NUCLEAR POWER AT SEA

The first phase of a study for the underwater nuclear reactor project – known as ‘Flexblue’ –was completed two and a half years after the project's initial inception, according to an announcement made by the French shipbuilding firm DCN.

These nuclear reactors resemble a cylinder 100 meters long, 15 meters in diameter, and weigh around 12,000 tonnes.

They are based on nuclear submarine models. The reactors will be positioned between 60 and 100 meters below the surface.

The most effective ones will have a power output of between 50 MW and 250 MW. These units will be outfitted with an electrical plant, a turbo-alternator group, and a small nuclear boiler.

According to the IAEA, 68 nations are expected to be interested in this initiative. These socalled ‘small’ power reactors would enable the provision of electricity to 100,000 to 1,000,000 people.

The ‘mini-reactors’ could be standardized and manufactured quickly and are estimated to cost a few hundred million euros, as opposed to several billion for the nuclear power plants currently in operation .

They would be transported by boat after being assembled at French shipyards to be used immediately and won't need extensive civil engineering work like onshore power projects. Safety and security concerns are crucial with any nuclear plant. A triple barrier will safeguard the reactor in the same manner as a third-generation reactor (EPR type).

Moreover, a mesh hull will defend it from outside threats like torpedo strikes. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that the project is still in the research stage and that the effects of the heat emitted by the reactor on ecosystems and the dangers of leakage are not yet completely understood.