Rosatom said the two countries want to cooperate to build an SMR nuclear power plant based on Russia’s RITM-200N reactor technology in Kyrgyzstan. The 55-MW RITM-200N is in service powering Russia’s icebreakers.
In December 2020 Rosatom announced plans to build a land-based RITM-200N SMR in isolated Ust-Kuyga town in Yakutia. The reactor will replace coal and oil-based electricity and heat generation at half the price, Rosatom said. The company is aiming to begin construction in 2024 and commission the unit by 2028.
The agreement with Kyrgyzstan also plans for the development of nuclear infrastructure in the country and joint work to develop R&D and technical support personnel.
Alexey Likhachev, Rosatom’s director-general, said SMR projects are one of the company’s priorities. He said SMRs will change the energy mix of many countries and contribute to the development of remote areas with locked energy grids.
“The construction of a plant like this in Kyrgyzstan will not only improve the country’s energy independence, but also contribute to the public’s quality of life and the development of R&D and technology potential in Central Asia as a whole,” Mr Likhachev said.
