Akademik Lomonosov: Russians to deploy floating nuclear power plant

The general director of one of Russia's largest shipbuilders, Aleksandr Voznesensky, has announced to reporters that a floating nuclear power plant is currently under construction at one of Russia's ship yards. 

He added that it will likely be ready for use by 2016. 

The Russians are calling it a "floating power" station, abbreviated to PEB. The vessel has been given the name Akademik Lomonosov.

Several countries, including the United States and China have considered building floating nuclear power plants but until now, no other known vessels have reached the construction phase.

The advantages of a floating nuclear power station are obvious—electrical power could be brought to areas that are not currently being served by other means.

Russia in particular has many far-flung outposts in its eastern region that have had difficulty flourishing due to the financial constraints of building power plants so far away from everything else.

The Akademik Lomonosov will have two KLT-40 naval propulsion reactors modified to serve as power providers for an external location—with a displacement of 21,500 tons.

Lomonosov noted that nuclear powered marine vessels have a proven safety record going back 50 years. Many nations now routinely deploy nuclear powered ships, submarines and even ice-breakers.

He also stressed that the design of the vessel will be such that the platform will be capable of withstanding a tsunami or even a collision with land or a ship.

The Akademik Lomonosov will not be able to power itself however, which means it will be towed to wherever it's needed.

The vessel will be operated by a crew of 69 people and will also conform to regulations set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Lomonosov said that plans are underway to build a fleet of the floating platforms to provide cities and towns across Russia with electricity for general use and more specifically for heating homes and businesses.

The Akademik Lomonosov will be capable of generating 70 MW of electricity—enough to power a city of 200,000 people.

He noted also that such vessels could also be used to power desalination plants, providing 240,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily.

NASA Rover Curiosity: Plutonium Dioxide Power

More power than can be achieved by solar panels is necessary to run the Mars Science Laboratory aka "Curiosity".

Heat from the decay of plutonium dioxide will generate 110 watts of electrical power to charge the rover's batteries.
Credit: NASA

Russia, Iran unusually shy about start date of nuclear power plant

Both Russia and Iran refused on Monday to say when the Islamic republic's long-delayed first nuclear power plant at Bushehr would come on line, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"There is no need to make another (start date) promise," the agency quoted visiting Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko as saying.

"We have been working on this power plant jointly with a sense of responsibility, and the plant will be fully operational in a short time."

Shmatko spoke to reporters in the southern city of Bushehr, after the facility being built by Moscow underwent a pre-commissioning test.

Earlier this month Shmatko said that the plant would not begin operations by the end of 2009 as previously announced. Its start date has been delayed several times.

In 1995 Iran handed over the unfinished project, launched by Siemens of Germany in the 1970s, to Russia. Moscow has repeatedly extended the completion date in recent years.

Shmatko blamed delays on "complications of equipment and technology in such a unique power plant."