Russia — Nuclear Fleet Overview

Operating Reactors (database): 7 tracked in platform Total Tracked Capacity: 1300 MWe Under Construction (database): 2 Planned: 4 Regulatory Body: Rostechnadzor (Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service)

Fleet Summary

Russia operates one of the largest civilian nuclear fleets in the world, with 37 operational power reactors across 11 nuclear power plants as of 2023, generating approximately 29.5 GWe of net capacity. This accounts for about 20% of the country's electricity production, with a mix of VVER pressurized water reactors and older RBMK designs. The fleet is managed by Rosenergoatom, a subsidiary of the state corporation Rosatom, which oversees both domestic operations and international nuclear projects. Russia's nuclear trajectory includes modernizing aging reactors, constructing advanced VVER-TOI designs, and pioneering small modular reactors (SMRs) and fast reactor technologies.

Policy & Outlook

Russia's nuclear policy, driven by Rosatom, emphasizes expanding nuclear capacity to meet domestic energy needs and maintaining global leadership in nuclear technology exports. The 2020 Energy Strategy to 2035 targets increasing nuclear's share in the energy mix while prioritizing safety upgrades and decommissioning of older RBMK units. Legislation supports innovation, with significant investment in closed fuel cycle technologies and fast reactors like the BREST-OD-300. Additionally, Russia is advancing SMR projects, such as the RITM-200 series for remote regions and floating nuclear power plants, with plans to deploy these for Arctic development and export markets.

Key Sites

• Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant: Located in Saratov Oblast, this site hosts four VVER-1000 reactors with a combined capacity of about 4 GWe, making it one of Russia's largest nuclear facilities. It plays a critical role in the country's central energy grid.
• Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant: Situated near Sosnovy Bor, it operates both older RBMK-1000 units and newer VVER-1200 reactors like Leningrad II-2, with ongoing construction for additional modern units. It is a key site for testing advanced reactor designs.
• Seversk (Tomsk-7): A major nuclear complex in Siberia, it is home to experimental facilities including the BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast reactor, central to Russia's closed fuel cycle ambitions. It also supports fuel fabrication and reprocessing activities.

Historical Context

Russia's civilian nuclear program began in 1954 with the commissioning of the Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant, the world's first grid-connected nuclear reactor, marking the start of the Soviet Union's nuclear energy era. Significant milestones include the rapid expansion of VVER and RBMK reactors in the 1970s and 1980s to meet industrial demands. The 1986 Chernobyl disaster, though in Ukraine, profoundly impacted Soviet and Russian nuclear safety protocols, leading to enhanced regulations and the eventual phase-out of older RBMK designs. Post-Soviet restructuring saw Rosatom emerge in 2007 as a unified state entity to consolidate and advance the industry.

Operating Reactors (Platform Database)

Reactor	Site	Type	Capacity (MWe)	Operator	Commercial Operation
SM-3	—	Tank-in-pool	—	RIAR (Research Institute of Atomic Reactors)	—
MIR.M1	—	Channel	—	RIAR	—
PIK	—	Heavy water	—	PNPI (Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute)	—
IBR-2M	—	Fast pulsed	—	JINR (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research)	—
IRT MEPhI	—	Pool	—	MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute)	—
Leningrad II-2	—	VVER-1200	1200	—	—
BREST-OD-300	—	Lead-cooled fast reactor	100	—	—

Under Construction (Platform Database)

Reactor	Site	Type	Capacity (MWe)	Expected Operation
Kursk II-1	—	VVER-TOI	1255	TBD
Kursk II-2	—	VVER-TOI	1255	TBD

Sources

• IAEA PRIS — Russia — IAEA Power Reactor Information System
• WNA Country Profile — World Nuclear Association
• Rostechnadzor (Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service) — National nuclear regulator

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Enriched by Grok · Second Atomic Age Nuclear Wiki · 2026-05-10