Chukotka is preparing to host the world's first floating nuclear power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov. The plant is currently in Murmansk but it will soon go to Pevek, the most northern city of Russia. It's going to start supplying electricity this December there. According to estimates, the plant can produce up to 70 MW of electricity. Experts hope that the unique FNPP will help develop the country's northern regions.
The Akademik Lomonosov spent more than a year in the Port of Murmansk. It was the time needed to finish commissioning it and top off its nuclear fuel. It’s like a giant nuclear battery the size of a football field. It's capable of providing electricity to a small Russian city with a population of 200,000 people. The first city to be powered by the Akademik Lomonosov is Pevek in Chukotka. There, coal is still used to generate electricity. The crew is preparing to depart to the port of registry. Final preparations are taking place on board.
Dmitry Alekseenko, FNPP Deputy Head: "This project's upside is it can be transported to different remote regions where it's needed. Also, it doesn't need any infrastructure. It has everything inside".
There's nothing like this floating NPP in the world. It can be towed anywhere in the world to operate there independently. The heart of the ship is two reactors. Using them, the Akademik Lomonosov, depending on the tasks, can produce energy or desalinate seawater. The engine room still smells of fresh paint. All equipment is ready to go. One of the generators is here. It's going to produce energy in Chukotka. Its capacity is 35 MW. There, behind the bulkhead, is the reactor hall. It's for authorized personnel only. The plant is managed by a mixed team of nuclear scientists and sailors. Both the ship and the reactor are controlled from one room. For reference, this plant is capable of reaching its 100% capacity in a couple of hours. A land-based station needs 24 hours to reach its 100% capacity. The power unit control panel here on the ship is practically no different from the one at any land-based nuclear power plant. Except for one thing — these handrails. Operators can hold onto them in bad weather. The reactor can operate safely even with a roll of 27 degrees, which is almost sideways. Thanks to the efforts of Russian engineers, the ship can withstand a tsunami or a category 8 earthquake. Moreover, serving here is not only safe but also comfortable. The residential block of the ship is more like a three-star hotel with wide corridors, railings, and cabins.
The preparations for departure are in full swing. Everyone's busy. It took ten years to implement the project. According to the forecasts of the engineers, in the near future, one such plant will provide electricity to remote construction sites not only in Chukotka but throughout Russia as well. There are also foreign customers.
Pavel Ipatov, Rosenergoatom Deputy Director: "Today, we are developing not only FNPPs but we also plan to build land-based nuclear power plants on the basis of these nuclear transport units".
The appearance of such a ship is the beginning of the revival of nuclear shipbuilding. In the future, the industry will apply the accumulated experience and innovative engineering breakthroughs. Tomorrow, the Akademik Lomonosov will go on its first trip after undergoing preparations. It's going to be a long way. The ship will take a month to get to the coast of Chukotka.
Alexander Rudenko, Mikhail Vitkin, Alexander Kututuladze, Vesti from Murmansk.
