Sergey Obozov: “The reliability of offshore NPP will be the same with the Kalashnikov gun”.

The first offshore nuclear heat and electrical power plant of small capacity is planned to operate in October 2010 in Severodvinsk (Arkhangelsk district).

This was claimed by Sergey Obozov, the acting general director of “Rosenergoatom” concern on the briefing with journalists on the 13^th of June. The appropriate contracts for the construction were signed on the 14^th of June between “Rosenergoatom” concern and Rusian enterprises. In particular, the contract on construction of offshore NPP and the creation of infrastructure will be signed by FSUE “North machinery building enterprise”; FSUE “OKBM named after Afrikantov” — for the project of reactor unit KLT-40S; OAO “Kaluga turbine factory” — for construction of steam turbine device; OAO CKB “Iceberg” for modification of the project. The financing of the project was taken by “Rosenergoatom” concern and industrial union “Sevmash”.

“The fact that Russia does start the construction of the first offshore NPP in the world means a breakthrough in the sphere of energy technologies”,—mentioned Sergey Obozov. «Nobody says that NPP of low capacity should replace the NPP of high capacity. But only due to its unique characteristics offshore NPP has an advantage in different spheres of operation. So, these NPP could be useful in exploration of northern territories particularly new stores of mineral resources, development of Northern sea route (the energy for port infrastructure), supplying of Navy bases of Northern and Pacific ocean Navies. All in all we have 11 regions of Russia (mostly far North and East) where these NPP can be used.

In accordance with Sergey Obozov’s words the first offshore NPP is regarded as a pilot project of the concern, which can be used as a model for other stations for Russia or other countries. The last (particularly the countries of Asia and Middle East) claimed their interest in such a technology continually, because these technologies can be used for desalination of sea water (the specialists say that the deficit of fresh water will produce a 6 times increase by 2025).

Besides, “the whole engineering cycle will be developed from the very beginning to the very end” while constructing the NPP.

The cost of such NPP with all the infrastructure will be about 9.1 billion rubles, which is much less than construction of such an NPP on the shore. This fact comes from the ability of module construction technology, which was performed at nuclear submarines and ice-breaker’s construction. The payback period is — 11 years.

“Rosenergoatom” as the main sponsor of the project will take the funds for the NPP construction from the development reserve. The share of “Sevmash” in the common volume of financing will be about 20%. 60% of the whole funding goes to the construction of offshore reactor, onshore and hydro devices; 27%—for the creation of two reactor devices KLT-40S, 11%—for two steam turbines and 2% for the required documentation.

As for the net cost of electrical energy of the NPP, than it would be much cheaper than the energy produced by traditional energy generation based on gas, coal or oil products burning in the conditions of the far North. (We revise that the structure of 1 kW per hour in the north is 70% dependant on the cost of fuel. It refers to the high cost of transportation, which is about a half of its full price).

Answering the question on the safety of offshore NPP Sergey Obozov compared them to “Kalashnikov guns” — the world standard of reliability. According to his words the reliability of the project is proved by a more than 40-year operation of soviet nuclear ice-breakers.

Press center of nuclear energy industry