Russia's floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov has left Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint Petersburg.

Outfitted with two 35 MW KLT-40S nuclear reactors, similar to those used in Russia's nuclear-powered ice breakers, the plant left the shipyard in late April, sailing to its permanent base in the northern Russian city of Pevek.

(Click to enlarge.) The floating nuclear power plant left the shipyard in late April. Credit: RosenergoatomThe floating power plant has no nuclear fuel on board. It will be towed from Baltiysky Zavod to Atomflot's berth in Murmansk. In the summer of 2019, it will be sent from Murmansk to the seaport of Pevek.

The project is funded by Rosenergoatom, the nuclear power plant operator subsidiary of Rosatom.

The keel was laid in April 2007 at Sevmash in Severodvinsk for what was billed as the world's first floating nuclear power plant. But in August 2008 Rosatom cancelled the contract and awarded it to the Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg. New keel laying took place in May 2009 and the 21,500-ton hull - which is 144 meters long and 30 meters wide - was launched in June 2010. The two reactors were installed in October 2013.

The marine rescue service of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, Rosmorrechflot, is towing the plant. The average speed will be between 3.5 and 4.5 knots (roughly 4-5 mph).

Work is under way to build on-shore infrastructure in Pevek, including a pier, hydraulic engineering structures and other buildings needed to moor and operate the power plant.

Nuclear fuel is slated to be loaded into the plant and it will be started in Murmansk this autumn. After it is put into operation next year, Akademik Lomonosov will replace the Bilibino nuclear power plant and the Chaunskaya thermal power plant.