Russia to Build $815 Million Arctic Shipyard for Its Growing Fleet of Floating Nuclear Reactors

Russia plans to begin construction of a new $815 million shipyard in Murmansk in 2027 to service its expanding fleet of floating nuclear power plants, as Moscow seeks to strengthen its nuclear energy infrastructure in the Arctic and promote the technology to foreign markets.

According to The Barents Observer on October 20, Rosatom subsidiary Energoflot Murmansk is seeking a contractor to develop the shipyard, which will be located on the eastern shore of Kola Bay, north of Atomflot’s existing base for Russia’s nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet.

The project is estimated to cost 65 billion rubles (approximately $815 million) and will include docking facilities for floating nuclear power plants, equipment installation, utility systems, and new road and railway connections.

Russia currently operates one floating nuclear power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov, which has supplied electricity to Pevek in the Russian Far East since 2020.

However, Moscow is preparing to expand its fleet significantly. A second floating nuclear power plant, equipped with larger reactors, is being outfitted at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, while three additional units are under development, with their hulls being constructed in China.

All four new plants are intended to supply electricity to the Baimsky copper and gold mining complex in Russia’s Arctic region, approximately 400 kilometers inland from Pevek.

Although floating reactors can be refueled at their operating locations, they require specialized docking facilities for major maintenance and repairs. According to the report, no existing shipyard along Russia’s Northern Sea Route can accommodate vessels of this size, making Murmansk a key location for the project.

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Beyond domestic energy production, Rosatom is seeking to export floating nuclear power plants to international customers.

In April, Rosatom chief executive Alexey Likhachev said negotiations with Indonesia over a potential floating nuclear power plant had reached their final stage. Russia has also discussed similar projects with Brazil, Argentina, Malaysia, and Cuba.

Despite these ambitions, Rosatom has yet to secure its first international contract for a floating nuclear power plant.

Earlier, leaked internal correspondence revealed reported delays, financial irregularities, and corruption allegations surrounding Rosatom’s Paks II nuclear power plant project in Hungary, raising questions about the Russian state corporation’s ability to deliver major nuclear infrastructure projects abroad.

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