Russia to Spend $34Mln on World’s Most Powerful Scientific Nuclear Reactor

Russia is building the world’s most powerful fast-neutron reactor for scientific research, estimated to cost some $34 million this year alone, the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The unique nuclear reactor, which is due to become operational in 2020, will allow Russian scientists to develop safe energy generators, new types of nuclear fuel and advanced construction materials.

Russia started building the reactor in September 2015. By March 2016, construction crews had laid down the base slab for the reactor unit and the seven out of nine supplementary units, and began putting up concrete walls.

"The [project’s] budget for 2016 amounts to 2.5 billion rubles [$34mln at the current exchange rate]. This year, we plan to build the reactor 10 meters from the ground up," the research institute said in a statement.