The New Russian Nuclear Fleet

This week the Wall Street Journal reports that Russia is considering an new initiative proposed by an ex-con to build a fleet of floating nuclear reactors – ships that can go anywhere to serve as offshore power plants. The article notes that construction began on the first such vessel on April 15th of this year as part of a renewed $60 billion push to build more nuclear capacity, much to the consternation of environmental activists. Last year Rosenergoatom’s general director Sergei Obozov said that “Floating nuclear reactors will be no less reliable than the Kalashnikov” – drawing comparison with one of Russia’s most prized technological exports. Below is a short promotional video from state authorities detailing the plans for floating reactors: