Challenge to deployment ‘is not one of feasibility’
There are no fundamental barriers to deployment of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) in Greece, but clearer assessment and regulatory pathways are needed, including coordination across maritime, nuclear and energy authorities, according to a report.
The report, published by the Deon Policy Institute, a US-based thinktank founded by Greek academics, entrepreneurs, and professionals, suggests that the challenge to deployment in Greece is not one of feasibility, but of framework development.
“Policy, legal and regulatory frameworks in Greece do not yet substantively address nuclear energy or FNPP deployment, reflecting a broader gap in European energy and maritime policy discussions,” the report concludes.
It says there are no major technical barriers to FNPP deployment given the maturity of the technology. However, there is a need for the development of local value chains and workforce capability.
The report notes that social acceptance of nuclear energy remains low in Greece compared with other countries, even though FNPPs are perceived more positively, implying a need for further education and engagement with both the broader public and key stakeholders.
It says: “Given Greece’s long maritime heritage, developed port infrastructure and reinvigorated shipbuilding industry, the potential for deploying FNPPs warrants consideration.
“FNPPs are also compatible with Greece’s geography and energy markets, given the large number of inhabited islands, the increasing need for desalination and the country’s climate goals.”
Georgios Laskaris, a nuclear physicist who is president of Deon Policy Institute, said the study shows that FNPPs are not a distant or purely theoretical option for Greece.
He said: “No fundamental technical or institutional barriers were identified. The real challenge is building the policy, regulatory, financial and social foundations needed for responsible assessment.
“For Greece, FNPPs sit at the intersection of energy security, decarbonisation, maritime capability and industrial policy.”
Greece has no nuclear power plants and the 5 MW Greek Research Reactor-1 (GRR-1) at the National Centre of Scientific Research is currently licensed for extended shutdown.
In 2022 Bulgaria said it had begun negotiations with Greece for the potential construction of a new nuclear power station in Bulgaria which would supply electricity to both countries, but progress on the project seems to have been limited.
The bulk of Greece’s electricity is generated from natural gas, followed by renewables, but the country also traditionally imports electricity from Bulgaria.
The Paris-based Nuclear Energy Agency has said nuclear energy is not considered as an option for Greece “in the foreseeable future”.
