The Rosatom Technical Academy and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held a five-day joint Interregional Training Course on Preparation of a Feasibility Study for a New Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Projects. The event at the Far Eastern Training Center of Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy Maritime State University brought together representatives of national authorities from 20 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, which are planning to implement programs for the deployment of land-based or marine-based reactor units.
During the course expert presentations were made from Liliya Dulinets, Head of the Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section of the IAEA Department of Nuclear Energy; Shiran Altaer, specialist at the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission; Stefan Yamoah, Executive Director of the Ghana Atomic Energy Authority; and Maria Oseeva, Head of International Nuclear Infrastructure Projects at Rosatom International Network.
The training program covered a broad range of topics related to feasibility study preparation: calculation methodologies, cost analysis, evaluation of economic efficiency, and potential IAEA assistance in strategic planning for nuclear energy program deployment in foreign countries.
“The development of nuclear infrastructure is an integral part of the safe and efficient implementation of nuclear energy programs and projects, as well as the subsequent operation of nuclear power plants. The goal of joint training courses with the IAEA is to help partner countries create a qualified customer base, which will contribute to reducing risks during the construction of nuclear energy facilities.” – said rector of the Rosatom Technical Academy Yuri Seleznev.
Additionally, participants visited the Far Eastern Federal University, a leading educational center in the region for training specialists, including nuclear industry professionals. During the visit, discussions focused on workforce development for Rosatom to ensure the staffing needs of the future Primorsk and Khabarovsk nuclear power plants in Russian Far East Region, which are planned to be commissioned by 2042.
“The IAEA consistently supports countries striving to develop nuclear energy, and today the number of such nations is steadily growing. The course brought together participants from various regions of the world — Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East — highlighting the global interest in the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. Despite Russia’s extensive experience and long-standing cooperation with the IAEA, Vladivostok was not chosen by chance as the venue for this course. Russia continues to actively develop its nuclear infrastructure, particularly in the eastern part of the country. This region is home to strong educational and scientific centers, such as Admiral Nevelskoy Maritime State University and Far Eastern Federal University, which vividly demonstrate how modern training and educational processes in the field of nuclear energy are being built”, – said Liliya Dulinets, Technical Officer of the training course.
Maria Oseeva shared her thoughts at the conclusion of the event - “Small modular reactors currently are among the top requests Rosatom receives from partner countries, and we have solutions to offer for both land-based and marine applications. The IAEA is also actively advancing the SMR topic, seeking the best approaches to accelerate their deployment in the interests of the global community. This made it highly productive to bring together Rosatom experts, international professionals with relevant experience, and representatives of interested countries to openly discuss how to effectively analyze various aspects of SMR projects using such a key decision-making tool as a feasibility study.”
These trends determined the choice of venue – Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy Maritime State University, Rosatom’s key partner in the Russian Far East, which has been actively developing a university-based nuclear cluster in recent years.
“The knowledge gained during the course made it possible to gain a deeper understanding of the key aspects of preparing a feasibility study, which is of particular value for Myanmar, where the national nuclear program is currently actively developing. The Russian experience in operating nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors, is especially valuable — it not only serves as an inspiration but also opens real pathways for the effective and safe introduction of nuclear technologies in our country,” – said Aung Kyaw Swa, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Myanmar.
Background Information
The Rosatom Technical Academy is a modern international multidisciplinary training center for the nuclear industry workforce. Since 2019, the organization has been designated as an IAEA Collaborating Center. In October 2024, the Technical Academy renewed its agreement and became the first and only center to cooperate with the IAEA in five programmatic areas, including the promising field of small-scale nuclear technologies. Over the years of collaboration, within the frameworks of the agreement more than 80 international events have been held, attended by over 1,500 participants from around the world.
Since 2023, Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy Maritime State University has been implementing the “Far Eastern Marine Nuclear Competence Center” project aimed at creating conditions for training highly qualified marine specialists in nuclear technologies through higher education programs, additional professional training, practical experience, and job placement in marine nuclear infrastructure enterprises. Each year, university cadets undergo navigation practice on modern nuclear icebreakers operated by FSUE Atomflot, ensuring a full cycle of training for versatile marine engineers.
Moreover, given recent decisions by the Russian Government to construct five new nuclear power plants in the Far East, including the Primorsk NPP in the city of Fokino, the university plans to actively participate in training specialized personnel in collaboration with leading nuclear centers in Russia.
In recent years, following the 2023 IMO (International Maritime Organization) requirements to reduce the carbon footprint of maritime shipping, Floating NPPs projects for energy supply of port infrastructure have attracted increasing attention from experts. In November 2023, at the initiative of the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, there was held the International Symposium on Floating Nuclear Power Plants Deployment: Perspectives and Challenges. The event was organized by the special Task Force on Transportable Nuclear Power Plants
(TF-TNNP) under the Agency-wide SMR Platform. That resulted in a recommendation to develop practical guidelines for floating NPP deployment.
In May 2025, the IAEA held the 24th INPRO Dialogue Forum on the Sustainable Deployment of Floating Nuclear Power Plants for Transitioning to Net Zero.
