The Role of Small-Scale Atomic Power in Meeting Power Requirements in Remote Regions,

Abstract : Work on creating low-power nuclear power sources in the USSR is carried out as part of the overall program for the development of atomic power engineering, and is mainly directed toward solving problems of supplying remote and poorly accessible regions of the country with power. Such regions include basically the polar territories of the Asiatic North. The route to these regions from the developed areas of the country extends 10,000-12,000 km along the Siberian Railway or sea routes through the Arctic seas and then along the Siberian rivers and permanent and temporary (winter) roads. These regions have significant stores of valuable raw materials, the need for mining which is dictated by the general plan for the development of the national economy of the country. Here there have been created a number of industrial centers, and copper-nickel, gold, tin, and diamond-mining industries have been developed. (Author)