Russia’s floating NPP in Pevek, Chukotka, has presented to the public a report on the environmental activities of the enterprise. The presentation took place in the format of an interregional teleconference with the participation of representatives of the government of the Chukotka Autonomous District, nuclear utility Rosenergoatom as well as relevant departments and the media.
The Akademic Lomonosov FNPP is the world’s only operating low–power floating nuclear power plant and the world’s northernmost NPP. The FNPP, which began operation in 2020, fully provides the city of Pevek (4,000 people) with heat and can potentially provide electricity to a city with a population of up to 100,000 people.
Viktor Yelagin, Director of the FNPP, reported on the environmental monitoring system at the enterprise, as well as on the environmental situation in the Chaunskaya Bay and the city of Pevek. He said that as part of the environmental control of the NPP’s location, there are 11 automatic radiation monitoring posts, as well as four additional points located directly in the city of Pevek. Data on the state of air, water and soil, as well as on industrial waste management, are regularly analysed by specialists and sent to the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, Rosprirodnadzor, and to nuclear regulator Rostechnadzor.
According to monitoring results since the very beginning of operation, the plant confirmed the minimal impact on the environment of Pevek and the surrounding area. The indicators of the impact on the atmosphere, water bodies, soil and waste generation on average per year do not reach 10% of the maximum allowable norm.
“The environmental agenda for our region is the number one priority. The Arctic is a fragile and vulnerable territory, and we must work here with special attention to nature, human health, and the future of Pevek,” said Vladislav Kuznetsov, Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Region. I thank Rosenergoatom and the FNPP for their serious attitude to the environment in the region. Today’s public report confirms how great Rosenergoatom’s environmental responsibility is to every resident of Chukotka.”
“The FNPP is of great importance for Chukotka and for the Russian Arctic. This is a unique energy facility that is closely monitored by the entire global community,” said Jumberi Tkebuchava, First Deputy General Director of Rosenergoatom. “Rosatom’s core values have been and remain the country’s energy security, the safety and security of its citizens, and environmental protection. The system of industrial environmental control of each of our nuclear power plants is developing and improving from year to year, which is confirmed by the annual improvement in the environmental impact of nuclear power plants.”
Starting in 2022, when most of the city’s heat load was transferred to the FNPP, emissions decreased fivefold. Observations of the Chaunskaya Bay of the East Siberian Sea show no significant changes. This means that the ecosystem has not shown any negative effects from the, especially since the project completely excludes the possibility of any radioactive substances entering water bodies.
