A new batch of nuclear fuel for the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant has been delivered to Chukotka. The fuel is intended for reactor unit No. 1 of the FNPP, which operates in the city of Pevek.
The floating nuclear power plant is equipped with two KLT-40S "icebreaker-type" reactor units. They differ from conventional land-based nuclear power units in their fuel replacement procedures.
At standard nuclear power plants, partial replacement of nuclear fuel is usually carried out approximately every 12–18 months, Rosatom explained. The floating power plant uses a different approach: once every few years, spent fuel is completely unloaded from the reactor and a new set is loaded.
The first refueling of reactor No. 1 was carried out at the end of 2023, and for the second reactor in 2024. The next such procedure for the second reactor of the FNPP is scheduled for 2027.
The Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant is the world's only operating floating power unit with a nuclear power installation. Its capacity, which is supplied to the coastal grid of Pevek excluding thermal energy, is about 76 MW.
Currently, the FNPP is replacing the retiring capacities of the Bilibino NPP, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya TPP, which has been in operation for over 70 years.
In addition, the plant provides energy to mining enterprises in western Chukotka. Rosatom also reported that floating power units are currently being built to supply one of the largest Russian projects in the field of non-ferrous metals.
What is known about the FNPP "Akademik Lomonosov"
We have already reported on the results of the first five years of the plant's operation: during this time, "Akademik Lomonosov" generated almost 978 million kWh of electricity, confirming its status as the northernmost operating NPP in the world. In the autumn of 2025, the editorial board also reported that the FNPP completed its scheduled maintenance ahead of schedule – the plant was being prepared for its role as the sole major energy source in western Chukotka after the shutdown of the Bilibino NPP. In addition, in February 2026, it was found that the design of the floating power unit proved reliable enough to withstand a five-day storm with wind gusts up to 40 m/s and continue to supply energy to consumers.
The new floating power units mentioned in this publication for the mining sector are modernized vessels of project 20871. In April 2026, it was reported that one of these units for the Baimskaya ore zone received another batch of electrical equipment from St. Petersburg; its capacity will be up to 106 MW.
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