Industrial and economic development of remote and hard-to-reach territories is a strategic mission in many countries. The design of a small-size floating co-generation nuclear plant (FNPP), developed by Rosatom and unparalleled anywhere in the world, is meant to fulfil this mission. The first demonstration unit of this type, named ‘Akademik Lomonosov’, is under construction at ‘Baltiyskiy zavod’ shipyard in St. Petersburg. FNPP with maximum electric power over 70 MWe comprises two KLT-40C reactors of ‘OKBM Afrikantov’ design, each with 150 MWth thermal capacity. The first FNPP will be sited in Pevek in Chukotka, where there are large oil, gas, gold and other mineral resource facilities nearby.
FNPP strengths stem from a number of unique features. First and foremost, this is a self-sufficient power facility that is totally built at a shipyard as a non-self-propelled vessel, and is then towed to its operation location. Client receives a turnkey power facility, tested and ready for operation, while floating embodiment minimises scope and cost of in-situ construction works. Maintenance and refuelling will be done by existing service facilities of nuclear ships, which possess appropriate tools and equipment and have skilled personnel. After 40 years of operation, the existing unit will be replaced by a new plant, and the ‘old’ one will go back to a shipyard for disposal. “Greenfield” philosophy is applied for the site during and after FNPP operation: there will be no environmentally hazardous materials and substances left there. It should not go unmentioned that because of its nuclear nature, this generating facility will not produce any harmful emissions of СО2.
Rosatom plans to launch world’s first floating NPP in 2016, and after that will be ready to take it to international market. To enable FNPP export to dry climate countries, Rosatom developed a modification of a combined power and desalination plant capable of producing not only electricity but also good-quality potable water from seawater.
There are other projects as well. In particular, to supply electricity and heat to social and industrial facilities located in certain regions of Russia (European part, Urals, Siberia, Far East), ‘OKBM Afrikantov’ designed a medium-size reactor facility VBER-300 with modular water-cooled water-moderated reactor and mature passive systems.