Russia has announced its readiness to collaborate with any African government interested in adopting floating nuclear power plants to tackle energy supply issues and promote sustainable development.
While land-based nuclear power plants are prevalent across Europe, the United States, Asia, and South Africa, Russia stands as the pioneer in designing and operating floating nuclear power plants, a venture it embarked on in August 2020.
The floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov, is named after the renowned 18th-century Russian scientist, Mikhail Lomonosov. Located in Pevek, it serves the Chukotka Region, the northernmost and coldest part of Russia. The plant is equipped with two KLT-40S reactor systems, each with a 35 MWe capacity, similar to those used on icebreakers. Designed by Russian nuclear scientists and naval architects, the vessel is 144 meters long, 30 meters wide, and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes.
Mr. Michael Creg Afful, Editor of Energy News Africa Limited, along with reporters from South Africa, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and India, recently toured the facility at the invitation of Russia’s state nuclear power corporation, ROSATOM. They were greeted by Andrey Valeryevich Zaslavsky, the Chief Engineer of the Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), who provided an overview of the plant’s operations. The tour was further conducted by Viktor Nikolayevich Chyorny, Deputy Chief Engineer for Engineering Support and Quality.
Viktor Nikolayevich revealed that the facility had been operating for nearly four years without incident, underscoring the viability and feasibility of floating nuclear power technology. Looking ahead, he mentioned that Russia plans to develop more floating nuclear power plants with higher generation capacities than the Akademik Lomonosov.
Addressing the plant’s operational adaptability, Viktor Nikolayevich confirmed that the Akademik Lomonosov is fully automated and designed for environmental safety and crew security, capable of functioning in temperatures ranging from minus 50 to plus 50 degrees Celsius.
Highlighting the benefits of floating nuclear power plants over land-based ones, Viktor Nikolayevich noted their lower construction costs, mobility, and zero CO2 emissions. He also emphasized the predictability of operating costs throughout the FNPP’s lifecycle, leading to low fuel price volatility. According to him, constructing a floating nuclear power plant takes about four years.
In conclusion, Viktor Nikolayevich stressed Russia’s eagerness to engage with any African nation interested in floating nuclear power to address their energy needs.
Source; Energy news Africa
