Floating atomic plant for Russia

The Sevmash naval shipyard and Russia’s Atomic Power Agency signed a contract to build the world’s first floating nuclear reactor. The $336 million reactor will be built by the Sevmash plant in the Arctic port of Severodvinsk beginning next year, and will be commissioned in October 2010. Work is expected to start next year on two nuclear reactors and the 144m floating platform for them. Under the agreement between the state-controlled Rosenergoatom consortium and the shipyard, the power station will provide heating and electricity for the Sevmash naval facility.

Russian authorities were looking at 11 other possible remote Arctic sites for such reactors.