Recent events directly indicate that a new trend is beginning to form in Europe. After numerous discussions and a wave of criticism of the nuclear power plants, the states, assessing their prospects, change their anger to mercy. In particular, the issue of complete abandonment of the nuclear power plant is no longer being considered. For example, France continues its policy and does not even think to reduce the nuclear energy sector, Germany is slowing down the pace of decommissioning its nuclear power plants, and the UK intends to modernize or replace old power units with new ones. As noted by the Italian publication Il Sore 24 Ore, recently European countries have realized the value and prospects of nuclear energy, because of which it will soon play its former important role. At the same time, more attention is now paid to the technological aspects and safety of nuclear power plants. Probably, the reason for this was the events of 2011 at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima-1.
Against the background of European processes related to the abandonment of nuclear energy, one of the most daring and interesting projects in this area recently appeared not in the EU countries, but in Russia. This is the construction of the floating thermal power plant (FNPP) "Akademik Lomonosov". While European politicians were arguing about the need to preserve or close nuclear power plants on the ground, Russian engineers and shipbuilders launched a full-scale construction of a completely new class of equipment. The result of this project in the coming years will be the emergence of a non-self-propelled vessel with nuclear reactors and generators on board. One floating nuclear power plant of the new project with a capacity of 70 MW will be able to provide electricity and heat to a settlement in which about 200 thousand people live, or several large industrial enterprises. In addition, if necessary, Akademik Lomonosov will be able to desalinate seawater in an amount of up to 240 thousand cubic meters per hour.
The first floating nuclear thermal power plants of this project will serve in the northern and far eastern regions of Russia. In the future, the construction of a floating nuclear power plant for foreign customers is not ruled out. Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries have already shown their interest in this technique. Europe is so far interested in only some technical details, but is in no hurry to initiate negotiations on the purchase or joint construction of a floating nuclear power plant. Probably, most European states are not yet ready to engage in such bold, albeit promising, projects. However, the Italian journalists from Il Sore 24 Ore could not ignore one aspect of the new Russian project. They note the fact that nuclear reactors for the floating nuclear power plant under construction are based on old Soviet military designs. In this regard, an assumption is made regarding the use of remanufactured units and assemblies removed from the dismantled nuclear submarines.
It should be noted that the topic of floating nuclear power plants attracted not only Russian scientists and designers. Thus, the French shipbuilding company DCNS, together with several specialized organizations, is currently developing the Flexblue project. It is planned to create a relatively large sea-based installation, but it will differ significantly from the Russian floating nuclear power plants. According to the current design of the project, French-made nuclear power plants will be a cylinder about 100 meters long and 12-15 meters in diameter. Reactors and all the necessary equipment will be located inside the robust housing. Before launching, such a power plant will be delivered to the desired location a few kilometers from the coast, laid on the seabed at a depth of about 60-100 meters and fixed there. Subsea nuclear power plants with a capacity of 50 to 250 megawatts can be built in accordance with this concept. This will allow supplying electricity to a settlement with a population of one hundred thousand to a million people.
Other European projects of nuclear power plants of a new look are still at the very early stages and are unlikely to even reach the elaboration of technical documentation in the near future. Almost all European states that have their own nuclear power now intend to engage in its traditional form, which implies the operation of ground-based facilities. At the same time, promising technologies and types of nuclear reactors are being investigated. In view of the ambiguous economic situation in Europe, it is hardly worth expecting that the construction of new nuclear power plants will begin in the near future. Moreover, a few months ago, some countries actively using nuclear power (including France) announced that they would not build nuclear power plants in the near future.
As a result of all recent developments in European nuclear power, an interesting but controversial situation has emerged. Several countries are carrying out projects designed to improve the equipment and state of the industry, but economic problems do not allow them to take up their full-scale implementation. In addition, the current public attitude towards nuclear power plants further complicates the situation with the prospects for the industry.
However, the capabilities of nuclear power plants, both stationary, made in the form of a complex of capital structures, and floating or installed on the seabed, allow us to make assumptions about their future. Efficiency over time will allow such systems to regain their former prestige and lost share in total electricity generation. In the long term, nuclear power plants may continue to grow and crowd out other types of power plants. However, at present, the number of such power plants is not only not growing, but even decreasing. Obviously, the expected turning point in the views of those in charge will not happen today or tomorrow, but already now European politicians are rejecting the simple closure of nuclear power plants without taking into account the consequences of such decisions. Therefore, for now, it remains to monitor promising projects like Russian floating nuclear power plants or French Flexblue and wait for news about the development of nuclear power.
