Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant Sets the Standard: Digitalization Reshapes Nuclear Power Industry

The Smolensk NPP is positioning itself as a leader in the digitalization of the nuclear industry. Experts have praised the plant’s IT-driven solutions, offering a model for how nuclear facilities worldwide can integrate digital technologies.

An Important Step for the Industry

In July 2025, Smolensk NPP hosted a pre-visit—a preparatory stage before Rosatom’s comprehensive peer review of its Production System (PSR). Experts evaluated seven digital projects implemented at the plant, all involving advanced cross-cutting technologies, including artificial intelligence, and rated them highly effective. These solutions combine IT tools with lean production principles, optimizing processes, reducing costs, and improving safety.

Smolensk NPP has become the leader among plants with high-capacity channel-type reactors (RBMKs) in adopting digital technologies, bringing it closer to achieving entry-level “Digital PSR Enterprise” (bronze) status.

Digital solutions enhance operational performance by reducing downtime, cutting costs, and raising safety levels. The result is more reliable power supply for millions of people and, over time, potentially lower electricity costs.

The plant employs digital platforms such as monitoring and management systems integrated into PSR. Automated data analysis systems identify bottlenecks in production processes, while digital twins model operating scenarios.

Future Outlook – Sharing Experience

The successful pre-visit paves the way for Smolensk NPP to receive bronze-level “Digital PSR Enterprise” status in the first quarter of 2026. This milestone will serve as a launchpad for extending Smolensk’s experience to other RBMK plants, such as Leningrad and Kursk.

The pre-visit showed that we are moving in the right direction. We thank our colleagues for their methodological support and improvement recommendations. Right now, we are focused on meeting all quality and performance indicators without exception, which will form the foundation for successfully passing the peer review and securing bronze-level Digital PSR Enterprise status. We will continue striving for the best results

Anton Chukanov

Deputy Chief Engineer of Smolensk NPP

The project also sets a precedent for other Rosatom facilities. Digital PSR solutions can be adapted to VVER plants (water-water power reactors) like Novovoronezh, and even to non-nuclear industries.

Cutting Losses and Boosting Reliability

PSR-driven digitalization has been evolving in Russia’s nuclear sector for several years. In 2019, Rostov NPP adopted PSR elements that reduced losses and improved equipment reliability. In 2021, Smolensk NPP achieved a 25% reduction in the cost of electricity by optimizing processes.

These examples illustrate the sector’s evolution: from basic improvements to sophisticated digital systems now being tested successfully at Smolensk. In just five years, the industry has moved from localized solutions to comprehensive digitalization, embedding IT across all operations.

Setting the Industry Standard

Smolensk NPP is defining the standard for digitalization in the nuclear industry, demonstrating how technology boosts efficiency and safety. The successful pre-visit confirms the plant’s readiness for a full-scale review in early 2026, which could grant it bronze-level “Digital PSR Enterprise” status.

Looking ahead, the plant’s experience is expected to be scaled across other nuclear facilities, accompanied by methodological guidelines for the sector and possibly case studies for international partners. By 2027, Rosatom aims to roll out digital PSR solutions at most of its plants, and by 2030, to promote them as a benchmark for the global nuclear power industry.