Floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) could supply electricity, heat and other energy products to ports, industrial facilities, and coastal communities, but significant barriers to their deployment remain, a report says.

The report, by the Washington-based non-profit group Nuclear Innovation Alliance (NIA), says recent regulatory initiatives and published roadmaps indicate that existing nuclear licensing processes and maritime capabilities provide a “sufficient foundation” for FNPP deployment.

For a civilian US FNPP, however, three potential barriers can prevent rapid development and require regulatory and policy solutions: security, spent fuel management, and nuclear liability.