A Floating Nuclear Power Plants - innovation that buds debates among the world

मनो हि मिथ्या जगतो मिथ्यत्वम्।

The mind is the illusion, and the world is illusory.

Corollary: This quote invites us to contemplate the illusory nature of our minds and the external world. It suggests that our perceptions and interpretations are subjective, and reality may differ from our mental constructs. By recognizing the mind’s tendency to create illusions, we can cultivate a deeper sense of discernment and see beyond surface appearances.

Few years ago, Russia has announced that it would be building the world's first floating nuclear power plant to supply 70 megawatts of electricity to isolated communities. Digging into the history USA had hatched the same idea, about half a century ago, thus Russia was desperate to bring this Innovation to fruition at the earliest. Akademic Lomonosov, the world's first floating nuclear power plant (NPP), has been fully commissioned in Pevek, Chukotka region in the Russian Far East.The Akademic Lomonosov started delivering electricity to the isolated grid of the Chaun-Bilibino energy centre of Chukotka on 19 December 2019. The plant has generated more than 47.3 million kWh of electricity since being linked to the grid.

Every child in India knows that Russia is our best friend be it in the field of nuclear reactors, satellites, soft power, crude oil at discount prices, missile technology know how, defence sector and such list continues. This time, Russia has helped India by offering floating nuclear plant technology which is self explanatory of massive benefits offcourse attached are many environment concerns, and in collaboration both nations are sincerely working on the safety concerns and environment related issues. 

Russia offers floating nuclear plant tech to India :-  

Russia has offered India, a fruitful technology for building and operating floating “low power” nuclear power generation projects. This has been revealed in a press release of the Russian state-owned nuclear power company, Rosatom, issued in the context of the the meeting of Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Alexey Likhachev, Director General, Rosatom, in Russia. The discussions on  the reference to floating nuclear power plants is significant. India is growing interesting in ‘small modular reactors’ (SMR), including in India, and some SMRs could be ship-mounted. At an IAEA symposium on floating nuclear power plants that took place in Vienna on November 14 and 15, 2023, legal experts, nuclear and maritime regulators and industry leaders discussed the benefits and challenges of FNPPs and exactly how effective are these FNPPs and what role they could play in the fight against climate change and the transition to Net Zero.

Safeguards and the international legal and regulatory implications needed to be thoroughly analysed, Grossi said. “Nuclear energy has already been in use for about 60 years in naval ships and icebreakers propulsion. 

Benefits that Floating Nuclear Power Plants are mentioning :- 

@ FNPPs will be producing low carbon power and heat for several applications including district heating, desalination and hydrogen production. 

@ Relatively convenient to install at deployment sites.

@ FNPPs address tariff concerns by ensuring stable electricity prices over extended periods.

@  FNPPs are flexible in nature and have the ability to deliver in-situ electric power "on demand" even to remote regions, since they can be moved or towed to position with relative ease within large water bodies, and then docked with coastal facilities to transfer the produced power and heat. 

@ These plants enables to switch towards cleaner energy in close proximity and surely positively contributing towards greener energy.

Disadvantages of FNPPs :- 

Green peace has elaborate some of the concerns over the introduction of Floating Nuclear Power Plants, they are as follows 

# Getting fuel to the floating plant would be expensive and difficult, especially when there are storms and high waves. 

# Long underwater cables would be needed to get the power to the land-based power grid. 

# Nuclear reactors bobbing around the Arctic Ocean pose a shockingly obvious threat to this wild and fragile environment.

#  A large wave can pitch the power station onto the coast. It also can move by icebergs, tsunami, cyclones etc. A collision could damage its vital functions and lead to a loss power and damage its cooling function, and that could lead to a release of radioactive substances into the environment.  

# In the case of a collapse, melting fuel rods come into with seawater, it will first lead to a seawater explosion and potential hydrogen explosions that will spread a large amount of radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere.

# A damaged reactor could contaminate much of the marine wildlife in the near vicinity.

# It takes millions of years to clean up the wastages of such floating nuclear power plants.

Conclusion :- Technology advancement brings sustainability along with troubles that are equally likable events to happen. Likewise Floating nuclear power ensures to provide a steady source of energy at hard-to-reach locations, while at the same time the dangers inherent in nuclear power make some question whether it’s safe enough for areas where help is hard to find. Is floating nuclear power really a good idea?