IRTO Siberia/Main Facility/Research Nuclear Plant

The Research Nuclear Plant (RNP) is a large, underground nuclear power plant that is part of the Main Facility within the IRTO Siberia complex. It houses six 1150MWe VVER reactors and supplies all parts of the facility except the bridge laboratory. The plant’s reactors are also used for radioisotope production and fuel breeding operations.

Some consider the RNP to be an unnecessary expense due to the construction of the fusion Physics Power Plant; however, there are many reasons why it is still necessary, including its role in nuclear physics experiments, its seen necessity as a backup given the complexity of the fusion plant, and the fact the fusion reactors may be shut down for long periods of time when bridge experiments are not running to save on operating expenses and fusion fuel.