National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan also participates in multiple international collaborations. The Center conducts joint projects with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and research institutions in France, the United States, Japan, Russia, and other countries. The relevant research results can be used in the development of next-generation reactor technologies and promote international cooperation in nuclear science.

The applications of research reactors are not limited to the nuclear power sector; they also serve medicine, ecological environment, materials science, radioisotope production, and professional personnel training. As Kazakhstan assesses its nuclear energy development prospects, possessing independent research infrastructure will help conduct independent scientific assessments of nuclear safety, cultivate domestic professional capabilities, and participate in frontier international nuclear science missions.