Russia launches floating nuclear reactor in Arctic despite warnings

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't know these things existed. I thought this is something that came straight out of Red Alert 3. Then again, we already have aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

I also found it interesting that the floating plant could double as a oil platform. That's pretty neat. This is also the first time I learned about nuclear icebreakers, which have existed for some time as well. Of course, only the Russians use them. It makes sense consider how thick the ice can be in the Arctic region.

I imagine it is difficult to maintain infrastructure in the bitterness of Siberia. Heck, I bet it would be difficult to dig through the permafrost and whatnot. Building actual nuclear reactors there may be recipe for future Chernobyl events.

As for environmental concerns, I'm not sure how much more dangerous is a floating plant. Its military cousins have roamed the oceans for decades. Also, nuclear energy has always had a bad reputation in the States. That, in itself, is lamentable. It's our best shot at sustainable energy with the current technology.

Although, I do agree with the operational concerns. The platform requires tow vessels to drag it around. I'm sure you can see why there is an issue. If it were self-propelled, there might be less critics about its functionalities.

There is fear since this news came out after the Russian missile explosion accident. It would appear an arms race could be happening.

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