Sergey Baltyzhakov, ecologist, director of Green House regional project

– Maximum period of an NPP life extension license is 10–15 years: exactly what Russia does

Many countries are considering ways to extend the lives of their nuclear power plants. Many experts believe that positive experience of operation is a good basis for extension of the live of a nuclear power plant. The program for the development of Russia’s nuclear industry in 1998–2010 envisages a complex of measures to prove that the live of an NPP can be extended after the initial 30 years.

But the live of an NPP cannot be extended endlessly even if the plant is deeply modernized. In this light, I don’t understand why the Americans are planning to extent the lives of their NPPs to 80 years. Those plants have already worked for quite long periods. Besides, there is a problem of fatigue of metal and concrete structures.

Sobriety, realism, safety and expedience are the key criteria in considering such possibilities. I am sure that the maximum period one can allow an NPP to extend its life is 10–15 years – exactly what we do in Russia.