Rosenergoatom spokesman Ashot Nasibov said that, “in the process of realizing the project it was clear more time was needed for the new technological operations.”

“The delay is caused in the first place by additional elaboration of innovative technological solutions for the floating nuclear power plant. As a result, the current general delay in construction will be five months. That being said, the steam turbine generators are 60 percent complete, the first reactor is 50 percent complete, the second reactor is 48 percent complete and the hull is 30 percent complete.” Nasibov said, according to the agency.

Nasibov made a special effort to underscore that he was speaking of a “possible” delay of the launch of the floating nuclear power plant, which had been planned for industrial scale release in mid-2010

“We plan to launch industrial scale use of the floating nuclear power plant in 2011, as per schedule,” he said.

Rosenergoatom and Sevmash had earlier signed a declaration of intention to build a series of seven 70-megawatt floating nuclear power plants.

The first floating nuclear power plant will supply electrical energy to Sevmash itself. Rosenergoatom further presumes that floating nuclear power plants will be put to wide use in energy-poor areas, as well as in large scale projects demanding uninterrupted energy supplies in the absences of a power infrastructure. According to planners, the plants will be of special interest to Eastern Pacific Rim nations.

Rosenergoatom plans to launch a fleet of seven floating nuclear power plants for Russia by 2015.