Russia to build closed fuel cycle nuclear system by 2030

27 September 2025

At the Global Atomic Forum held in Moscow, Russian President Putin said that Russia will launch the world’s first nuclear energy system with a closed fuel cycle by 2030 in the Tomsk region.

President Putin stated that the development would allow for virtually the entire volume—95%—of spent fuel to be reused repeatedly in reactors.

“This mechanism will ultimately make it possible to almost completely solve the problem of radioactive waste accumulation and, crucially, essentially resolve the issue of uranium availability,” he said, describing the project as one of Russia’s proudest scientific achievements.

The Russian leader argued that nuclear powerplants provide unmatched stability, affordability, and environmental benefits. However, global uranium resources will be fully depleted by 2090, according to OECD estimates, while in practice, this could occur as early as the 2060s. Therefore, the closed fuel cycle reactor would present a revolutionary step in nuclear technology.

Source: Anadolu Agency