France's n-Floating Floating Nuclear Power Project Receives Nearly One Million Euros in Funding

newcleo announced on August 26 that a consortium led by the company has been selected for the "Supporting the Decarbonization of France's Maritime Sector" call for projects managed by Bpifrance, the French public investment bank. The consortium will advance research on a floating nuclear power solution called "n-Floating," with the project receiving nearly one million euros in funding and an expected duration of approximately 18 months.

The n-Floating project aims to validate the relevance and technical feasibility of a new floating nuclear power solution. Under the proposed concept, a non-self-propelled floating unit would carry multiple LFR-AS-200 reactors, each with an electrical output of 200 megawatts. LFR-AS-200 is one of the lead-cooled fast reactor technology lines developed by newcleo.

Project participants include newcleo, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, and French engineering firm ABMI Group. Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore will provide professional support in classification, risk assessment, and certification, helping to evaluate safety, regulatory, and technical requirements for floating nuclear power applications; ABMI Group will contribute engineering and project delivery experience in complex industrial projects in the maritime and nuclear sectors.

Stefano Buono, CEO of newcleo, stated that offshore deployment of advanced reactors could open broader application space for nuclear energy, and floating nuclear power plants have the potential to provide reliable low-carbon electricity for offshore and coastal applications. He believes the project integrates complementary capabilities from the nuclear, maritime, and engineering sectors and reflects the support of France's industrial system for the relevant technology pathway.

As planned, the initial phase of the n-Floating project will focus on studying the nuclear-powered barge concept, assessing its application potential in scenarios such as power supply to remote areas, ports and related industrial hubs, and coastal regions, while also examining its feasibility for serving energy-intensive uses such as seawater desalination and low-carbon fuel production. The project will also develop a subsequent roadmap, aiming to advance potential industrial deployment by 2036 and explore pathways for design and construction in France.

The solution targets industrialization and large-scale deployment, drawing on experience from the maritime, offshore engineering, and oil and gas industries in the design, construction, and operation of floating energy infrastructure, including mature practices for energy production, storage, liquefaction, and regasification facilities. The project team believes that combining mature maritime capabilities with advanced nuclear technology can help develop a standardized, deployable, and competitive low-carbon power solution.

newcleo has previously established a presence in the maritime nuclear sector, including collaboration with Fincantieri on nuclear-powered commercial vessels and exploration of offshore nuclear applications with Saipem. Floating nuclear power solutions are considered capable of providing stable low-emission electricity to regions with limited land resources, inadequate grid conditions, or high infrastructure construction difficulty, while also facilitating the construction and integration of large systems in controlled shipyard environments before transport to deployment sites.

Offshore nuclear applications still need to simultaneously meet nuclear safety and maritime safety requirements, and establish corresponding licensing, security, and operational frameworks. The International Atomic Energy Agency had already launched the ATLAS initiative on August 26, 2026, aimed at promoting technical exchanges around innovative nuclear applications and their regulatory and safety implications.