Rosenergoatom and Ural Federal University Jointly Establish a Fast Reactor Talent Training Center

Rosenergoatom, the power division of Rosatom, and Yeltsin Ural Federal University (UrFU) have recently jointly established the “Fast Neutron Reactor Talent Training Center.” The center will unify and coordinate eight educational tracks across the Ural Power Engineering Institute, the Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Institute of Chemical Technology, with Oleg·Tashlykov, professor of the Department of Nuclear Power Plants and Renewable Energy Sources at Ural Federal University, serving as its head.

The core goal of establishing the center is to build a sound professional talent training system for fast neutron reactor nuclear power units, with the primary task being to supply operational and engineering backbone personnel for the planned BN-1200M unit at the Beloyarsk NPP. From a long-term planning perspective, this initiative also aims to support the construction of new nuclear power capacity under the framework of Russia's "General Scheme for the Layout of Electric Power Facilities Through 2042," and to implement the national strategic task of strengthening technological sovereignty and expanding the nuclear energy talent reserve. To this end, Ural Federal University plans to double the annual enrollment of students in relevant majors to 90 per year.

Ensuring close cooperation between the university and nuclear power operating enterprises is one of the key tasks of the center, covering professional awareness internships, on-site experimental teaching, in-depth practical training at nuclear power plant education and training departments using operation and maintenance simulators, as well as establishing an industry-oriented candidate of sciences training mechanism for major scientific and technological challenges in the industry. Ilya·Filin, Chief Engineer of the Beloyarsk NPP, pointed out that in communications with the university, both sides reached a consensus that teaching syllabi must lean toward modern engineering practice. For example, when explaining the steam throttling process, it should not remain at the level of formula derivation but should be analyzed in conjunction with the actual working conditions of the turbine high-pressure control valves, so as to achieve deep integration of theory and hands-on practice.

To comprehensively enhance the engineering practicality of teaching, the Beloyarsk NPP has selected technical backbone personnel with rich on-site experience to strengthen the university's teaching faculty. In the new academic year, several professionals including Dmitry·Govorov, Deputy Head of the Metal Inspection and Technical Testing Department at the nuclear power plant, and Daniil·Zavadsky, Control Engineer and Head of Reactor Shop No. 2, have officially taken to the lectern to provide students with solid technical and hands-on guidance.

According to the cooperation agreement signed between Ural Federal University and Rosenergoatom, the group has allocated the first batch of special support funds for renovating large lecture halls for lower-year students, and will subsequently fund the equipping of professional laboratories with advanced teaching and research equipment. At present, technical experts from both the enterprise and the university have jointly completed the compilation and trial teaching of new interdisciplinary teaching modules. The center is expected to reach full designed operating scale by the end of 2028, continuously providing talent support for Russia's future new nuclear power units.

The Beloyarsk NPP, located in the city of Zarechny in Sverdlovsk Oblast, is responsible for about 16% of the oblast's electricity supply. It has long been operating two sodium-cooled fast neutron reactors, the BN-600 and BN-800, which are the world's largest commercial fast reactor units currently in operation. The nuclear power plant is deeply involved in Russia's strategic research on the closed nuclear fuel cycle, committed to providing fuel security for future nuclear energy development for hundreds of years through the reuse of spent nuclear fuel and minimizing radioactive waste.

As a global leader in the research, development, and industrial deployment of fourth-generation nuclear energy technology, Rosatom is actively building a nuclear technology platform for the future. In addition to the Beloyarsk NPP steadily advancing preparations for the construction of the BN-1200M unit, Tomsk Oblast is also carrying out the world's first construction of the BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast reactor and a site-level integrated closed nuclear fuel cycle facility. The high inherent safety and resource utilization characteristics of fourth-generation nuclear energy systems are driving profound changes in the nuclear energy industry landscape.