Rosatom mulls new yard in Murmansk
The Russian state nuclear power company says it will build a yard for floating power stations near its Atomflot base in the Kola Bay.
Four people connected with Rosatom have told journalists that the company is in process of planning a new yard to be located on the coast of the Kola Bay. It will be specialised on construction of floating nuclear power stations and have a project cost up to 100 billion rubles (€1 billion), RBC reports. Construction might start in 2027.
It is Rosatom Deputy General Director Andrei Nikipelov that is responsible for the project. He is one of many leading company representatives that in January 2025 were included in the latest US sanctions list against Russia, the Russian version of the Barents Observer reports.
According to RBC, the existing infrastructure in the Murmansk area and the nearby service base of Atomflot makes Murmansk a well-suited site for the projected yard. It is planned built on a plot north of Murmansk City, next to the Atomflot base.
Russia today has one floating nuclear power station in operation. The
Akademik Lomonosov was towed to Pevek in 2019 and has since produced power to the small and remote Arctic town. In 2024, the reactors on the Akademik Lomonosov got its uranium fuel elements reloaded for the first time.
The barges for another two stations of the kind are under construction in China.
The new yard in Murmansk is likely to complete the construction of the two stations and also follow up technical service of the Akademik Lomonosov.
Russia has over many years expressed big ambitions for serial construction of floating nuclear power stations.
Rosatom plans to build up to five floating stations for mining projects in the Chukotka area.
A contract to supply four floating nuclear power plants to Chukotka Autonomous Okrug was signed with Rosatom in 2021.
Each of the plants will have an installed electric capacity of 106 MW.
While the Akademik Lomonosov has two KLT-40 reactors similar to those powering the former Arktika-class of nuclear-powered icebreakers, the new generation now being built will get an upgraded version of the RITM-200 reactors producing more steam to the generators.
Rosatom also says it intends to build floating nuclear power station for the export market and sees several African countries as potential buyers.
