Russia to build 38 new reactors in push to boost NUCLEAR in energy mix

09/18/2025 / By Patrick Lewis

Rosatom has been instructed to construct 38 new nuclear power units (large, medium and small scale) as part of a national master plan.
The goal is to raise nuclear power’s share of Russia’s electricity generation from just under 20 percent up to about 25 percent by 2045.
The 38 reactors are expected to deliver roughly 29.3 gigawatts of installed capacity by around 2042. The lineup includes very large reactors (~1,200 MW+), medium reactors, pilot/lead?cooled fast?neutron reactors (like BREST?OD?300) and small modular reactors (SMRs) including RITM?series variants.
Key parts of the plan include moving toward “serial construction” (i.e. repeating proven designs to speed up build times), deploying Generation IV fast neutron reactor technology and closing the nuclear fuel cycle to improve resource use and reduce waste.
While the plan marks a strong bet on nuclear power and boosts Russia’s role both domestically and internationally in nuclear tech, there are expected hurdles – financing, regulatory and licensing delays, workforce and training capacity, supply chain constraints and ensuring safety and environmental standards.

Russia has announced a sweeping plan to construct 38 new nuclear reactors across its territory, with the aim of lifting the role of nuclear power in its energy system.

The plan was disclosed on Monday, Sept. 15 by Alexey Likhachev, chief executive of state nuclear corporation Rosatom, during the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. According to Likhachev, Russian President Vladimir Putin has set a target of increasing nuclear’s share in the national energy mix from just under 20?percent today to 25?percent by 2045.

Rosatom has been instructed to build these 38 reactor units – of large, medium and small capacities. (Related: German lawmakers want to lead an EU NUCLEAR WEAPONS system, recruiting France and Great Britain to take on Russia.)

Likhachev cited five reactors currently under construction: Kursk?2?1 and Kursk?2?2 at the Kursk?2 nuclear station in western Russia; Leningrad?2?3 and Leningrad?2?4 at the Leningrad station on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland; and the BREST?OD?300, a pilot Generation IV lead?cooled fast?neutron reactor being built in Seversk, Siberia.

The Rosatom CEO told delegates that while much has been achieved, much more remains to be done. A key ambition is to transition to serial construction of nuclear plants and accelerate the deployment of Generation IV systems with closed fuel cycles. These advances, Likachev argued, would help reduce both construction costs and lead times – for example, compressing the period needed for licensing and other approvals from the current three to four years down to two years.

Russia’s reactor mix aims for nearly 30 GW by 2042

The 38 new reactors are to include a mix of sizes. Among them are large reactors (around 1,200 MW or more), medium size reactors and smaller reactors often referred to as small modular reactors (SMRs). Rosatom has said that small and pilot reactors such as the BREST?OD?300, and SMRs like those with RITM?series designs, will figure in these plans. A report from Rosatom earlier in the year noted that by about 2042 the 38 reactors would deliver a combined installed capacity of roughly 29.3 gigawatts.

Observers welcomed Russia’s announcement as further evidence of nuclear power’s resurgence globally. Many countries are reassessing nuclear energy’s place in their strategies for achieving low?carbon electricity, energy security and reliability in the face of volatile energy markets. Experts, however, caution that this sort of expansion will confront practical challenges: financing costs, supply chain constraints, regulatory and safety licensing, siting issues, workforce development and maintaining construction quality.

On the international front, Russia’s ambitions reinforce Rosatom’s growing role not only domestically but also globally, as a builder and exporter of nuclear technologies. Already, Rosatom has secured contracts for construction and operation of reactors abroad, and is pushing for greater cooperation in SMR exports and uranium supply.

“We are entering a new stage in Russia’s atomic energy development,” Likhachev said. If carried out as outlined, the plan would mark one of the most aggressive nuclear build?out programs in decades, potentially transforming Russia’s energy sector and expanding its influence in global nuclear energy markets.

According to Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch, Russia’s ambitious nuclear expansion underscores a commitment to energy independence and resilience, a stark contrast to the West’s reliance on centralized, vulnerable and often corrupt energy systems. This robust nuclear infrastructure not only ensures Russia’s energy security but also positions it as a leader in sustainable, decentralized energy solutions.

Watch Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev mentioning that Moscow now has the second-largest uranium supply globally.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.