Russia Unveils Floating Nuclear Reactor for Providing Power to Remote Areas

Russia has launched a floating nuclear reactor for providing power to the remote areas. The reactor is all set to sail across the Arctic, despite having warnings of nuclear accidents in the past.

As per the reports of BBC, the Russian nuclear reactor—Akademic Lomonosov, filled with the nuclear fuel would leave the Arctic part of the Murmansk for starting its 5,000-kilometre journey to Chukotka in the far east, permitting it to deliver power to the remote areas.

Russia’s state nuclear corporation—Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation said that this floating reactor is part of the bigger plan of providing power to the remote areas in Russia and the world.

The construction work of this reactor started in 2006 in Saint Petersburg. It has got to KLT-40C reactor systems, each with a capacity of 35 megawatts.

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As per the Director-General of Rosatom—Alekey Likhachev, the reactor could also be used to operate the desalination plants for meeting the water demand of Russia.

Greenpeace—a renown Canadian NGO has not welcomed this initiative by Russia, warning that any nuclear accident in the remote areas could lead to catastrophic damage, if not controlled and contained.

Michael Golay—a professor in the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department at MIT said that this plant could prove sustainable as it makes use of gravity and ocean water for cooling more foolproof.

As per critics, this invention though promises great opportunities also suffers from a threat of operational risks, which could only be identified once the mission is complete.

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