Russia expects operating licence for floating plant in July

Wednesday, 24 April 2019

Akademik Lomonosov is 144 metres in length, 30 metres wide and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes.

The plant's two reactors were successfully brought up to 100% capacity on 31 March. These tests confirmed the operational stability of the main and auxiliary equipment of the plant, as well as the automatic process control systems, Rosatom said.

Andrei Petrov, director general of Rosenergoatom, Rosatom operator subsidiary, said an acceptance certificate for the unit would now be issued by the regulatory authorities with a view to the granting of an operating licence in July.

At the same time, onshore and hydraulic structures for the plant, as well as infrastructure ensuring the transmission of electricity to the local grid and heating for the city’s network, are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year in Pevek, which is the Chukotka region of northern Russia. Engineering work is running to schedule, Rosatom said.

The plant is scheduled to be towed to the Port of Pevek during the summer shipping season where it will replacing the outgoing capacities of the Bilibino nuclear power plant and the Chaunskaya combined heat and power plant. It is expected to be connected to the power grid in December.