Rosatom’s Mining & Chemical Combine (GKhK – Gorno Khimiheskovo Kombinata) in Zheleznogorsk (Krasnoyarsk) has been identified as a priority site for the industrial production of uranium-plutonium oxide MOX fuel for the BN-1200M fast neutron reactor. The choice of GKhK is based on its experience in ensuring regular supplies of MOX fuel for the operating BN-800 fast neutron reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP.
The BN-1200M reactor is an evolutionary development of the Russian fast reactors BN-600 and BN-800 at units 3&4 of the Beloyarsk NPP. In July 2025, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev launched preparatory work for the construction of the BN-1200M at unit 5 of the Beloyarsk NPP. The service life of the new fast reactor will be at least 60 years, it will be the lead for serial production with fast neutron NPPs planned to be replicated in other regions of Russia. The BN-1200M will be the world’s biggest fast reactor.
Preparations for its construction have already begun and the design documentation for the construction of the new site for the production of fuel for the BN-1200M will begin this year. It is planned to begin licensing the facility in 2026. The first delivery of MOX fuel TVS (TeploVidelayushaya Sborka) assemblies for reactor start-up is expected in 2033.
“The implementation of the project will be an important step in ensuring sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly energy supply for future generations,” noted Vasily Tinin, head of Rosatom’s Environmental Solutions Division and project director. “Using the accumulated experience in the production of MOX fuel and the operation of the world’s most powerful industrial fast neutron reactor today, BN-800, Rosatom will continue to expand the possibilities for the effective use of used nuclear fuel and will provide the basis for the replication of Generation IV nuclear technologies.”
GKhK Director General Dmitry Kolupaev noted: “Our task is to create a new automated and robotic production line that will minimise the presence of personnel at production stages. The new facility will be located next to the existing production of MOX fuel for the BN-800, which is optimal from the point of view of logistics and organization of technological processes.”
Beloyarsk NPP Director Yuri Nosov said it is a great honour and responsibility for the Beloyarsk NPP to be one of the flagships bringing Rosatom closer to a new technological platform based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle. “Serial MOX-TVS were first loaded into the BN-800 core in January 2020. The first complete reloading of the BN-800 with MOX fuel took place in January 2021, and then all fuel assemblies were gradually replaced with innovative MOX-TVS. Today, for the first time in the history of Russian nuclear energy, the BN-800 is testing the operation of a fast neutron reactor with a full load of uranium-plutonium fuel. The BN-1200M will take into account all the many years of experience gained during the development, construction and operation of BN-600 and BN-800. This is a unique experience that only Russia has today.”
The development of MOX fuel production for the BN-1200M reactor will be handled by an industry working group, which includes representatives of Rosatom, Fuel company TVEL, the Central Design & Technology Institute (TsPTI – Tsentralnyy Proyektno-Tekhnologicheskiy Institut), the Central Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (TsKBM – Tsentralnoye Konstruktorskoye Byuro Mashinostroyeniya), Rosenergoatom Concern and other organisations. GKhK is the customer-developer and the operating organisation, the general designer is TsPTI. The supplier of MOX fuel assemblies and the manufacturer of components is TVEL, and the customer is Rosenergoatom.
As well as its experience in operating a fast reactor with a full load of MOX fuel, Russia has also implemented a number of steps to improve this technology. Since 2023, MOX fuel production has completely switched to the production of fuel element cladding using chromium-nickel austenitic steel EK164. This will increase the level of burnup of nuclear fuel and increase the duration of the fuel making the operation of the power unit more cost-effective. In 2024, for the first time in the world, the Beloyarsk NPP began operating experimental MOX-TVS incorporating minor actinides – americium and curium.
BN fast reactors allow efficient use of reprocessed used nuclear fuel from traditional reactors. In particular, regenerated plutonium obtained from used fuel reprocessing is reused in MOX fuel for fast reactors, which are capable of producing more fuel than they consume, as well as disposing of highly active transuranium elements (actinides). Closing the nuclear fuel cycle will make it possible to greatly expand the raw material base of nuclear energy, process irradiated fuel instead of storing it, and also significantly reduce the volume and level of activity of nuclear waste subject to final isolation.
