Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev announces 2026 supply of advanced nuclear fuel to China for VVER-1200 and fast neutron reactors, discusses Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant safety, and outlines Russia-China cooperation in nuclear energy, quantum tech, and Arctic shipping via the Northern Sea Route.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev announced in Beijing that the company will continue localizing nuclear fuel fabrication technologies in China to meet the country's increasing reactor demand. Rosatom is also supplying equipment and software for China's CFR-600 fast sodium-cooled reactor.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that Turkey's Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will be commissioned before the end of 2026. He described the project as a key task for Russia's state atomic energy corporation.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt is an absolute priority. The installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the second power unit marks a significant step in Egypt's nuclear industry development and highlights the strategic partnership between Egypt and Russia.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev announced plans to deliver nuclear fuel to Egypt's El Dabaa NPP in the first half of 2027 and connect it to the grid in 2028. The installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the second unit has begun, with workforce expected to reach 30,000 soon.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that the entire Russian nuclear power industry is currently experiencing the consequences of Ukrainian attacks. He cited drone activity near the Leningrad and Smolensk plants and a provisional drone strike on a cooling tower at the Kursk plant, highlighting Zaporozhye NPP as a peak concern.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev announced the potential return of specialists to Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant by mid-July, contingent on the security situation remaining calm, following previous concerns about strike risks.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev warned at the Innoprom-2026 forum that the IAEA's declining perception of Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and Energodar is a dangerous trend, bringing the region "one step away from catastrophe."
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that Armenia might require a high or medium capacity nuclear plant in the coming years to address a potential energy shortage. He suggested that the demand for electricity in Armenia is growing, potentially leading to a deficit of up to 1 GW in the coming decades, necessitating the construction of one or two new nuclear units.
Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia's Rosatom, stated that completing the second and third units of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is impossible without Russian involvement. He mentioned monitoring Iran-US nuclear talks and maintaining contact with the IAEA, suggesting Rosatom may play a role in resolving the Iranian nuclear issue.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated the company is ready to clarify parameters of the Paks-2 construction project for new Hungarian authorities. He confirmed ongoing work, secured funding, and readiness for high-level meetings.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that the US's active development of low-power nuclear power plants validates Rosatom's strategy and confirms the accelerated growth of nuclear generation globally. He congratulated US colleagues on bringing microreactors to physical production after decades.
Rosatom's electric vehicle charging network experienced a 40% increase in demand over one week, with hybrid car owners actively using the stations. The company plans to expand its network to 11,000 stations by 2030.
Construction of the first power unit at Turkey's Akkuyu nuclear power plant is complete, according to Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev. Cold hydrostatic testing has begun, with launch operations expected in a few weeks. The plant will feature four 1,200 MW VVER reactors.
Iran's Deputy Minister of Energy announced that Russian specialists will soon return to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant to resume construction on the second and third units. The decision follows bilateral negotiations with the Russian Energy Minister.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that the IAEA's assessments of attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant are overly generalized and consist of "banal truths." He highlighted that targeted attacks on people continue daily, and tensions are escalating as the "Kiev regime" is not being stopped. Likhachev expressed hope that objections to Ukraine's actions would be heard.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev expressed concern over the West's inaction regarding Ukrainian strikes on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and Energodar. He stated that a plant worker was killed and another injured, along with a pensioner, due to these attacks, warning of escalating violence.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Energodar on Wednesday resulted in the death of one Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) employee and serious injury to another, according to Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. This incident follows earlier reports of casualties in the region.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev stated that a Ukrainian drone attack on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was deliberate and a "precursor to a nuclear incident." The ZNPP director confirmed targeted strikes, noting potential for radiation accidents. Attacks have also disrupted supplies in the satellite city of Energodar.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev urged Europe to increase efforts to de-escalate the situation around the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, warning that it is approaching a "point of no return" and poses significant risks to Eastern European countries.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev offers Indonesia maximum localization of technological processes for nuclear power plant construction and operation, citing successful partnerships in Belarus, Turkey, and Egypt.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev confirmed that startup operations for Unit 2 of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh are on track to begin in 2027, emphasizing the plant's role in ensuring national energy sovereignty.
Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev announced at the physical start-up ceremony of Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant that the project is steadily nearing completion despite challenges including the pandemic, international turbulence, and domestic political changes. Nuclear fuel was loaded into Unit 1's reactor, a key production milestone for the country's first nuclear facility featuring two VVER-1200 reactors with 2,400 MW total capacity.
This unit is a replica of its 'elder brother' - the new units at the Novovoronezhskaya NPP, Alexey Likhachev said
