An Analytical study on Russia's civilian nuclear energy utilization

Kawasaki, Nobuchika

JAEA-Review 2025-043, 74 Pages, 2025/10

JAEA-Review-2025-043.pdf:2.45MB

Russia is one of the most advanced countries in the civilian use of nuclear energy. However, understanding the internal mechanisms of its nuclear program remains difficult due to various reasons. Therefore, this study presents a historical overview of Russia's nuclear energy utilization, fuel supply, fuel manufacturing capabilities, and concepts regarding reprocessing and the nuclear fuel cycle. From this overview, insights have been extracted and analyzed. These insights are then organized under two strategic perspectives: "Strategic diversity and continuity in developments and demonstrations" and "Diversity in utilizations and deployments," with considerations of implications for Japan, as below. Russia's nuclear energy policy strategically utilizes a variety of reactor types and fuel cycle technologies to expand nuclear power generation both domestically and internationally. Currently, nuclear power, centered on light-water reactors (VVER series), accounts for about 20% of Russia's electricity supply, and there are plans to increase this share to 25% by 2045. A wide range of reactors, from large-scale to medium and small modular reactors, are being constructed in Russia. Russia is also actively developing fast reactor technologies, and focusing on the reprocessing and recycling of spent fuel. Internationally, VVER-1200 reactors are under construction in several countries, and cooperation with China is deepening in the field of fast reactors. Notably, Russia offers an integrated, or selectively customizable, package of nuclear technology services on the international stage. These include not only reactor deployment, but also fuel supply, reprocessing, waste management, and even the provision of radioisotopes. Rather than simply exporting products or technology, Russia fosters long-term relationships and trust by flexibly responding to the conditions and needs of partner countries. For this reason, Russia promotes the technology developments in advance within the country in areas anticipated for future overseas deployment. It carefully selects target technologies and services and systematically rolls them out. This flexible strategy, combining "technological diversity" and "strategic consistency", enables cooperation with countries across various geopolitical contexts. For Japan, this strategic approach offers valuable lessons on how to engage in comprehensive international nuclear cooperation, not merely through technology exports, but through integrated approaches that encompass the entire fuel cycle, and by combining elements such as fast reactors and RI supply.

The Working group on the analysis and management of accidents (WGAMA); A Historical review of major contributions

Herranz, L. E.*; Jacquemain, D.*; Nitheanandan, T.*; Sandberg, N.*; Barr, F.*; Bechta, S.*; Choi, K.-Y.*; D'Auria, F.*; Lee, R.*; Nakamura, Hideo

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 127, p.103432_1 - 103432_14, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2020.103432

ROSA/LSTF tests and posttest analyses by RELAP5 code for accident management measures during PWR station blackout transient with loss of primary coolant and gas inflow

Takeda, Takeshi; Otsu, Iwao

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations, 2018, p.7635878_1 - 7635878_19, 2018/00

https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7635878

Experimental study on outer surface cooling of containment vessel by using CIGMA

Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Ishigaki, Masahiro; Abe, Satoshi; Yonomoto, Taisuke

Proceedings of 17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-17) (USB Flash Drive), 14 Pages, 2017/09

ROSA/LSTF test on nitrogen gas behavior during reflux cooling in PWR and RELAP5 post-test analysis

Takeda, Takeshi; Otsu, Iwao

Proceedings of 25th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-25) (CD-ROM), 11 Pages, 2017/07

Thermal-hydraulic safety research on nuclear containment vessel at JAEA

Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke; Hotta, Akitoshi*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 58(9), p.553 - 557, 2016/09

no abstracts in English

Contributions of OECD ROSA & ROSA-2 Projects for thermal-hydraulic code validation

Nakamura, Hideo

Proceedings of Seminar on the Transfer of Competence, Knowledge and Experience gained through CSNI Activities in the Field of Thermal-Hydraulics (THICKET 2016) (CD-ROM), 29 Pages, 2016/06

no abstracts in English

RANS analyses on erosion behavior of density stratification consisted of helium-air mixture gas by a low momentum vertical buoyant jet in the PANDA test facility, the third international benchmark exercise (IBE-3)

Abe, Satoshi; Ishigaki, Masahiro; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 289, p.231 - 239, 2015/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2015.04.002

A Study on improvement of RANS analysis for erosion of density stratified layer of multicomponent gas by buoyant jet in a containment vessel

Abe, Satoshi; Ishigaki, Masahiro; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke

Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 9(7), p.599 - 607, 2015/07

https://doi.org/10.17265/1934-8975/2015.07.001

The analysis on a density stratification layer consisting of multiple gases in the reactor containment vessel is important for the safety assessment of sever accidents. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has started the project on the containment thermal hydraulics. We carried out Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses in order to investigate the erosion of the density stratification layer by a vertical buoyant jet under this project. We used the Reynolds averaged numerical simulation (RANS) and Large eddy simulation (LES) models to analyze the erosion of a density stratification layer by a vertical buoyant jet in a small vessel which represents a containment vessel. This numerical study calculates the turbulent mixing of a two-component (air and helium) gas mixture. The turbulence models used for the RANS analyses are two types of k- models. The first model is the low Reynolds number k- model developed by Launder and Sharma. The second model is modified from the first model in order to accurately consider the turbulent production and damping in a stratification layer. The results indicated while the erosion rate calculated by the low-Re k- model was much faster than that of the LES model, the modified k- model could calculate the erosion rate similar to the LES result.

RELAP5 code study of ROSA/LSTF experiments on PWR safety system using steam generator secondary-side depressurization

Takeda, Takeshi; Onuki, Akira*; Nishi, Hiroaki*

Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 9(5), p.426 - 442, 2015/05

https://doi.org/10.17265/1934-8975/2015.05.002