The Russian nuclear industry has just marked a new chapter in its history with the completion of the first RITM-400 reactor, the most powerful of its kind, destined to propel the icebreaker icebreaker Rossiya. This unit, built by ZiO-Podolsk, part of Rosatom’s Machine Building Division, was unveiled as part of the celebrations marking 80 years of the atomic sector in Russia.
During the official ceremony, it was announced that the two reactors that will equip the Rossiya will be named after legendary heroes Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich. With a thermal capacity of 315 MW, the RITM-400 far surpasses the previous model RITM-200 and makes it the most powerful naval reactor in operation.
About the nuclear-powered icebreaker Rossiya
The Rossiya icebreaker, the first of the Project 10510 series, will be able to traverse ice up to 4.3 meters thick. With unprecedented length and power, it will ensure year-round transit of commercial fleets on the Northern Sea Route from the Barents Sea to the Bering Strait.
Since 2018, Rosatom has been designated as the operator of the infrastructure of the Northern Sea Route, a key logistics corridor connecting Europe with the Asia-Pacific region. As part of the Development Plan to 2035, this breakthrough in nuclear technology strengthens Russian control over this Arctic waterway.
Russia currently has eight nuclear icebreakers in operation and several more under construction, including the Leningrad and the Stalingrad, reinforcing its position as the only country with such a fleet. The addition of the Rossiya, with its two RITM-400 reactors, will consolidate Russia as a leader in Arctic shipping.
Rosatom’s focus is not limited to power generation. With floating and land-based nuclear projects, the corporation extends its influence to logistics, materials development and nuclear medicine. On its anniversary, Rosatom looks to the future by pushing technologies that challenge the limits of the arctic and innovation.
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Source and photo: Rosatom
