The signing took place during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where the two sides will study how to implement the sea-based units and the terms of cooperation.
Vladimir Aptekarev, deputy head of Rosatom’s mechanical engineering department, said: “The cooperation includes joint work on developing a solution for supplying power to both industrial and domestic consumers in the Republic of Guinea through the use of floating nuclear power units with RITM-200 reactors, which have already proven their efficiency … The power supply problem in the African region is urgent and our main task is to provide our partners with a fast, reliable and environmentally friendly solution.
He added that the agreement “demonstrates the high global interest in our technology”.
The floating power units developed by Rosatom are based on the RITM-200 reactors used in the latest generation of nuclear-powered icebreakers. The first floating power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov in the Chukotka region, will be launched in 2020, providing 70 MWe plus heat to nearby coastal areas.
Under a contract signed in 2021, Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division will supply four floating power units (FPUs), each with a capacity of up to 106 MW of electrical power, for the Baimsky Mining and Processing Plant. Three of the FPUs will be primary units, while the fourth will serve as a backup, and the project is designed to be the first “serial” reference for floating power units and the world’s first experience with electrification using a floating power unit for mineral extraction projects.
In a Q&A interview for World Nuclear News last month. Aptekarev said that 100 MW floating power units are being developed for export “with improved technical and economic performance suitable for relatively warm climates,” adding that negotiations are “underway with several countries in different regions of the world, with some negotiations already underway.