Belarus, China and Uzbekistan are in discussions with Russia to join the international consortium based on the multi-purpose fast neutron research reactor (MBIR – Mnogotselevoi Bistrii Issledovatelskii Reaktor) under construction at the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR – Nauchno Issledovatelskii Institut Atomnikh Reaktorov) in Dimitrovgrad.
The 150 MWt multi-purpose sodium-cooled fast neutron MBIR reactor will be the world’s largest facility of its kind. It is expected to provide the nuclear industry with a modern and technologically advanced research infrastructure for the coming 50 years. Its unique technical characteristics will make it possible to solve a wide range of research problems to support the development new competitive and safe NPPs, including fast reactors based on closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Research time needed at the new reactor will be several times less in comparison with the currently operating installations.
During the construction of the MBIR, state of the art technologies and new management approaches have been used including integrated remote monitoring tools such as photography from unmanned aerial vehicles and laser scanning. As a result of this and close interaction between scientists and builders, the overall project is ahead of schedule.
MBIR will be the basis of an international research centre (ICC MBIR). It will replace the BOR-60 experimental fast reactor that has been in operation at NIIAR since 1969. BOR-60 is due to close in 2025. MBIR will be used for materials testing for Generation IV fast neutron reactors. It will be capable of testing lead, lead-bismuth and gas coolants and will enable reactor and post-reactor experiments, perfecting technologies for the production of isotopes and modified materials.
Vasily Konstantinov, Rosatom director of international scientific and technical projects and head of the MBIR consortium, told the Eurasian Economic Forum 2025: “Despite the fact that the reactor is still under construction, we are already forming an international scientific platform on its basis.” He added: “Currently, more than 20 foreign countries and organisations are involved in it. Negotiations are underway with China, Uzbekistan and Belarus. We expect that they will join the consortium by the end of this year.”
In May, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev said Vietnamese scientists would take part in research at the MBIR reactor. He was commenting on the signing by Rosatom and Vietnam of an interdepartmental roadmap for development of nuclear technologies for the period to 2030.
An advisory council of the ICC MBIR has been established to formulate an international scientific research programme. New participants join the MBIR project by signing a consortium agreement. It is a legal formalisation of relations between the parties and fixes the rights and obligations of the participants to use the MBIR reactor resource after its commissioning, which is scheduled for 2027.
