Russia pioneers next-gen nuclear energy

Russian nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, a company that has been facing resistance over its plans to do uranium mining in the sensitive Stampriet aquifer, says it is leading the charge in developing advanced nuclear power technology.

However, the company has raised concern in Namibia, including from the government, that uranium mining could poison the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System, the country’s largest water basin which expands into South Africa and Botswana.

Earlier this year, agriculture, water and land reform minister Calle Schlettwein told the Russian uranium miner that while Namibia cannot survive without water and food, it can live without coal or uranium.

In a statement on Saturday, the company said it has achieved a significant milestone by initiating the pilot operation of a fuel fabrication facility for the BREST-OD-300 fast reactor.

This facility is part of the ‘Proryv’ – breakthrough – strategic project, which aims to develop and demonstrate a new generation of nuclear power plants.

According to Rosatom director general Alexey Likhachev, this technology aligns with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s classification of Generation IV nuclear power, offering higher efficiency, increased safety, and reduced nuclear waste.

A key innovation is the utilisation of recycled nuclear fuel.

Rosatom’s facility can manufacture fuel for fast neutron reactors using recycled materials, minimising waste and maximising efficiency.

Additionally, the company is building a pilot energy complex that will showcase a closed nuclear fuel cycle.

This system allows for the repeated use and reprocessing of nuclear fuel, further reducing waste and enhancing sustainability.

“These advancements are crucial for meeting global energy demands while mimimising environmental impact,” Likhachev said.

This comes after Headspring Investments, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Uranium One which is 100% owned by Rosatom, has been searching for uranium in the Omaheke region.

The Namibian earlier reported that Schlettwein says the government’s priority is to ensure a reliable supply of water for human consumption and food production, while ensuring that the extraction of minerals does not harm the aquifer.

He said this during a meeting at Mariental on the impacts of uranium mining in the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer System recently.