11. EXPERIMENTAL CONTINENTAL SHELF SUBMERGED NUCLEAR PLANT 
Generation of large quantities of power will be required for the development of the resources of the 
continental shelves. In addition, expanding population and industry require increasingly large amounts 
of economical electrical power. The intensive development of coastal regions for living, recreational, and 
commercial purposes greatly limit the availability of large tracts of land needed for nuclear power 
generation facilities. 
Shallow submerged areas where adequate cooling capacity is available provide ideal near shore 
locations for the establishment of submerged nuclear facilities. The development of an Experimental 
Continental Shelf Submerged Nuclear Plant will prove the feasibility and cost effectiveness of placing 
future large power generating stations in close proximity to major urban areas. 
Other benefits expected to be derived from this experimental facility are support for subsea oil and 
minerals production, aquaculture and continental shelf laboratories. Power generation for deeper ocean 
tasks will evolve logically from the technology developed in this program. 
NATIONAL PROJECT 
11. Experimental Continental Shelf Submerged Nuclear Plant 
Fundamental Technology Subsystem and Component Development 
Comparison of operation at one atmosphere versus 
ambient pressure 
Soil mechanics 
S60. Deter COnsrucHonme:hods Use of waste heat for useful applications: 
— Upwelling 
— Warming swimming area 
— Melting harbor ice 
—»Aquaculture 
Handling heavy loads at sea 
Materials 
Combination of.desalting plant with nuclear plant 
Expected Benefits Operational Systems 
Large municipal station (up to 500 megawatts) 
located at sea providing: 
— Power 
— Fresh water 
— Warm water to assist 
Aquaculture 
Economic-Social § 
Technical solution to the thermal pollution problem 
that presently threatens many rivers and estuaries 
and will with time threaten coastal waters 
Source of power and fresh water close to source of 
demand 
Availability of waste heat to improve other activities 
— Aquaculture 
— Recreation 
— Harbor ice removal 
Release valuable coastline for more people-oriented 
uses eoee 
Economic-Military 
Less vulnerable system for power generation and 
fresh water 
Power for future commercial and military 
undersea operations 
Ice removal 
Recreation 
Modest size (2,000 to 10,000 kilowatts) underwater 
power source to support.exploitation of shelf 
resources 
— Oil and Gas 
— Mining 
— Fishing 
— Surveillance station 
VI-245 
