From: Gordon Mohr (gojomo@usa.net)
Date: Wed Jan 31 2001 - 02:19:10 PST
The Russians seem to have used naval nuclear reactors to generate
electricity for onshore use on several occasions, most recently in
1999 in their far east. From:
http://cns.miis.edu/cns/projects/nisnp/naval/civilian/civdev.htm
# 5/12/99: NUCLEAR SUBMARINES CONTINUE TO SUPPLY POWER TO KAMCHATKA PENINSULA
#
# During the early 1999 energy crisis in Kamchatka, the reactors of
# several nuclear submarines were used to supply power at the Rybachiy
# Nuclear Submarine Base. There were difficulties, however, because a
# 5,400A current had to be sent through power lines designed for only
# 1,200A. Some of the engines and equipment overheated, presenting a
# constant threat of malfunction. Although submarines supplied power
# to another Kamchatka town in late 1998 (see 11/11/98 entry below)
# and the navy succeeded in supplying itself with power in this case,
# the use of nuclear submarine reactors is not a permanent solution.
# Nuclear submarine equipment requires repair or possibly replacement
# after 2,000 to 3,000 hours of continuous use. The nuclear-powered
# communications ship, the Ural, could also be used to provide power
# to the Kamchatka Peninsula. The ship is capable of delivering
# 18-20MW of electricity to shore and will be able to supply power
# for approximately four more years.
and
# 9/97: WARSHIP TO GENERATE POWER
#
# A spokesman for the Nuclear Society of Russia indicated that striking
# coal miners in Siberia and the Far East were causing up to eight hour
# power lapses near Vladivostok,[1] and forcing the regional
# administration to request from the Pacific Fleet the use of the Ural
# communications ship as a power source for the area.[1,2] Construction
# of the Kapusta-class Ural, the Pacific Fleet's largest ship, began in
# 1981 at the Baltiyskiy Zavod in Leningrad.[3] The Ural, equipped with
# two nuclear icebreaker reactors, sailed from Leningrad to Vladivostok
# under its own power but never sailed again because it was not fully
# equipped. The ship is in need of repair and has only a skeleton
# crew.[3,5] Following the regional administration's request, the Ural
# became a likely option for providing customers on shore with up to 20
# MW of electricity. The ship and its reactors, capable of generating
# electricity for three to four years before refueling, are being kept
# operable, and the Navy says that it is possible to turn the ship
# over to power engineers.[4] Senior regional leaders and members of
# a Russian Security Council commission have also discussed this option.
# Deputy Governor of the Primorskiy Kray Konstantin Tolstoshein said
# that the energy provided by the Ural would be enough to ease the
# severity of the energy crisis. The idea is not new; a naval nuclear
# reactor was used to supply power to a town in the area of the Northern
# Fleet. [5]
Gray Davis should get Vladimir Putin on the line; a quick deal would
help restore Russian pride after the Kursk incident, provide
Russia with hard currency, and make Davis the clear front runner
for the 2004 Democratic Party presidential nomination.
(Even I'm not sure if I'm serious or not.)
- Gordon
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