According to RIA Novosti, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, the Bolshoy MEPhI consortium and Rosatom are working on a project of ultra-small nuclear reactors designed to provide energy to data processing centers (data centers), Valery Romanyuk, vice-rector of MEPhI, president of the Bolshoy MEPhI consortium, told RIA Novosti.

One of the Moscow Data Processing Centers. Photo: Stroy.mos.ru

"We have a subprogram to create a project of ultra-small nuclear reactors as independent power sources for data processing centers from 5 to 50 megawatts," Valery Romanyuk said on the sidelines of the SPIEF 2026 forum.

According to him, the load on Data Centers is growing all over the world. To develop this area, MEPhI is creating a separate structural unit that will specialize in relevant tasks. There are also plans to solve the tasks of optimizing the operation of artificial intelligence-based data centers and developing network infrastructure.

The Greater MEPhI Consortium is a platform for university and large companies interested in developing comprehensive projects in the nuclear, quantum, and information fields to work together.