On December 19, 2019, the floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) – a project developed by Rosenergoatom, part of Rosatom’s Electric Power Division – was first connected to the isolated Chaun-Bilibino grid. Since then, it has steadily increased its output.
As of December 19, 2024, the FNPP has supplied approximately 978 million kWh of electricity to the Chaun-Bilibino energy hub in Chukotka. This is sufficient to meet the entire region’s energy needs for more than a year.
Currently, nuclear power accounts for 88 % of the energy mix in the Chaun-Bilibino grid, with the FNPP contributing over 60 %. The plant’s consistent output growth demonstrates its capacity to handle increased demand, especially as the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant is scheduled for decommissioning in late 2025. The FNPP’s design capacity of 429 million kWh per year is crucial for offsetting the retiring capacity of the Bilibino plant (approximately 100 million kWh annually) and meeting the region’s growing energy demand, which saw a record 15 % increase last year.
One of the FNPP’s key roles is to provide a stable energy supply for large-scale mining projects in the Baimskaya ore zone. Among its consumers is the Peschanka deposit, a cornerstone of the prospective Baimsky mining and processing complex.
“Since our launch, we have consistently increased production. In 2020, we generated 127 million kWh, which grew to 175 million kWh in 2021 and 250 million kWh in 2024. Five years of successful operation in the Arctic and the Far North have given Rosatom invaluable expertise in managing such facilities. This experience has laid the foundation for Rosatom’s new projects in small nuclear energy, enabling the development of remote and isolated regions using Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology. In addition to the FNPP, Rosatom is also working on a new floating nuclear power plant with four reactors at Cape Nagleyynyn in Chukotka and a land-based SMR with the latest RITM-200 reactor in Ust-Kuyga, Yakutia,” said Andrey Zaslavsky, Acting Director of the FNPP.
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The FNPP “Akademik Lomonosov” delivers approximately 70 MW of electricity to Pevek’s grid when operating without heat energy output. In its maximum heat generation mode, it provides around 44 MW. While Pevek’s population is just over 4,000, the FNPP has the potential to power a city of up to 100,000 residents.
The FNPP was first connected to the Chaun-Bilibino grid in December 2019, a milestone recognised by POWER magazine as one of the six key global nuclear energy events of the year. In 2020, it received the prestigious Asian Power Award for Best Nuclear Power Plant.
The FNPP was deployed in Chukotka to address two primary goals: replacing the aging capacities of the Bilibino Nuclear Power Plant (operational since 1974) and the over-70-year-old Chaunskaya Thermal Power Plant, and ensuring reliable energy supply for mining enterprises in the Chaun-Bilibino hub, including gold mining companies and projects in the Baimskaya ore zone.
The comprehensive development of Russia’s Arctic zone is a strategic national priority. Increasing freight traffic along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is crucial for achieving transportation and logistics goals. This development relies on regular cargo shipments, new nuclear icebreakers, and upgraded infrastructure. Rosatom enterprises play an active role in advancing these initiatives.
