Russia looks to export nuclear power and desalination packages

Russia’s nuclear power company, Rosatom, is aiming to sell integrated, large nuclear power and desalination plants overseas through its export arm Rosatom Overseas.

Rusatom Overseas head, Dzhomart Aliyev, unveiled the plan recently saying there was “a significant potential in foreign markets”.

The announcement followed Russia and Egypt’s signing of an agreement in February to develop a design for a nuclear-powered combined plant producing electricity and potable water through desalination through multiple-effect distillation (MED).

Egypt has been looking at vendor-financed construction for two reactors at El Dabaa, which is said to be suitable for up to eight large units. Rosatom is understood to have offered to build two 1,200 MW reactors as part of a combined power and desalination plant.

And Iran’s plans to expand the Bushehr nuclear power plant with further Russian technology is understood to include two desalination units. While an agreement between Argentina and Russia included desalination with nuclear power cooperation.

Allev described the joint power and desalination option as “a new product of the Russian nuclear industry.

“We are paying great attention to expansion of our product range, including desalination facilities integrated with small modular reactor plants and floating nuclear power plants.”