Twenty-seven participants from 17 countries completed a five-day interregional training course at the Saint-Petersburg branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy focused on capacity building for nuclear power programmes based on SMR technology applications.
"The course provided participants with a comprehensive overview of existing SMR technologies, global trends and practical experience. We also delved into IAEA safety standards and risk assessment approaches in detail. Thanks to our close cooperation with Rosatom Technical Academy, we were able to present real examples of SMR deployment and its potential for different countries," explained Alina Сonstantin, project officer at the IAEA Nuclear Power Technology Development Section.
The agenda also included a visit to the site for the construction of nuclear icebreakers, where the first floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov was built, which became the world's first example of the integration of SMR into a marine vessel system.
"Sudan is at the dawn of its national nuclear program, and we are grateful for the invaluable training opportunity. The course program allowed not only to gain a deep understanding of reactor technology and safety fundamentals, but also to master valuable techniques, in particular, in the field of reactor technology assessment, as well as from the updated review of IAEA safety standards. We are looking forward to the agency's upcoming publication," said Asma Alfaki, research assistant at the Sudan Atomic Energy Commission.
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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.
The world is currently showing growing interest in small modular reactor (SMR) technologies. State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” is the only vendor in recent years to bring them into practical use. Five years ago a unique floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) was commissioned; serial production of innovative RITM-200 small reactors with a capacity of 55 MW is underway; preparations are being made to build a small modular power plant (SMPP) in Yakutia; and the world’s first export contract for the construction of an SMPP was signed with Uzbekistan.
Russia is actively developing cooperation with all stakeholder countries. The implementation of major international projects continues. Rosatom and its divisions are actively involved in this work.