State Duma recommends the Government to compete 5th unit of Kursk NPP

24.01.2007 // REGNUM

On Jan 24 the State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication recommended the Government to include the completion of the 5th unit of Kursk NPP in the General Scheme of Nuclear Facilities Deployment in Russia by 2010

The project is supposed to be completed by 2010, while the necessary financing will be allocated starting from 2008. Attending the Committee meeting were the deputy director of the Fuel and Energy Complex of Industry and Energy Ministry Alexander Andrianov, the head of the Tariff Regulation Department of Economic Development Ministry Mikhail Kurbatov, the deputy head of the Development Department of RAO UES Sergey Redkin, the head of the Strategic Planning Department of  Federal Network Company of UES Taras Krupchikov.

None of the officials brought clarity to the question: will the 5th unit be finished or not? Andrianov said that nobody can give such an answer now. The decision will be made in late Mar: Mar 31 is the deadline for the General Scheme’s approval by the Government.

The MPs ask Industry and Energy Ministry to specify the electricity balance of the United Energy System of Central Russia by 2015 and the changes therein following the launch of the 5th unit. In order to effectively supply lacking electricity to Moscow region, the MPs suggest that Industry and Energy and Economic Development Ministries and RAO UES consider laying additional power transmission lines and include these projects in the General Scheme by 2020. The MPs also propose that Industry and Energy Ministry, Rosatom and RAO UES consider building a water power plant as part of Kursk NPP.

They in the State Duma note that the 5th unit of KNPP is 70% ready. Rosatom says that the completion of the project will require 19.5bln RUR.