Nuclear regions of Russia and France continue their cooperation

24.04.2008 // Information Department of Leningrad NPP

A delegation of the Town Development Council of Pay du Cotentin (France) has visited St.Petersburg and Sosnovy Bor

The French guests attended the Public Dialogue-Forum “Nuclear Energy, Society, Security” that took place in St.Petersburg last week. The forum was organized by the International Green Cross ecological organization, the Public Council of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation and the Russian Academy of Sciences with the support of Atomenergoprom OJSC. The head of the delegation, the vice-présidente of Pay du Cotentin Marie Kirchner made a report on cooperation of civil society and government on nuclear energy problems.

Pay du Cotentin, just like Leningrad region, has a nuclear power plant and is building a new one. The French guests visited Sosnovy Bor and met with representatives of the local authorities and Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. The head of the Ecology and Nature Management Department of the Administration of Sosnovy Bor N.Malevannaya told the guests about the ecological safety projects of the local authorities. “Together with experts and NGOs, we thoroughly examine all construction projects started in the region lest they might have negative impacts on the local environment,”

Kirchner said that they in Pay du Cotentin have a special committee comprising scientists, journalists, public figures and government officials. The committee meets once a year to discuss all problems related to the work of the local NPPs and its effects on the environment. The results of the discussions are made public.

The French delegation visited the Nuclear Energy Institute, the branch of the North-Western Academy of Public Administration and a number of local companies.

“We see good prospects for cooperation with your region and your city in the fields of culture, ecology, information and popularization of nuclear energy,” Kirchner said.