Azamat Khochuev, head of the Northern Sea Route and Arctic Development Department at Rosatom, announced that four new floating nuclear power plants will be built in Russia.
This was stated by him during the "Arctic-Regions" forum, which began on August 13 in the city of Arkhangelsk in northwestern Russia.
He added that there are several approaches in this field, including consolidating production facilities and fields in one location. However, developing these areas also requires enhancing their competitiveness, which can be achieved by providing energy at affordable prices.
He pointed out that there is a solution that has already been tested and implemented: building floating nuclear power plants. He said that the Akademik Lomonosov plant has been operating for several years in the city of Pevek, providing the city with energy and proving its effectiveness, adding: "We plan to build four more plants of this type."
Azamat Khochuyev explained that floating nuclear power plants can be docked anywhere and allow for the extension of power transmission lines, providing greater flexibility and reducing costs, as well as ensuring competitive energy prices.
The forum’s plenary session also addressed the development of technologies, the reduction of operating costs, and the creation of a competitive infrastructure, which would not only enable the exploitation of the Arctic region’s resources, but also contribute to transforming it into a center for economic development.
The head of the administration said: "We are building new cities and production facilities in the Arctic region, providing job opportunities, and developing infrastructure. In other words, the exploitation of Arctic resources is based on economic development, and this is our advantage."
Reactor type : The plant contains two KLT-40S nuclear reactors.These are an upgraded version of the reactors used in Russian nuclear icebreakers..
Production capacity : The total electrical capacity of the station is approximately 70 MW (35 MW per reactor).It can also produce up to 300 megawatts of thermal energy, or about 50 gigacalories per hour.
Dimensions and weight : The floating structure is 144 meters long, 30 meters wide, and has a draft of 5.6 meters, with a water displacement of up to 21,500 tons..
The station is designed to operate for 40 years, with the possibility of extending this lifespan after necessary maintenance..
Location : The station is docked in the city of Pevek, located in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in the far north of Russia..
Status : The plant entered full commercial operation in May 2020 and is currently the only operating floating nuclear power plant in the world..
To provide the main source of electricity and heating for the city of Pevek and its industrial facilities, replacing the Bilibino nuclear power plant and the Chaun coal-fired thermal power plant..
Start and finish : The ship's keel was laid in April 2007, and it was launched into the water in June 2010.Its construction was fully completed in 2018..
Cost : The initial cost of building the station was approximately US$336 million..
In the fall of 2019, the floating power unit was moved from Murmansk to its current location in Pevek.
The Akademik Lomonosov is a prototype of a mobile, low-power nuclear power plant, designed to provide energy to remote and hard-to-reach areas.It has proven its effectiveness by providing a reliable energy supply and has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 390,000 tons. It has also undergone review by international experts, and the results show that it meets the safety and operational standards of the best Russian nuclear power plants..
