The first-ever floating nuclear unit starts the journey to its destination
Akademik Lomonosov, the world's only Floating Power Unit (FPU), set sail for its final destination of Pevek, Chukotka, in Russia's Far East, where it will provide a stable supply of clean energy.
Akademik Lomonosov will guarantee clean and reliable energy supplies to people and businesses across the region
Rosatom's Director General Alexey Likhachev indicated that it was "a momentous occasion. Akademik Lomonosov (...) will guarantee clean and reliable energy supplies to people and businesses across the region. This amounts to a significant contribution to creating an Arctic future that is both sustainable and prosperous."
Upon completing the 4,700 km journey to Pevek, the floating nuclear power unit will become a central part of the region's power supply. It will operate as part of a floating nuclear power plant (FNPP), replacing the outgoing capacities of the Bilibino NPP and the Chaunskaya CHPP.
The FNPP project is one of the most promising branches of small nuclear power reactors on the market today. It is especially suited for very remote areas and island states that require stable, green sources of energy. Rosatom is currently working on second-generation FPUs, i.e. Optimized Floating Poer Unit (OFPUs), which will be built in a series and be available for export.
The FNPP was designed to make it possible to supply electricity to hard-to-reach areas of the Russian Federation, regardless of transport infrastructure, landscape, and cost of fuel delivery. These small nuclear reactors can operate non-stop without the need for refueling for three to five years, thereby considerably reducing the cost of electricity generation.
The reactors have the potential to work particularly well in regions with extended coastlines, power supply shortages, and limited access to electrical grids. The plant can be delivered to any point along a coast and connected to existing electrical grids.
