Rosatom Advances HTGR Technology with TRISO Fuel Testing and Reactor Development

Rosatom's Scientific Division has tested TRISO fuel samples for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR) at temperatures up to 1,700°C. The development focuses on large-scale hydrogen production, featuring a nuclear power plant with four 200 MWt helium-cooled HTGR units.

In early 2025, a pilot-industrial line for TRISO fuel production was launched at Research Institute NPO LUCH. Pre-irradiated HTGR fuel samples were tested in various conditions, achieving burnup levels of 4% t.a. and 8% t.a. in reactor experiments at the Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors.

Additionally, samples were tested for over 500 hours at 1,600°C and subjected to extreme conditions at 1,700°C. In 2026, Rosatom plans to conduct reactor tests with HTGR fuel prototypes manufactured at the pilot industrial line, contributing to the development of a nuclear power technology station for hydrogen production.