Russia plans 30 GW of new nuclear power, Putin says

Vladimir Putin wants Russia to build a lot more nuclear power. At a meeting on nuclear energy this week, Putin laid out the plan. Russia will add roughly 30 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity over the long term. The buildout includes small modular reactors, a newer, smaller class of reactor. It's spread across the Urals, Siberia, and Russia's Far East. Putin also said growing Russia's nuclear exports remains a major goal.

This is worth reading carefully. Every source here just relays Putin's own words, not outside analysts checking the math. That doesn't make the claim false. But there's no independent confirmation of the 30-gigawatt figure, or a real timeline. What is independently verifiable is this: Russia has long been one of the world's biggest sellers of nuclear reactors abroad. Expanding that export business is a genuine strategic priority, not just a talking point. Building more nuclear power at home also supports that pitch. It's easier to sell reactors abroad if you're visibly building plenty at home.

Keep reading — what to watch

Will Russia actually hit 30 gigawatts? Ambitious state energy targets often slip, in Russia and everywhere else. Sanctions over the war in Ukraine have cut Russia off from Western nuclear technology and financing. That makes a domestic buildout at this scale harder than it would've been a decade ago. Watch whether Russia announces specific reactor sites and completion dates, not just a round number at a meeting. That's the difference between a real construction plan and a talking point. The goal of a talking point: reassure nuclear customers abroad that Russia's industry is still strong.