Anatoly Yeperin, first deputy director if Nuclear Energy Institute, member of State Duma

– I think that shutdown Ignalina NPP is not justified

Europe is running short of organic fuel: what is it going to live on in the future? Without stable energy supply they will not be able to develop their industry and agriculture.
 
I think that Lithuania is just blindly doing the bidding of Europe, who wants to shut down Ignalina because it is a Chernobyl-type reactor and must be shut down. This is not right: a lot of time has passed since the Chernobyl accident and much has been done to prevent its possible recurrence.

Everybody knows that Europe, just like Russia, is running short of organic fuel: gas and oil. So, we must think about ways to fuel our growing industry and agriculture. Russia has adopted a federal program to develop its nuclear power industry and to build fast-breeder reactors. In the future fast-breeder reactors will give efficient and safe energy for 2,500 years ahead!

So, I think that, sooner or later, Europe will also realize the need to build nuclear reactors.

I support Lithuania’s initiative for extending the life of Ignalina NPP.