Russian nuclear power plant designs most popular

An exhibition designed to cover 70 years of the nuclear power engineering industry and the origins of the Soviet nuclear project using the motto “A chain reaction of success” has been organized in Moscow’s central exhibition hall Manege. The famous Czar Bomb (Mk. AN-602) is the central exhibit. It was delivered to Moscow from the Russian federal nuclear research center in Sarov. The civilian part of the exhibition features models of nuclear power plant reactors and a model of an icebreaker powered by nuclear energy.

Vladimir Potsyapun, chairman of the sub-committee on legislative support for nuclear energy uses of the Energy Committee of the Russian State Duma, said:

“I have seen all kinds of nuclear energy exhibitions done differently. This exhibition, however, demonstrates that it does not target professionals but the general public. It offers a historic perspective that brings together civil and defense projects. The exhibition will be interesting for all kinds of people — school and university students, Moscow residents and tourists, nuclear industry veterans and young nuclear industry professionals. The exhibition’s layout is wisely designed to build up impressions step by step. It demonstrates accomplishments of prominent scientists and regular workers, which actions also determined the fate of the nuclear shield and the nuclear industry on the whole.

“I liked the exhibition although I’ve visited nuclear industry enterprises 28 times in the last 12 months and 59 times in the last three years. I thought I could be hardly surprised by anything. Nevertheless, here I saw some things I’d only heard about before. One of the installations demonstrates nuclear fission, a phenomenon one can hardly see in real life. I think such installations should be placed in every school. I was most impressed by the nuclear reactors designed for space exploration, the model of a mobile nuclear power plant, which is indeed a rare sight in real life. There is no doubt I’ve been also impressed with the people, who created this industry and forged the country’s nuclear shield. Back then they lived with the constant threat of a nuclear attack. It is possible that without their selfless work we would not be alive to visit the exhibition.

“I hope we will have enough strength, knowledge, and means to continue developing the nuclear industry successfully. Competition should encourage us. Our competitors in fuel production, in technologies, materials and structures are still lagging behind. Nobody has come even close to the number of nuclear reactors Rosatom is building abroad. It seems it was only yesterday that we talked about cooperation with Egypt but now we are already negotiating with Latin America and Africa. I am beginning to lose track of the assets our state corporation is handling. We welcome customers from the Middle East and Asia. All of them want Russian nuclear power plants. The time when we have to put customers on the waiting list may come soon. So it is Russian designs of nuclear power plants that are most popular in the world.”