The idea of nuclear power plants is, we all have to admit, one that elicits a wide range of reactions in people. Many are rather ambivalent; the power that they get at the end of the day is good enough, whether it is produced by coal, hydro or nuclear stations.
Fukushima
For other people, nuclear power stations represent the stuff of nightmares. Just look at what happened at Fukushima in Japan. Although we may take contingencies against most eventualities, we seldom, get all the angles covered, which can lead to terrible disasters.
Nuclear power, in any case, represents one of the most viable ways through which the world’s burgeoning population can continue to have electricity. For all its chequered history, nuclear energy will likely remain in use around the globe well into the foreseeable future.
What are floating nuclear power plants?
Floating nuclear power plants are located on platforms that are placed out in the open ocean. If you have been following developments in the sector, you will have heard that Russia has been building the world’s first floating nuclear power station. The plant is being built at the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint Petersburg, Russia. There have also been reports that China plans to deploy a fleet of floating nuclear power plants to provide power to remote islands by 2020.
Russian company Zapsibgidrostroy is in the process of constructing the world’s first floating nuclear power plant to its location off the Chukotka coast.
Strictly speaking, however, the world has had floating nuclear power plants for decades. Just think of the nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers that prowl the oceans. The only difference with the current concept is that floating nuclear power stations, such as the one that Russia is building, do not self propel and have to be towed out to see using tugs.
Why the need for floating nuclear power plants
The idea of floating nuclear power plants portents a great leap forward in efforts to explore and colonize the world’s remote regions. Just think of the Antarctic, whose extreme temperatures are enough to give pause even to the most adventurous among us. Having such a plant offers the possibility that, in the near future, human beings will be able to live unhindered in remote parts of the globe.
Advantages
Humanity has, for long, looked for flexible ways of taming even the most hostile of environments. One of the major advantages of having floating nuclear power stations is that they would be assembled in factories, which makes them easier to put together.
Today, building a nuclear power plant on land is a rather difficult process that is hampered by countless environmental and other regulations. In addition, having such sites near residential areas is one of the major reasons why a large chunk of the world’s population is now set against nuclear power.
Are Floating Nuclear Power Stations Viable?
Floating nuclear power plants are a viable alternative, since they are projected to have a limited impact on the environment. They are also made safer by the fact that the water in which they float absorbs earthquakes and Tsunamis, which cannot be said of land based nuclear power stations.
Thank you for reading.