EGP-6

The EGP-6 is a Russian small nuclear reactor design. It is a scaled down version of the RBMK design. As the RBMK, the EGP-6 uses water for cooling and graphite as a neutron moderator, but uses natural circulation instead of pumping. EGP is a Russian acronym but translated into English it stands for Power Heterogenous Loop reactor. It is the world's smallest running commercial nuclear reactor, however smaller reactors are currently in development. The EGP-6 reactors are the only reactors to be built on permafrost.

There were only four EGP-6 reactors built which formed the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant, commissioned in 1974–1977, with a reactor becoming operational each year. The reactors were responsible for supplying Bilibino with utilities such as electricity, heated water, and steam. The population of Bilibino currently sits at around 5,000 and a large majority of its citizens are associated with the plant. The plant design was developed by the Ural Division of Teploelektroproekt together with Izhorskiye Zavody and FEI in Obninsk. Each EGP-6 reactor at Bilibino produces 62 MW thermal power, generating 12 MW electrical power (11 MW net capacity). As of 2020, the power plant is ready for decommissioning and awaits to be replaced by the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant, which started regular operation in May 2020. The reason for decommissioning the reactors being that Akademik Lomonosov can supply Bilibino's power grid despite being located approximately away from the town. The first EGP-6 reactor was shut down in December 2018, and the other 3 EGP-6 reactors were scheduled to follow December 2021, however a decision was made in 2020 to renew the license of one of the three reactors until December 2025.