Russia launches call for tender for floating LNG power plant
Could enable direct electricity supply to remote Arctic regions at lower cost than a shore based gas power plant.
Iceberg Central Design Bureau has announced a tender for a 50 to 60 MW floating power plant to be fueled by liquid natural gas (LNG), Kommersant reports (in Russian).
It is Iceberg that also designed Russia’s only floating nuclear power plant so far, the Akademik Lomonosov.
While Akademik Lomonosov is scheduled for towing to the remote Arctic town of Pevek this summer, its future successors could face cheaper competition from floating LNG power plants.
According to the tender, a potential builder would have to include both construction costs and long-term maintenance costs.
The tender stipulates a 45 million ruble price for the feasibility study, preliminary design and possible deployment of such floating power plant, fueled with LNG, Kommersant writes.
A versatile solution
Russia is not the first to build such floating power plant. Wärtsilä has already delivered one such plant on a barge to Dominican Republic.
Placed on a barge, the power plant can easily be relocated and is therefore an ideal solution for power production on an interim basis. It can either provide power to a remote mining or petroleum field like on the north coast of Siberia, or it can be connected to a local electricity grid like Akademik Lomonosov will be in Pevek on Russia’s Far Eastern northern coast.
With Yamal LNG, the coming Arctic LNG, and the reloading terminal on the Kola Peninsula (northwest Russia), Russia has several sources of provided fuel to such plant in northern waters.
Russia has large-scale plans for industrial development of the Arctic region, including along the Northern Sea Route and the northern rivers of Ob, Yenisei and Lena.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Arctic Canadian town learns lessons from Alaskan wind farm, CBC News
Finland: Higher demand drove Finland’s electricity prices up in 2018, Yle News
Norway: LNG tankers queueing up for reloading in Norwegian Arctic, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia’s quest for Arctic resources unhindered by climate crisis, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Sweden’s solar industry sees bright future despite shrinking subsidies, Radio Sweden
United States: Despite winter darkness, solar power might work better in rural Alaska than you’d expect, Alaska Dispatch News
Power barges have been around since the 1940s. There are over 80 power barges deployed around the world with sites ranging from New York City to Dhaka. GE, Siemens, MAN and Wartsila all have equipment on power barges. Power Barge Corporation has 30 years dedicated in the power barge market with turbines and engines.