Shurochkov Mikhail Vyacheslavovich, Head of Department of Development, Economy and Finance of the Branch of “RosEnergoAtom”JSC «Direction of FAPP projects»

— The project of building the major FAPP in Vilyuchinsk would initiate radical modernization of infrastructure of the remote northern regions on the basis of atomic energy and open up prospects for the widespread introduction of safe and effective innovative energy sources in Russia and abroad.

Shurochkov Mikhail Vyacheslavovich, Head of Department of Development, Economy and Finance of the Branch of “RosEnergoAtom”JSC «Direction of FAPP projects»:

— In connection with the construction of floating APP one can talk about the geopolitical aspects of the issue. Serial floating power plants, which will appear after the project in Vilyuchinsk, should find wide application in the power-hungry areas, as well as the implementation of projects requiring independent power supply in the absence of a centralized energy system.

Currently, there is carrying out a work for substantiation of the investments in the construction of floating APP in Pevek city in Chukotka. Placing FAPP in Pevek will provide reliable and cost-effective energy supply for consumers of Chaun-Bilibinskiy Industrial Economic Area (CHBPER) in the long term, it will enable reducing tariffs for electricity and heat and create conditions for sustainable development of the mining industry of the region.

Mini-series of FAPP are supposed to built for power supply of the northern areas of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The purpose of the project — the creation of a reliable and cost-effective energy base for exploration and development of unique deposits of mineral resources of northern Yakutia, lower cost of electricity and thermal energy in the region, providing socio-economic development of northern ulus (districts).

Using of FAPP of small and medium power capacity attracts Gazprom’s interest — for energy production and transportation of hydrocarbons in the coastal areas of the Arctic and offshore seas of the Arctic Ocean.

Marketing researches show that the floating APP will be in demand in the global market as well. This project awoke interest of a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, where the use of floating NPP as the energy source for desalination plants is most important. The shortage of fresh water in the world is very serious, and in future it will only get worse. Already now in some regions the cost of fresh water exceeds 4.5 dollars per 1 cu. m. and has a tendency to further increase. The situation on the world market can confidently predict the prospects of FAPP for desalination. Interest in low energy today shown almost by all countries — participants of the IAEA. Scientific and technical studies carried out long enough. The most promising and closest to the realization of projects of reactor installations of low and medium power development in South Korea (SMART), Japan (4S), Argentina (CAREM). The U.S.A, with participation of international cooperation, develope the IRIS project; in progress are developments of advanced heavy water reactors in India. At that, most development is focused on the creation of reactors with a capacity of 250–300 MW for use within the framework of regional grid systems. Practical implementation of these projects can be expected no earlier than 2020.

Japan and South Korea are developing reactor systems designed for the same horsepower range, as we do. But Russia still has an indisputable priority. The first floating power unit with the working title «Akademik Lomonosov» should be launched in 2012. The project of building the major FAPP in Vilyuchinsk would initiate radical modernization of infrastructure of the remote northern regions on the basis of nuclear power and open up prospects for the widespread introduction of safe and effective innovative energy sources in Russia and abroad.

We hope that the development of nuclear technologies, the development of reactors with better economic performance, higher security and the ability to scale up their use will allow Russia to retain superiority in this field in the future.