Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had announced the government is acquiring and will install a Micro Modular Reactor on the Ocean of Peace vessel.
A Micro Modular Reactor is a compact, nuclear-based power sources designed for efficient and safe energy production.
In a statement, Mr Rabuka said the time had come for creative approaches to using the latest technology to ensure the goal of making Fijian life cleaner and with ample power to achieve its goals at greatly reduced costs.
He said Fiji Government is working with Lloyds Register of London, Deployable Energy of Houston Texas, and Seatransport of Queensland, to incorporate Micro Modular Reactors (MMR) onto the 73 metre Stern Landing Vessels such as the Ocean of Peace vessel.
This will happen as soon as the MMR technology was demonstrated as living up to its cost-saving, emission elimination, and safety goals, said the Prime Minister.
“At that point, the initial diesel engines would be replaced by an MMR which would not require refuelling for 10 years,” he said.
“The MMR power could be deployed on the Ocean of Peace ship, and other vessels, and used for emergency response and long-term power supply to Fijian communities at far lower costs than the present diesel-powered electricity generation.”
Mr Rabuka added Fiji was investigating near-future energy alternatives which would address base-load electrical supply as well as reduced Co2 emissions.
“All alternatives were being investigated and the new, safe nuclear technologies of MMRs appeared to be within cost and emissions targets.”
