Russia's floating plant heads for final destination

Friday, 23 August 2019

Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev gave the signal for the Akademik Lomonosov to set sail and said, "This is a momentous occasion for our company and for the Chukotka region. Today Akademik Lomonosov begins its journey to Pevek, where it will guarantee clean and reliable energy supplies to people and businesses across the region. This amounts to a significant contribution to creating an Arctic future that is both sustainable and prosperous."

Upon completing the 4700 km journey to Pevek, Akademik Lomonosov will become a central part of the Chukotka region's power supply, replacing the Bilibino nuclear power plant and the Chaunskaya combined heat and power plant.

Rosatom said the project is one of the most promising small nuclear power reactors on the market today. It is especially suited, it said, to very remote areas and island states that require stable, green sources of energy. The technology has attracted interest from the Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Asia, it said.

Rosatom is currently working on the 'second-generation' design - optimised floating power units, which will be built in a series and be available for export.

Floating nuclear power units can operate non-stop without the need for refuelling for three to five years, thereby considerably reducing the cost of electricity generation, Rosatom said. The reactors have the potential to work particularly well in regions with extended coastlines, power supply shortages and limited access to electricity grids, it said. Akademik Lomonosov is 144 metres in length, 30 metres wide and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes. It has a twin KLT-40 reactor system.