Source
nmikhailovOP•

This also marks the beginning of nuclear capacity decline in Russia. It probably won't recover till mid 30s, unless RBMKs get life extensions that is.

14
jadebenn•

I'm as pro-nuclear as they come, but I'm glad the RBMKs are being phased-out. Frankly, I think it's kind of rolling the dice to keep them in service for their original service lives as-is. True, they have been improved, but they'd still be utterly un-licensable today. Missing too many safety features.

It does seem like Rosatom is going to be replacing all the lost capacity with VVERs, even if their plans are behind schedule, so it's not a big loss, IMO.

24
nmikhailovOP•

That might be so, but losing 8 GW in 9 years is a lot. Especially when only 2 replacement units are under construction.

to keep them in service for their original service lives as-is

Well they are all already life extended, from 30 to 45 years.
As with other graphite moderated reactors, graphite swelling is becoming a significant problem as they age. Extension further than 50 years is unlikely.
In fact it is already necessary to repair technological channels to fix their alignment: https://prolog.ltd/production/8-production/23-vrh

10
jadebenn•

Didn't know they already were life-extended. That's more than a little dicey, but it's Russia, so I'm not surprised. Took them a while to get Rosatom this healthy, and in the mean-time, extension would be the only option to maintain capacity.

As for the graphite issues, that sounds similar to the problems experienced with the AGRs in the UK.

4