Rosenergoatom (Electric Energy Division of ROSATOM) as part of bilateral interaction between ROSATOM and representatives of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (Institute of Atomic Energy and Institute of Radiation Polymer Technologies) on the implementation of a project to modernize the RPP-350 gamma installation intended for radiation processing agricultural products and research work, demonstrated to representatives of the South Asian state the technical capabilities of enterprises included in the ROSATOM circuit. At the Leningrad NPP, guests were introduced to the technology for producing isotopes, in particular cobalt-60.
“At the moment Rosenergoatom is one of the key producers of radioisotopes in the Russian Federation. The share of sterilization cobalt produced at channel reactors of Russian nuclear power plants (branches of the Concern) will amount to about 30% of the world market this year,” said Nikita Konstantinov, deputy general director and director of business development of the generating company.
“The Leningrad NPP has been producing isotopes that are used all over the world for more than 20 years, and the unique design of RBMK-1000 channel reactors allows for continuous production and unloading of isotopes from the reactor “on the fly”, without stopping the power generation process,” said the head of the department radiation technologies of the nuclear power plant Alexey Kondratyev.
Khan Ruhul Amin, project director at the Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technologies of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission: “We see the key priorities in cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh in the development of relations in the field of peaceful nuclear energy. This includes the ongoing project for the construction of the Rooppur nuclear power plant, and the supply of isotope products for the development of multifunctional processing centers in our state, and relations in the field of nuclear medicine. Bangladesh also plans to develop cooperation with Rosatom in the construction of a research reactor. He will be a huge help to our students. This reactor will allow students studying nuclear physics to gain new practical knowledge and use it for future projects.”
Let us recall that now ROSATOM is building two power units in Bangladesh with generation 3+ reactors with a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Once it reaches its full design capacity, the plant will be able to provide about 10% of Bangladesh’s energy consumption.
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Today, Rosenergoatom ‘s product range includes a number of isotopes that are produced at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and are widely used in industry, including food, as well as in medicine, solving a number of environmental problems and much more. For example, cobalt-60 is used to sterilize medical devices and materials, as well as to extend the shelf life and disinfection of food products, modify the polymer properties of materials, and solve environmental issues). Medical iodine-125, iodine-131 are used for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer) and molybdenum-99 (technetium-99m, used for examinations in hospitals using scintigraphy and single-photon tomography). In the near future, production of the radioactive isotope samarium-153 will be launched at LNPP, radiopharmaceuticals based on which are widely used in nuclear medicine. Following the Leningrad NPP, the isotope production technology is already being tested at the Kursk and Smolensk nuclear power plants.
The official supplier of the isotope complex products of the State Corporation “Rosatom” to the international market and the key supplier of radiopharmaceuticals to the domestic market is JSC “V/O “Izotop”. Among the partners of JSC “V/O “Izotop” there are 170 foreign companies located in 50 countries, and about 600 organizations in Russia, including medical institutions, industrial enterprises and scientific organizations.
