Cape Nagloynyn contracts take shape

08 November 2021

The Chinese shipbuilder Wison Heavy Industry will provide the hulls for the Cape Nagloynyn floating nuclear power plant, according to a report by TASS. The rated power of the plant has also dropped since its first announcement.

Wison's shipyard for floating energy platforms in Nantong, China (Image: Wison)

Citing Russian public procurement websites, TASS said Wison will provide the hulls to Rosatom subsidiary Atomenergomash by October 2023 and February 2024. The Chinese builder was selected after Russian shipyards were too busy to complete the order in time. Its Nantong shipyard, 135 kilometres from Shanghai, also produce platforms for floating LNG facilities and for floating wind turbines.

Atomenergomash will receive the barges and fit each one with two pressurised water reactors. Another Rosatom subsidiary, Atomflot, is responsible for delivering the final floating power plants to the Arctic site of Cape Nagloynyn. The first should be in operation by 2027, in time to power a new port and the entire infrastructure of the Baimskaya copper and gold mine. All four reactors are slated to be in position and operational by the start of 2031, providing a total of 212 MWe.

TASS gave some details from the contract between Atomenergomash and Wison. The barges will include containment shells as well as gas- and water-tight storage for liquid and solid radioactive waste. The 'autonomy' of the units will be supported by stocks of fresh water lasting 20 days and food for two months. An emergency diesel generator and boiler will have a 30-day supply of fuel.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News