Russia launches floating nuclear reactor in Arctic despite warnings

Russia will launch world's first floating nuclear reactor and send it on an epic journey across Arctic on Friday, despite environmentalists warning of serious risks to region. Loed with nuclear fuel, Akemik Lomosov will leave Arctic port of Murmansk to begin its 5,000-kilometre voy to rastern Siberia. Nuclear ncy Rosatom says reactor is a simpler alternative to building a conventional plant on ground that is frozen all year round, and it intends to sell such reactors abro. But environmental groups have long warned of dangers of project, dubbing it a potential "Cherbyl on ice" and a "nuclear Titanic."

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What is 'Akemik Lomosov' and what does it aim to do?

  reactor's trip is expected to last between four and six weeks, depending on wear conditions and amount of ice on way. Work began on 144-meter Akemik Lomosov in Saint Petersburg in 2006. When it arrives in Pevek, a town of 5,000 in Siberian region of Chukotka, it will replace a local nuclear plant and a closed coal plant. It is due to go into operation by end of year, mainly serving region's oil platforms as Russia develops exploitation of hydrocarbons in Arctic.

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Concerns around floating nuclear reactor

Rashid Alimov, he of energy sector of Greenpeace Russia, said environmental groups h been critical of idea of a floating reactor since 1990s. "Any nuclear power plant produces rioactive waste and can have an accident, but Akemik Lomosov is ditionally vulnerable to storms," he told AFP. A dely explosion this month at a military testing site in Russia's far rth, causing a rioactive surge, has prompted furr concerns. float is towed by or vessels, making a collision during a storm more likely, he said. Because Rosatom plans to store spent fuel onboard, Alimov said: "any accident involving this fuel might have a serious impact on fragile environment of Arctic." He ded that re is " infrastructure for a nuclear clean up" in region.

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Specifications of floating reactor

Global warming and melting ice have me rast Pass - which connects Atlantic Ocean to Pacific along Russia's rrn coast - more accessible. vessel weighs 21,000 tons and has two reactors with a capacity of 35 megawatts each, close to that of those used by nuclear icebreakers. It has a crew of 69 and travels at a speed of 3.5 to 4.5 kts. nuclear industry, seeking to reinvent itself in a gloomy market, is developing smaller, cheaper reactors to attract new customers. y follow examples of submarines, icebreakers and aircraft carriers, which have long used nuclear power and are intended for isolated areas with little infrastructure.

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