From nuclear submarines to windmills
The Nerpa shipyard in Murmansk Oblast might start producing wind generators for the Russian market. Until now, the plant is most known for its work with nuclear powered submarines.
According to Bellona Web, the Nerpa shipyard might get a major order on the construction of windmills. A Dutch delegation with representatives of the Windlife Energy company recently visited Murmansk and the shipyard and reached an informal agreement on the issue. A formal agreement is soon to follow, Bellona.org reports.
The last years, Nerpa has been engaged mostly in the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear subs.
Plans for the development of wind power in Murmansk Oblast are progressing, and both regional authorities and technology providers say they are ready to move further on the issue.
The Dutch company plans for the development of a wind park with an annual capacity of 620 gigawatt. The park is planned built near Teriberka, northeast of Murmansk city.
If built, the new park will make Murmansk a Russian pilot region on wind power development. As BarentsObserver has reported, also other wind projects are under planning, among them in the Pechenga Rayon, near the border of Norway and Finland.
During a business seminar visited by the heads of more than 30 Dutch companies, Murmansk Governor Dmitry Dmitriyenko express his intention to meet President Medvedev’s plans for a 20 percent cut in Russian energy consumption by year 2015.
The construction of the Teriberka wind park would start no earlier than 2011, Bellona informs.
