Valentin Mezhevich, first vice chairman of Federation Council Committee on Natural Monopolies

– The JV deal between Kazatomprom and Areva is opening up new opportunities for Russian-Kazakh projects on peaceful use of nuclear energy

On June 11 CEO of Areva (France) Anne Lauvergeon and President of Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan) Mukhtar Jakishev signed an agreement for establishment of a joint venture. The KATCO group, with 51% owned by Areva, 49% by Kazatomprom, will produce 4,000 tons of uranium a year until 2039 with the sales to be made entirely by Areva.

The JV deal between Kazatomprom and Areva is opening up new opportunities for Russian-Kazakh projects in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. Today, we are already implementing two big projects in this sphere. We have set up “Zarechnoye” uranium mining joint venture. Russia will build a mid-capacity nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is taking an active part in the establishment of the International Uranium Enrichment Center in Angarsk.

I think that the appearance of one more Europe-oriented Kazakh project will give a new impulse to all the abovementioned projects. Particularly, Russia’s wide contacts abroad – we are building an NPP in Bulgaria, supplying nuclear fuel to some European counties – can pave the way for us — through cooperation with Kazakhstan – into the western nuclear fuel market.