Climate News
Russia in talks to supply floating nuclear power stations to four African countries
Russia's state nuclear agency Rosatom is in advanced talks with four African countries about building floating nuclear power stations to help them overcome power shortages, Arab News reports. Rosatom's director general, Alexey Likhachev, said on Friday that the talks were being held with Egypt, Namibia, Tanzania and Togo.
Several countries are developing floating nuclear reactor technology, but Russia is the only one operating such a plant, in its remote Chukotka region, Arab News notes. Floating plants are built in shipyards and towed to a coastal site, where they connect to the local grid.
South Africa's TimesLIVE reported on Wednesday that Russia was in talks to supply floating plants to Africa. The shipping outlet Baird Maritime covered Rosatom advancing its talks to bring floating nuclear power to the continent, and Egypt Oil & Gas reported the advanced talks with four African countries.
How each outlet framed it
- Arab News — the detail: the four countries named, and Russia's lead in the technology.
- TimesLIVE — the African view, from a South African outlet, of Russia's offer.
- Baird Maritime — the ship side: floating power stations as a maritime project.
- Egypt Oil & Gas — the view from Egypt, one of the four countries in talks.
Where the reports differ: Arab News dates Likhachev's remarks to Friday, while TimesLIVE reported the talks on Wednesday, 28 October, so the plan appears to have been discussed more than once this week. What we don't know yet: the cost, the timeline, and who would pay.