CORE POWER (US) has partnered with naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten to design a floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) aimed at supplying clean energy to ports across the United States.
Developed by CORE POWER, the FNPP is a nearshore infrastructure system featuring a barge-based nuclear power plant, support services, electrical grid integration, and operational teams. Designed for easy transport and rapid deployment, the FNPP is expected to generate approximately 175GWh of zero-emission electricity annually.
This power source will enable ports to achieve carbon-free operations by supplying energy to visiting ships, terminal cranes, equipment, and port vehicles.
Glosten has been tasked with developing the operational concept and designing the floating facility. The firm will also establish regulatory pathways for the barge, facilitate site location approvals, and identify supply chain networks for fabrication, assembly, transportation, and installation.
“The marine industry has experienced a massive push to decarbonize, and CORE POWER’s FNPP offers an effective and practical means to meet that demand,” mentioned Morgan Fanberg, CEO of Glosten. “Glosten’s job is to turn CORE POWER’s vision into a design that demonstrates the practicality of providing reliable, zero-emissions nuclear power to port facilities and has a defined path to regulatory approval.”
Nuclear power has played a role in the marine industry since the 1950s, first appearing on military and civilian vessels, with the Sturgis—the first FNPP—deployed in the Panama Canal in 1968. As a marine energy solution, nuclear power offers a self-sustaining, carbon-free energy source capable of operating for years without refuelling.
Mikal Bøe, CEO of CORE POWER, explained: “Nuclear fission is a well-understood and practised process. It allows us to access an enormous energy resource safely, reliably, and on demand without emitting greenhouse gases. Over 80% of the cost of nuclear power on land is in civil construction, with reactors and power systems accounting for less than 20%. FNPPs will be shipyard-manufactured and mass-assembled, ensuring delivery speed and low costs. Using FNPPs to power ports solves the electrification challenge and creates local energy security.”
CORE POWER’s FNPP is designed for ease of transportation and scalable deployment using modular construction. Currently, in the concept phase, the project is being developed to serve an unspecified port in the Southern United States. Glosten is collaborating with CORE POWER to conduct risk assessments and establish the general arrangements for the barge that will house the nuclear reactors.
“Our team excels at navigating complex regulatory environments to facilitate the use of alternative energy,” noted Fanberg.
“We’re taking a very thorough and deliberate approach, making sure we’re performing the necessary risk-based assessments to maximize safety as well as considering the practicalities of implementation. In a way, the FNPP is our definition of the perfect project—in terms of what we can provide, but also because of the greater good it stands to achieve. We’re excited to help CORE POWER realize their vision and help the industry progress towards decarbonization,” he added.
