He was speaking during a visit in which the 30th meeting of the Russian-Chinese Subcommittee on Nuclear Issues was held, which he co-chaired with Shan Zhongde, Director of China’s Atomic Energy Agency.
Rosatom reported that “the parties discussed the progress of current projects, as well as the future agenda for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Following the meeting, a protocol was signed”.
In comments reported by Russia’s official Tass news agency Likhachev referenced the state nuclear corporation’s work with China on supplying equipment and software codes for China’s CFR-600 fast sodium-cooled reactor and preparations for its operation.
He also said that this year Rosatom would start supplying advanced nuclear fuel for China’s VVER-1200 reactors and fast neutron reactors.
He said: “When developing nuclear power, every country, and above all Russia and China, the leaders in this race, thinks a century ahead. A century is not a figure of speech here – it means the need to ensure that a power plant has fuel for more than 100 years of operation, both natural uranium and the most advanced technological solutions for efficient and safe fuel. And it is in China where we are introducing our advanced technologies related to safe fuel, including fuel with an 18-month cycle.
“We will continue localising fuel fabrication technologies here in accordance with the growth in reactor demand.”
According to Tass, he said one each of the new VVER-1200 units at Tianwan and Xudapu nuclear power plants would begin commissioning “in the coming weeks” with the second new units at each plant, set to follow next year.
And on nuclear fusion, he said: “China has its own developments and operational facilities that will undoubtedly enrich us as we move forward with joint projects.”
The Northern Sea Route – where nuclear-powered icebreakers have been playing an increasingly important role in opening up the new Arctic trade route – is another area of bilateral focus, with cargo transportation from China set to double this year, he said.
Background
Rosatom’s TVEL fuel company dispatched in 2022 all shipments to supply the first core loading of the CFR-600 sodium-cooled pool-type fast-neutron reactor under construction at Xiapu in China’s Fujian province.
The production of CFR-600 uranium fuel was established at the Elemash Machine-Building Plant in Elektrostal in Russia in 2021. For this purpose, the site for the fabrication of fuel assemblies for fast reactors was modernised at the enterprise, unique equipment was developed and installed.
Construction of unit 1 of the Xiapu fast reactor demonstration project began in 2017. It is part of China’s plan to work towards a closed nuclear fuel cycle. In addition to the reactor in China, there are BN-600 and BN-800 sodium-cooled fast reactors at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant in the Urals region of Russia.
