In June 2019, the Akademik Lomonosov received its operating license from the Russian government, becoming the world’s only active floating nuclear power plant. While the United States had worked on developing floating nuclear power plants as early as the 1960s and 1970s, these plans failed and development projects were halted. Projecting its power in the Arctic Ocean through the Northern Sea Route, Russia revived the idea of a nuclear power plant that can float on the surface of the ocean in 2006. After years of tests and trials, the Akademik Lomonosov is now the latest addition to Russia’s maritime nuclear assets, which include nuclear-powered submarines and icebreakers.
Russia’s plan is to deploy the Akademik Lomonosov on the Northern Sea Route stretching approximately 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) along the Siberian coast in the Arctic Ocean. The power plant will be towed eastwards from Murmansk toward the remote port of Pevek, supplying energy to homes as well as mining and drilling operations in Russia’s mineral-rich Chukotka region at the northeastern-most point of Siberia. The two low-enriched uranium KLT-40S nuclear reactors aboard the Akademik Lomonosov can each generate 35MW of electricity, which would suffice to power an estimated 100,000 homes, and thus can replace an old nuclear power station and a coal-based power plant in the remote Siberian region, according to Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear energy company.
Russia’s move to develop and deploy the floating nuclear power plant is another step in its effort to assert its claims in the Arctic Ocean, which is becoming a strategically critical waterway connecting Asia and Europe as global warming melts Arctic ice and clears the path for maritime trade. The fact that other great powers such as China, Europe, and the U.S. also have a stake in this new trade route pushes the government in Moscow to advance its plans in the Arctic Ocean. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has expressed his aim to increase the amount of cargo transferred on the Artic route to 80 million tons by 2025, which constitutes a fourfold increase in traded cargo. New trade opportunities also signify a greater potential for economic development, which is why the race for control of the Arctic Ocean is of major interest to adjacent states such as Russia and China.
While Russia appears to remain confident about the usefulness of the Akademik Lomonosov, the country’s new enterprise entails several risks and drawbacks, including high costs, environmental concerns, and considerations on nuclear safety regulations. Firstly, even Rosatom acknowledges that the serial production of floating nuclear power plants with the current design of the Akademik Lomonosov is too costly to be financially viable. Russia, however, provided no official information on the total cost of the construction of the power plant and the necessary infrastructure. Regardless, Russia’s government seeks to produce customized floating nuclear power plants for international customers in the future, reportedly utilizing the Akademik Lomonosov as a showpiece.
Secondly, environmentalist organizations such as Greenpeace and Bellona Foundation are concerned that floating nuclear power plants are vulnerable to accidents and natural disasters like tsunamis. If Russia’s floating nuclear power plant were to have an accident or run ashore in a remote area, its backup cooling system could keep the reactor safe for only 24 hours without electricity before a meltdown would occur. Hence, providing timely emergency aid to recover the floating power plant could prove difficult in isolated regions, increasing the risk of a nuclear accident. If Russia’s showpiece, the Akademik Lomonosov, were involved in a serious accident, the reputational risk would rise, complicating Russia’s plans to sell floating nuclear power plants to other countries. Establishing trust with international partners and ensuring the safety of floating nuclear power plants are therefore critical steps in Russia’s business endeavors.
Finally, the issue of nuclear safety risks not only concerns Russia but also international buyers. Russia may potentially sell future floating power plants to customers like Sudan. While Russia may possess the technology and regulatory standards to manage nuclear matter and radiation risks, customers such as Sudan may lack the necessary experience and expertise to manage nuclear emergencies and dispose of depleted nuclear fuel adequately.
While Russia is placing its bets on the Akademik Lomonosov’s successful operation, China and the U.S. are reportedly working on their own floating nuclear power plants. China is likely to accomplish this feat by 2020, while the U.S. is said to be in the early development stage, creating blueprints. What is certain is that rigorous regulatory mechanisms are necessary to ensure nuclear safety globally as states are sailing in unchartered waters with the development of floating nuclear power plants.
