Russia’s independent technical institution Glavgosexpertiza on 9 January formally approved construction of the world's first floating NPP (FNPP), the Akademik Lomonosov, to be sited at the Arctic port town of Pevek in the far north-eastern region of Chukotka.
The FNPP is being built for nuclear utility Rosenergoatom (part of the Electric Power Division of state nuclear corporation Rosatom. Having examined the submitted materials, the Glavgosexpertiza experts conlcuded that the design documentation and the results of engineering surveys on the facility complied with the requirements of technical and other and with design documentation. They also determined that the estimated cost of the project had been determined reliably. The 21,000-tonne vessel has two Russian-designed KLT-40S reactor units each with a capacity of 35MWe
designed to generate and supply heat and electricity to consumers. It can also be used for desalination of sea water (up to 240,000 cubic meters of fresh water a day). The plant will replace capacity lost when the ageing Bilibino NPP in Chukotka is shut down. According to Rosatom, Bilibino (4 EGP reactors) generates 80% of electricity in the remote mining region. Unit 1 at Bilibino is scheduled to be permanently shut down in December 2018. The remaining three units will be shut down by December 2021.
Photo: Akademik Lomonosov
