Will Modi-Putin discuss floating nuclear power plants for India?

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin of Russia visit the Rosatom pavilion in Moscow, a permanent exhibition of the history, progress, and future concepts of Russia's nuclear power technology, nuclear energy solutions are to be a key aspect of the bilateral discussions.

Given that India is the biggest customer of Russian nuclear technology exports, it would be interesting to see if India would consider the Russian Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), a niche civilian technology that only Russia has demonstrated so far.

Notably, during his Russia visit in May this year, the Indian Atomic Energy Commission Chief and his Russian counterpart discussed floating nuclear power plants and larger nuclear power plant projects for India.

"We are ready for serious expansion of our cooperation with India in the field of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This include, first of all, serial construction of the Russian-designed high-capacity nuclear power units at a new site in India, implementation of land-based and floating low-power generation projects, cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle area, as well as in the field of non-power applications of nuclear technologies,"Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation, had said in May 2024, as he hosted India's Atomic Energy Commission ChairmanAjit Kumar Mohanty in Russia's Tomsk region.

For more than four years, Russia has been operating the world's first and only FNPP. This author had recently reported from on-board the ship-like FNPP that is placed by the Russian Arctic port town of Peek, in the country's lesser-developed Far East region.

Located above the Arctic circle, Pevek is a town that witnesses winter temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius and even the summer temperatures don't exceed 8 degrees Celsius, with chances of sub-zero weather even in the summer months.

The power generated by the FNPP is distributed to Pevek and the adjoining towns through the local power grid.

According to Russia's Nuclear power agency Rosatom, such a solution can offer reliable, all-weather power supply in the remotest parts of the world, in island territories, and in regions where it is not feasible to build a conventional Nuclear power plant.

Also watch |WION Reports from Russia's far-east | On-board world's only floating nuclear power plant

A conventional nuclear power plant takes decades to build and operationalise, it requires vast tracts of land and other resources. In contrast, an FNPP can be built to order in four or five years and can be towed to the destination.

Rosatom mentions that an FNPP can have an operational life of 40 years or more. Once decommissioned, it can be towed back, dismantled, and disposed safely. In comparison, a land-based powerplant plant leaves behind its traces even after it is decommissioned.

Built like a ship, the FNPP "Akademik Lomonosov" measures 144 metres in length and 30 metres wide, stands 30 metres tall, and has a displacement of 21,000 tonnes.

It houses two KLT-40S nuclear reactor systems, each of which generate 35 megawatts of energy. The total 70MW power output of the FNPP is sufficient to provide power and heat for one lakh people.

The nuclear reactors used on the FNPP are similar to the ones used on Russian icebreaker ships that cut through the frozen Arctic ice and clear a passage for shipping. For several decades, Nuclear reactors have been powering and propelling submarines and aircraft carriers. However, the Nuclear reactors on the FNPP only provide power and heat, as the FNPP is not a moving ship and does not have propellors. When necessary, the FNPP is towed using tug boats.

Whenqueried about the safety track record of the FNPP and its ability to withstand tsunamis, hurricanes, and similar natural calamities, Viktor Nikolayevich, Deputy Chief Engineer, FNPP, told this author that the floating plant is designed and built with safety features that can help it withstand all natural calamities.

He added that the plant is designed to operate safely and without any radiation leaks or risks to the people and environment, even if a medium-sized helicopter (similar to Russian Kamoc-32s) were to crash on it from an altitude of 50 metres.

Since the reactors of the FNPP are based on those used in the Russian Nuclear icebreaker vessels, Rosatom maintains that they are totally rated for handling the horizontal and vertical accelerations (similar to an earthquake) that occur when breaking through the ice. In the worst case scenario, if needed, the FNPP can also be towed far away from habitation.

Also watch |Russia floating nuclear power plant 'Akademik Lomonosov' caters to energy in Russia's far east

As per data shared in 2023 by the Indian Atomic Energy Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh,the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country was about 2.8% in the year 2022-23.

He added that installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 7480 MW, comprising of 23 nuclear power reactors. He also mentioned that India's nuclear power generation would nearly triple by the year 2031, on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction.

This would mean that India's nuclear power plants would go from presently generating 7480 MW to 22480 MW by 2031. The government has also accorded ‘in principle’ approval for new sites to set up nuclear reactors in the future, Dr. Singh said.

India has a 7,500 kms long coastline and is flanked by the Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep archipelagos. India has been looking at boosting tourism and also enhancing the presence of its military on many of these islands, given their strategic location in the larger Indian Ocean region.

Considering the export potential of FNPPs to friendly-foreign nations, Russia is also developing larger floating reactors that can each generate 53MW of power. When two such reactors are coupled and placed in an FNPP, they can generate in excess of 100MW power, which is significantly higher than the present FNPP that generates 70MW.

Russia and India have remained all-weather partners for decades and this is a partnership that was built from the Soviet-era. India-Russia ties span various strategic domains including Defence, Nuclear Energy, Space, Science and technology etc.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), India's largest nuclear power generating facility is the flagship project of Russian-Indian technology and energy cooperation. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu, KKNPP comprises six Russian-designed power units equipped with pressurized water reactor plants with a capacity of 1000MW each.

At present, two of these reactors are active and generate 2000MW, whereas the remaining four reactors are under different stages of construction. Once fully ready, all six plants would generate 6000MW.