Norway is preparing to build floating nuclear power plants to provide clean energy to industrial and offshore platforms. Nuclear project developer Norsk Kjernekraft and Ocean-Power AS, which aims to generate electricity offshore, have partnered to implement these next-generation plants equipped with small modular reactors.

Floating nuclear power plants are on the horizon

The two companies are installing small modular reactors on barge-like floating platforms without engines, creating an uninterruptible and reliable energy source that produces no carbon emissions.

The floating nuclear power plants designed as part of this project can be located both offshore and nearshore, providing emission-free energy to various locations, from remote industrial centers to offshore oil and gas platforms.

Ocean-Power’s current concept envisions these floating units, each with a capacity of 200-250 megawatts, generating electricity through combined cycle systems using gas and steam turbines. The offshore versions will power nearby platforms, while the nearshore versions will supply power to the electricity grid.

Ocean-Power also plans to store carbon dioxide emitted from the power plants using methods such as injecting it into geological formations, transporting it via pipeline, or liquefying it and transporting it by ship. According to the company’s website, the project aims to begin generating electricity by 2029. In the first phase of the project, the technologies, concepts, and business models to be used are being examined and evaluated within the framework of Norwegian legislation.

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