Floating Structure for Offshore Nuclear Power Plant
Obtains ABS Class AiP Certification
[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Samsung Heavy Industries announced on the 4th that it has completed the conceptual design of the floating body of the offshore nuclear power generation facility, the 'Small Molten Salt Reactor Power Barge (CMSR Power Barge),' and obtained basic certification (Approval In Principle) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
The floating body of the small molten salt reactor power generation facility is a fusion of nuclear and shipbuilding and offshore technology, and is regarded as a new concept power generation facility that supplies electricity and thermal energy produced using small molten salt reactor (CMSR) technology offshore to both land and sea. In particular, it has advantages such as relatively less stringent site selection and facility constraints, a short construction period of about two years, and lower costs.
The small molten salt reactor is a next-generation energy source that uses nuclear fission energy to produce electricity with high efficiency and zero carbon dioxide emissions.
The small molten salt reactor power generation facility floating body developed by Samsung Heavy Industries can be equipped with 2 to a maximum of 8 units of 100MW-class CMSRs according to the scale of power production demand, and is a "nuclear power plant on the sea" equipped with steam turbine generators and power transmission and distribution facilities within the floating body.
Samsung Heavy Industries signed a business agreement with Seaborg of Denmark, the developer of CMSR, in January last year and started developing floating nuclear power generation facility products. Starting with the classification certification of the floating body conceptual design, the company plans to commercialize the product by 2028 after CMSR demonstration and detailed design of the entire power generation facility.
Seaborg is actively conducting sales activities targeting developing countries with chronic power shortages.
Samsung Heavy Industries expects that the small molten salt reactor power generation facility floating body will expand its demand not only as a substitute for existing fossil fuel-based power generation facilities but also as a source of electricity and thermal energy required for industrial process heat, heating, hydrogen production, and seawater desalination facilities.
Yeodong Il, Executive Director in charge of marine design at Samsung Heavy Industries, stated, "Through continuous technological development and commercialization efforts of floating nuclear power generation facilities, we will complete this as a product that will lead future new markets."
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