News

Launch of first floating nuclear power plant postponed

Publish date: May 29, 2008

The launch into experimental industrial use of the first floating nuclear power plant, which is currently being built by Russia’s state nuclear utility Rosenergoatom at the northern shipyard of Sevmash could be put off until mid 2011, RIA Novosti reported.

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.

More News

All news

The role of CCS in Germany’s climate toolbox: Bellona Deutschland’s statement in the Association Hearing

After years of inaction, Germany is working on its Carbon Management Strategy to resolve how CCS can play a role in climate action in industry. At the end of February, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action published first key points and a proposal to amend the law Kohlenstoffdioxid Speicherungsgesetz (KSpG). Bellona Deutschland, who was actively involved in the previous stakeholder dialogue submitted a statement in the association hearing.

Project LNG 2.

Bellona’s new working paper analyzes Russia’s big LNG ambitions the Arctic

In the midst of a global discussion on whether natural gas should be used as a transitional fuel and whether emissions from its extraction, production, transport and use are significantly less than those from other fossil fuels, Russia has developed ambitious plans to increase its own production of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic – a region with 75% of proven gas reserves in Russia – to raise its share in the international gas trade.