Image Courtesy: Rosatom
The world’s only operating floating nuclear power plant has successfully completed a major international safety review, with inspectors reporting fewer areas requiring improvement than during its previous assessment in 2022.
The two-week audit was carried out at Russia’s Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant in the Arctic port of Pevek by a team of 13 specialists from the Moscow Center of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). A representative from China also reviewed the plant’s administrative operations in Saint Petersburg. Inspectors evaluated daily operations, technical documentation, maintenance procedures, engineering support, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, and other key safety areas, <a href=”https://interestingengineering.com/energy/russian-floating-nuclear-power-plant”>according to Interesting Engineering</a>.
Rosatom said the latest inspection found fewer technical issues than the previous review, reflecting continued improvements in the facility’s operations. Viktor Yelagin, director of the floating nuclear power plant, said the results place the facility alongside Russia’s highest-performing nuclear power stations, including the Balakovo and Kalinin plants, highlighting the team’s ability to maintain safety standards aligned with international best practices.
Named after 18th-century Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, the Akademik Lomonosov serves as a mobile power station supplying electricity and district heating to remote Arctic communities. Unlike conventional nuclear plants built on land, the facility is housed on a permanently moored, non-self-propelled steel barge measuring 144 meters (472 feet) long and 30 meters (98 feet) wide, with a displacement of 21,000 tonnes.
The plant is powered by two KLT-40S nuclear reactors, each capable of producing 35 megawatts of electricity, giving the facility a combined generating capacity of 70 megawatts. Based on reactor technology used aboard Russian icebreakers, the systems are enclosed within reinforced containment structures designed to withstand harsh Arctic conditions, including severe storms and heavy wave impacts.
The reactors require refueling every three years and are designed for a 40-year operational lifespan, with the potential to extend service to 50 years. Spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste are stored safely within dedicated compartments inside the vessel until decommissioning.
When the plant reaches the end of its service life, it will be towed to a specialized shipyard where all nuclear fuel and radioactive waste will be removed and transported to storage facilities on mainland Russia. Officials say no radioactive waste will remain in the Arctic after the plant is retired.
