The world's first and only floating nuclear power plant (FNPP), Akademik Lomonosov, is ready to start commercial operations in the Russian Arctic coast, the country's Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom announced on Thursday.
The Akademik Lomonosov, with a 144-meter length and 30-meter width, has a displacement ability of 21,000 tonnes. The plant is equipped with two reactors capable of producing up to 70 megawatts of electric power. The FNPP is designed to operate for about forty years with the possibility of being extended to fifty years.
The plant's two reactors were successfully brought up to 100% capacity on March 31, according to Rosatom’s statement. The tests at FNPP's twin KLT-40 reactor system confirmed operational stability of the plant's main and auxiliary equipment, as well as the automatic process control systems, the statement said.
Andrei Petrov, director general of Rosatom's subsidiary company Rosenergoatom Concern JSC, said the authorities would now issue the acceptance certificate for the plant with a view to granting the operating license in July. As engineering work is running on schedule, onshore and hydraulic structures for the plant, as well as infrastructure ensuring the transmission of electricity to the local grid and heating for the city's network, are planned for completion by the end of 2019.
Plans are in place to tow the FNPP to the Russian Arctic coastal port town of Pevek during the summer shipping season, where it will replace the outgoing capacities of the Bilibino nuclear power plant and the Chaunskaya combined heat and power plant. Power grid connection is expected in December.
(Anadolu Agency)
