The world's first floating nuclear power plant “Academician Lomonosov”, which was put into operation in Chukotka - a pilot project for promising developments. About it FBA “economy today” said the director of the Center for Energy and Security Anton Khlopkov.
First floating nuclear power plant (PATES) “Academician Lomonosov”, located in Chukotka was put into commercial operation after receiving a positive conclusion from Rosprirodnadzor and confirmation from Rostekhnadzor. The departments have come to the conclusion, that the station was built in accordance with the requirements of the project documentation. “Academician Lomonosov” became the eleventh industrially operated nuclear power plant in Russia and the northernmost in the world.
The floating nuclear power plant is unique and has no analogues in the world. The international Power magazine recognized this event as one of the six key events of the year in the global nuclear industry.. The station consists of coastal infrastructure and a floating power unit (PEB) “Academician Lomonosov”. In fact, this is a barge, on which two reactors of the KLT-40S type with electric power 35 MW each. Respectively, electric power of the station – 70 MW, thermal – 50 Gkal/ h.
“It is advisable to consider a floating nuclear installation as an experimental one - this is the first plant of its kind in the world., – notes Khlopkov. – There are many legal and technological aspects to be worked out on it, associated with the operation of such an installation. And many don't understand, Why is such a system needed?. The world has been looking for opportunities to create compact nuclear power plants for a long time., which can be used in remote regions.
At the same time, such installations must be justified economically - that de “Academician Lomonosov” will have to prove its competitiveness. In particular, that the kilowatt-hour of energy generated by its power units is worth the investment, including the creation of nuclear power plants. This means, long painstaking tests of various aspects of the facility operation are ahead. After that it will become clear, Is it worth continuing to develop this project direction?”.
The world is in the race for “mini nuclear power plant”
The first electricity to the isolated network of the Chaun-Bilibinsky energy center of Chukotka “Academician Lomonosov” issued another 19 December 2019 of the year. Since joining the FNPP network, it has already generated over 47,3 million kWh of electricity, now she provides 20% electricity needs of the Chaun-Bilibinsky energy center. And after the decommissioning of the Bilibino NPP, the floating station will become the main source of energy supply to Chukotka. It means, that one barge with adjacent infrastructure will provide energy to the whole region.
According to the preliminary calculations of the designers, the cost of generating electricity at a floating nuclear power plant is approximately equal to wholesale electricity prices in Central Russia. Bilibino NPP - the only nuclear power plant in the world, located in the permafrost zone. Its first power unit is already being decommissioned., the second one will work until the end 2025 of the year. Floating nuclear power plants are planned to be used in Kamchatka in the future, Taimyr and other hard-to-reach regions of the Russian Federation.
“Today, a number of countries are striving to develop, and in some places, preparations are already underway for the construction of so-called small modular reactors. That is, compact power plants based on nuclear technology, which can be quickly delivered or assembled, to meet the electricity needs of remote regions, where there are no stationary power plants. Or they will quickly provide entire areas with energy after natural disasters..
USA, for example, seek to get “mini nuclear power plant” to provide electricity to their foreign military bases. Moreover, these do not have to be floating stations - this option is being developed in Russia. In another version, it can theoretically be transported in a disassembled state by road or rail, and also by air. The main condition is that the fuel at these stations should be changed as rarely as possible., and ideally, the operation cycle of a nuclear power plant will not require its replacement”, – emphasizes Khlopkov.
Security aspects
“Academician Lomonosov” Spent quite a long time in St. Petersburg, where he turned from a barge into a unique nuclear power plant. In the northern capital, he received two icebreaking reactors, at local shipyards, the ship was completely re-equipped for new needs. All this time there was no nuclear fuel on board the floating nuclear power plant under construction.. It was loaded into reactors only at the berth of FSUE Atomflot in Murmansk in the fall of 2018. And in the summer of 2019, the ship went to Kamchatka.
Despite this, a whole protest movement was launched in St. Petersburg against the stay “nuclear facility” on the territory of the Baltic Shipyard. Eco-activists demanded to remove “dangerous nuclear facility” away from the metropolis, pointed to the possibility of leakage of nuclear waste. Disturbances stopped only after the planned departure “Academician Lomonosov” to Murmansk.
“Phobias, related to nuclear facilities, have always been, as well as opponents of the use of nuclear energy in general. However, one thing, when the parties have a reasonable dialogue, quite another, when one of them goes to rallies, and sometimes sabotage. In Western countries, there were precedents for secret penetrations at nuclear power plants, attempts to block work and create dangerous situations. Good, in Russia, such extremes did not reach.
“Academician Lomonosov” complies with all aspects of safety - the reactors installed on it have extensive operating experience. And talk, that their safety is below any other of those, what are operated in Russia, least, groundlessly. Besides, for a floating station, uranium with an enrichment level of less than 20%, it cannot be used for military purposes. Similar reactors of the Russian icebreaker fleet use uranium higher than 20%, what is considered by the IAEA to be highly enriched and suitable for military purposes”, – concludes Anton Khlopkov.
Max Boot
