Andrey Kislitsyn, Mayor of Zarechny (satellite-town of Beloyarsk NPP)

– The key results of the past year for the nuclear power sector were state support, restored state control over some nuclear companies, Russia’s victories in international tenders and the start of a program for enhancing energy efficiency at existing NPPs.

Mayor of Zarechny (satellite-town of Beloyarsk NPP) Andrey Kislitsyn has commented on the results of the past year for the Russian nuclear power sector:

Due to constant support by Russian President Vladimir Putin, it has become obvious that we need to increase NPP capacities. It was a year of real breakthroughs even though now we «take it for granted» due to «habituation» effect.

As regards the key results of the year, I would like to point to the steps the Government has taken towards the nuclear power industry: the President signed «Strategy for the Development of Russia’s Nuclear Power Industry»; the Government adopted federal target programs «Development of the Nuclear Arms Complex» and «Development of the Nuclear Power Industry;„ the State Duma approved the first reading of the federal bill «On the Peculiarities of the Management of the Property and Shares of Organizations Using Nuclear Energy and On Relevant Changes to Some Legislative Acts“ — a document suggesting reforming the civil part of Rosatom and forming a single holding.

We can’t neglect the fact that the state is beginning to regain control over the key segments of the nuclear power industry. In 2006 the government increased its stake in  Atomstrojeksport to 50.2%, i.e. it gained a controlling stake. The recovery of state control over Aromstorjeksport, a company building NPPs abroad, was decisive for Russia’s victory in the tender for the construction of Belene NPP in Bulgaria. The state-owned Atomenergomash has set up a number of JV with the owners of monopoly producers of key nuclear equipment.

The growing energy shortfall has set a new task to all energy sectors — to enhance efficiency and to search for additional energy reserves already this year and in the coming three years (before the launch of new capacities). In order to attain this goal, Rosenergoatom has started a program for enhancing the energy efficiency of the existing NPPs: particularly, by raising plant ratio and increasing unit capacity through modernization. As far as I know, the capacity of the existing 31 units is to be raised by 2010 which will be equivalent to the launch of one more unit.

I would like to point out the victories of TVEL in the international tenders for fuel supplies to Czech Temelin and Finnish Loviisa NPPs. This is a good prerequisite for strengthening our positions on the international market.