Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Underwater Nuclear Power Plant Proposed In France

Posted by timothy on Thursday January 20, 2011 @01:23PM from the precooked-seafood dept.

nicomede writes "The French state-owned DCNS (French military shipyard) announced today a concept study for an underwater nuclear reactor dedicated to power coastal communities in remote places. It is derived from nuclear submarine power plants, and its generator would be able to produce between 50 MWe and 250MWe. Such a plant would be fabricated and maintained in France, and dispatched for the different customers, thus reducing the risk for proliferation."

1 of 314 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Re:I wonder why underwater? by Dog's_Breakfast · 2011-01-20 13:53 · Score: 5, Insightful

Putting the powerplant underwater (as opposed to on a floating platform) would have a big advantage in protecting it from storms. Once you submerge about 60 meters, you are pretty much immune to the effects of even the biggest hurricanes or tsunamis.