Andrey Gagarinsky, Director of Center for Scientific Development, Doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences

– Probably, in the future, the Federal Target Program for the Nuclear Power Industry Development will have to be enlarged

Director of Center for Scientific Development, Doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences Andrey Gagarinsky has commented to journalists on the results of the past year for the nuclear power sector:

The key achievement of the year is that the nuclear power industry has been recognized by the state as the key component of the country’s energy development. This is a revolutionary achievement and this is the result of many-year preparations. This is also a painful process as for 20 years our nuclear power industry has been stagnating.

The numerous research projects carried out by us, the Kurchatov experts, and many other scientists have shown that Russia will hardly do without developing the nuclear power industry. Everything suggested that the Government should finally pay attention to the nuclear power sector. New people are coming in the sphere and this is very important as people always have a great role in history.

The Federal Target Program for the Nuclear Power Industry Development is of great importance for the sector but there will hardly be great progress till 2015 because the start-up conditions are not very favorable. Probably, after 2015 we will have to move quicker than we are planning today because the problems on the organic fuel market will be growing very quickly. Probably, in the future we will have to enlarge the program rather than to curtail it as many expect today. Good financing should be backed up by effective management.
 
It is hard to say yet what the «tunnel law» will give us (the Law «On the Peculiarities of the Management of the Property and Shares of Organizations Using Nuclear Power and On Relevant Changes to Some Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation»). If it allows to consolidate the sector, it will be very good.

We are experiencing great difficulties in the machine building basis of the construction as for many years it has not worked properly and now it is necessary to revive and develop it.

It is necessary to pay great attention to the regional power engineering of medium capacity. We need not only big units but also medium-capacity reactors. We have a necessary basis that was originally meant for transport machine building. The ongoing projects for building floating NPPs is a good start.

The project to set up international centers for creating nuclear fuel cycle services for third parties is also important and absolutely expedient. I would even say that «we have tried as hard as we could to bring this day closer.» Such centers are essential from both political and economic viewpoints.

We are very much happy at the victories of Atomstrojeksport and TVEL in international tenders.

Certainly, next year we will face a number of difficulties but I would like to be an optimist and to hope that we will make up for what we have not done so far.