Floating nuclear power plants to be evaluated for Mediterranean

The partners will research how floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) can unlock a wide range of applications, including the provision of grid-scale electricity to remote locations, decarbonising ports by providing emission-free energy and providing reliable clean energy to desalination plants that will provide potable water to drought-affected coastal communities.

"Nuclear energy is ideally suited to support energy demands across the electric, industrial, shipping and transportation sectors to optimise energy generation, utilise and maintain grid reliability, as well as contribute to decarbonisation," Core Power said.

In October 2024, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) unveiled the industry's first comprehensive requirements for floating nuclear power plants. This consortium will develop original FNPP concepts of operations and publish a visual display of their prospective locations. 

The ABS Global Ship Systems Centre will lead a PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental) study alongside key stakeholders with the aim of assessing the feasibility of adapting FNPP concepts to supply power and other benefits in the Aegean Sea. The main deliverable of this collaboration will be an open-access white paper for use by industry, policymakers and government.

"FNPPs can revolutionise the way we deliver reliable and affordable nuclear energy to provide vital carbon free energy security to islands and coastal infrastructure in the Mediterranean," said Mikal Bøe, founder and CEO of UK-based technology company Core Power. "By constructing and mass-assembling a fleet of FNPPs in shipyards, we can deliver clean nuclear energy on time and budget, solving many of the largest energy challenges we face. Core Power is delighted to partner with industry leaders, ABS and Athlos, on this project."

"As global efforts accelerate to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiencies and strengthen energy security, the use of small modular reactors on floating platforms could offer a viable alternative," added ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher Wiernicki. "Floating nuclear power facilities show promise in supporting power grids, microgrids, industrial and port operations and data centres, among others."

Dionysios Chionis, co-founder of Athlos Energy - established in 2024 to promote the use of nuclear energy in Greece - added: "As Greece reconsiders its energy future, the role of nuclear power is increasingly back on the agenda. This study marks an important first step in accessing the feasibility of deploying floating nuclear reactors in the Aegean Sea."

In February, Core Power announced it would develop a "US-anchored" maritime civil nuclear programme that will "bring floating nuclear power to market by the mid-2030s". The Liberty programme "will lay the foundation for the use of nuclear power in the civil maritime sector", the company said. The first part of the programme will see the mass production of floating nuclear power plants. The expertise gained in rolling out FNPPs on a large scale will pave the way for the second part of the programme, which involves developing nuclear propulsion for civil ships. The Liberty programme will employ advanced nuclear technologies, such as molten salt reactors.

In November last year, Westinghouse and Core Power announced they had signed a cooperative agreement under which they will advance the design of a floating nuclear power plant using Westinghouse's eVinci microreactor and its heat pipe technology. They will also collaborate to develop a regulatory approach to licensing floating nuclear power plant systems.