Russia Unveils World's Most Powerful Marine Nuclear Reactor

Russia has completed the RITM-400 reactor, a groundbreaking nuclear power unit for ships that could reshape global energy and naval engineering.

Russia has finished building the RITM-400 'Ilya Muromets' nuclear reactor at its Podolsk plant—the most powerful marine reactor in the world. With a thermal capacity of 315 MW, it can generate enough electricity to power a city of 150,000 people. The new reactor is twice as powerful as the unit used in the nuclear cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, and marks a new era in both shipbuilding and energy, according to Russian outlet Reporter.

The first vessels to deploy the new reactor will be Project 10510 'Leader'-class nuclear icebreakers. The ship Russia will house two RITM-400 units, making it the most powerful civilian vessel ever built. The icebreaker is scheduled to enter service in 2030, significantly boosting Russia’s Arctic capabilities.

Plans are also underway to bring the fourth-generation reactor onshore. Three small nuclear power plants based on the RITM-400 are slated for construction in the Norilsk industrial region. Altogether, up to 50 such energy blocks could be deployed across Russia and its allied nations, ushering in the age of small nuclear energy.

While the U.S., China, and other countries are also developing similar technology, Russia holds a key advantage: it has already field-tested the RITM-200 reactors and is ready to mass-produce the more powerful RITM-400.

Looking even further, the next frontier for these nuclear giants may be space. In collaboration with China, Russia is developing a space-based nuclear power unit for an international lunar station.