The 9-billion-rouble ($352-million) floating nuclear stations will have two nuclear reactors, which use uranium enriched to a maximum of 20 percent. Total capacity will be 70 megawatts and the stations will also desalinate sea water.

Nuclear officials say the reactors, used by atomic icebreakers, are sturdy enough to withstand earthquakes.

They say the reactor powering the Kursk nuclear submarine survived intact despite a blast which sunk the vessel in August 2000 with the loss of all 118 crew.

"The reactor (on the Kursk) was put through an incredible trial but afterwards experts said it could have been immediately restarted," Russian nuclear chief Sergei Kiriyenko was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass news agency.

The first power plant will be named "Academician Lomonosov." Mikhail Lomonosov was an 18th-century Russian scientist who achieved worldwide acclaim for his work in chemistry and physics and was founder of Moscow's state university.

Customers could include Russian state controlled gas giant Gazprom, the northern region of Chukotka and countries from Namibia to Indonesia, industry sources told Reuters.

Russia's leading physicist, Yevgeny Velikhov, predicted high demand: "It will be like an order for an aircraft - want a nuclear power station? Then order one."

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