Moscow: Rosatom’s ZiO-Podolsk plant in the Moscow Region (part of the Mechanical Engineering Division) has manufactured the second RITM-200S reactor unit for floating nuclear power unit PEB-106, which will supply electricity to a major copper mining cluster in Chukotka. The unit has already passed hydraulic tests confirming its reliability, as well as a control assembly that verified all components and elements fit together precisely in line with design drawings.
“2026 has been a landmark year for ZiO-Podolsk’s mechanical engineering teams: for the first time, we have produced a complete set of RITM units for a floating nuclear power plant that will supply power to an industrial cluster in the Russian North. This is an important step in the global development of small modular nuclear power. The plant has also set a record this year: in less than a year, four RITM-family units have already been manufactured, with five more in production,” said Anton Lebedev, head of ZiO-Podolsk.
PEB-106 floating power unit is designed with two RITM-200S reactors. The first unit was manufactured in May 2026 and is already at the shipyard, where it will later be installed in the hull of the power unit.
The RITM-200 is Russia’s latest marine reactor unit for its nuclear icebreaker fleet. Its design makes the equipment 1.5 times more compact and significantly more powerful than previous-generation analogues. This has enabled universal icebreakers capable of crushing three-meter-thick ice in deep water while also navigating the mouths of northern rivers. RITM-200 reactor units, proven effective in the Far North, now form the backbone of small modular nuclear power solutions designed to supply electricity to remote areas in Russia and abroad.
Several companies within Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division are involved in producing RITM units. Nizhny Novgorod-based OKBM Afrikantov serves as the chief designer and turnkey supplier of the reactor unit. AEM-Spetsstal in Saint Petersburg manufactures metallurgical forgings for future reactors. The reactor vessel is fabricated and undergoes final testing and control assembly in Podolsk. To date, 16 RITM units have been produced; eight are already in successful operation aboard the latest nuclear icebreakers—Arktika, Ural, Sibir, and Yakutia. Another 12 units are at various stages of manufacturing.
Amid rising global demand for small modular nuclear power, floating power units could substantially reshape the energy landscape by effectively addressing current or potential power shortages in remote coastal regions. Acting as a “green” battery, they can generate electricity continuously for several decades regardless of weather conditions and are suitable for powering both industrial facilities and population centers. Since 2020, the world’s first floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov, has been operating in Chukotka, having generated nearly 1.4 billion kWh of electricity over this period.
A family of floating power units equipped with RITM-200 reactors of varying capacities has now been created for both northern and southern latitudes. Series production of PEB-106 is underway to supply power to an industrial copper mining cluster in the Chukotka Autonomous Region. This will be the world’s first “green” energy project for industrial production based on a floating power unit.
