Semyon Dragulskiy, Director General of the Union of Energy Efficiency

– Russia must develop nuclear power sector but it must prefer optimal capacity NPPs to gigantic projects

The key events of the past year were the adoption of the program for the development of nuclear power engineering in Russia and the approval of the Federal Target Program for the Development of Nuclear Power Industry Complex. Russia will not be able to ensure economic growth without new NPPs. We should remember that today energy consumption in the country is growing quicker than planned. So, I believe that we must stop building gigantic NPPs. What we need today is plants with optimal capacities. In this light, Rosatom’s proposals are quite good not only for the Russian but also for the world nuclear power sector. The building of floating NPPs is a serious technological breakthrough. This project is both safe and economical.

The construction of such nuclear ship-plants will bring power generating capacities close to consumers. This will allow to avoid technological disasters, like those in the US and Canada, when lots of people were left without electricity, while the financial losses amounted to tens of billions USD. Of course, when building NPPs we must pay foremost attention to their safety, like everybody in the world do. That’s exactly why, the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko has clearly said that Russian NPPs will remain under the protection of interior troops.

Further development requires energy efficiency. This problems is especially urgent for Russia as many countries are already planning large-scale NPP projects. The example of Russia’s European neighbors, particularly, France, whose economy is based mostly on nuclear energy is a vivid proof that we need to develop efficient nuclear power resources.

I also believe that the most serious problem of the nuclear power sector is the further use of irradiated nuclear fuel. Since many countries are working on this problem, I am sure that it will be solved. It is very important that the State Duma has approved the «tunnel law» suggesting forming a vertically integrated company in the nuclear power sector.

This law is not dangerous for the nonproliferation regime and will not foster uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear materials and units. On the other hand, it will allow Russia to successfully rival with the leading nuclear companies of the world.