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World’s first floating nuclear reactor arrives in Pevek after 4,700 km voyage on Northern Sea Route

By 0 and 0 and 0
09 September 2019

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The journey started on 23 August and it arrived today, 9 September, after a voyage through the Barents, Kara and Laptev seas. Alexandra Mytnik

Named the Akademik Lomonosov, it has successfully sailed from Murmansk and is intended to start operating in December supplying power to Pevek and oil platforms in the region. 

The journey started on 23 August and it arrived today, 9 September, after a voyage through the Barents, Kara and Laptev seas.

The 144-metre Akademik Lomonosov carries two 35-megawatt nuclear reactors, and work began on it in St Petersburg in 2006.

It has been developed by Russian state nuclear company Rosatom.

Akademik Lomonosov arrived in Pevek


Akademik Lomonosov arrived in Pevek


Akademik Lomonosov arrived in Pevek

’The Akademik Lomonosov is built to the highest standards of resilience and is able to safely withstand a full spectrum of negative scenarios including man-made and natural disasters.' Pictures: Yury Kapasyov

It was accompanied on the journey by tugboats and icebreakers. 

Good weather and ice conditions meant the voyage on the Northern Sea Route was faster than expected. 

For now it has moored several hundred metres offshore. 

The reactor - offering technology which could be sold abroad - showed ‘exceptional seaworthiness’, said officials. 

It is expected to be put in a permanent location by the end of the week. 

It is expected to operate for around 12 years. 

Akademik Lomonosov arrived in Pevek

Good weather and ice conditions meant the voyage on the Northern Sea Route was faster than expected. Picture: Galina Pevek

Environmental groups have campaigned against the facility which replaced a coal-fired power station in the remote region. 

Greenpeace called it a 'nuclear Titanic'.

A spokesman said: ’We think that a floating nuclear power plant is an excessively risky and costly way of obtaining energy.’

The campaigning group’s Rashid Alimov said: 'Any nuclear power plant produces radioactive waste and can have an accident, but Akademik Lomonosov is additionally vulnerable to storms.’

But Rosatom says the new power station will offer ‘clean, green, and stable energy supplies in harsh and remote conditions’.

Akademik Lomonosov departed from Murmansk

FNPP Akademik Lomonosov departs from Murmansk on August 23. Picture: Rosatom

A spokeswoman said: ’The Akademik Lomonosov is built to the highest standards of resilience and is able to safely withstand a full spectrum of negative scenarios including man-made and natural disasters.

'Nuclear icebreakers have been a feature of the Arctic for many years, and the Akademik Lomonosov's high level of safety is one of the features that makes it so well suited to this environment. 

‘There are real people and real businesses across the Arctic who will benefit from the power it supplies.’

The deployment follows White Sea accident during a reported weapons test that led to a spike in radiation. 

Comments (3)

Great news for my remote favorite town on planet earth: the mythic Pevek
Hector, Mexico
22/01/2020 04:17
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Congrats to Russia on forward thinking energy sourcing to remote populations - and Siberia, in particular. Siberia has always been considered a remote, inhospitable area incapable of sustainable development. Not only are we finding out, through multiple sources, like The Siberian Times, Nat Geo, Discovery, etc that Siberia is stunningly beautiful and full of interesting people and culture and scientific discoveries like the woolly mammoth and wolf pup projects, but the Siberian Region is now accessible to tourism and trade by regular air travel, upgraded and expanded road infrastructure and the venerable and improved Trans Siberian RR, but even better, Russia is making a concerted effort to provide energy and warmth to the folks of Siberia. Let's be honest - the primary purpose of massive investment projects like this (movable energy platform) always business, like here for remote oil/gas extraction and to support Russia's developing the Arctic Sea Route, but this movable energy source will also support the Siberian people, culture and it's trade and tourism. Congrats, Russia and Siberia, to looking and moving forward.
C Hammond, Texas
18/09/2019 20:30
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A spectrum of negativge scenarios like:
Russian nuclear submarine failure analysis. (they end up on the ocean floor)
Russian heavy lift space launch failures. (they explode)
Human error.
Tsunami.
Human error.
Exocet missile.
Human error.
Sabotage.
Human error.
Vodka.
Human error.
Higain, Northern California
15/09/2019 03:55
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1
1

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