The 9-billion-rouble ($352-million) floating nuclear stations will have two
nuclear reactors, which use uranium enriched to a maximum of 20 percent. Total
capacity will be 70 megawatts and the stations will also desalinate sea water.
Nuclear officials say the reactors, used by atomic icebreakers, are sturdy
enough to withstand earthquakes.
They say the reactor powering the Kursk nuclear submarine survived intact
despite a blast which sunk the vessel in August 2000 with the loss of all 118
crew.
"The reactor (on the Kursk) was put through an incredible trial but
afterwards experts said it could have been immediately restarted," Russian
nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass news agency.
The first power plant will be named "Academician Lomonosov." Mikhail
Lomonosov was an 18th-century Russian scientist who achieved worldwide acclaim
for his work in chemistry and physics and was founder of Moscow's state
university.
Customers could include Russian state controlled gas giant Gazprom, the
northern region of Chukotka and countries from Namibia to Indonesia, industry
sources told Reuters.
Russia's leading physicist, Yevgeny Velikhov, predicted high demand: "It will
be like an order for an aircraft - want a nuclear power station? Then order
one."
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