Public hearings at LNPP-2

Viktor Opekunov, Chairman of Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication

On Feb 7 Sosnovy Bor (Leningrad region) will host public hearings of the materials on the ecological impacts of the construction and the operation of LNPP-2. One day before the hearings Chairman of Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication Viktor Opekunov comments on the project and its benefits for the economy and energy sector of the North-Western region.

“The value of Leningrad NPP for the development of the North-Western region cannot be shown in figures. Without the plant the region will stop at once and for ever: today. LNPP provides over 50% of the energy consumed by St. Petersburg and Leningrad region. Imagine what will happen if those 50% are lost. It will be a total collapse.

Today, we must start building substituting capacities. LNPP-2 is one such project. It is the only alternative to LNPP-1. It will have a capacity of 4,000 MW. No other type of energy generation, even the most efficient combined cycle plants, cannot provide so much. This will require building very many such units and almost redoubling the gas supply of the region, which is unreal: we have neither so many pipelines nor so much gas. Today, Russia is beginning to curtail the share of gas in its power engineering, at least, by reducing the number of gas TPPs.

The region has no other alternative sources of energy (for example, water power plants). So, there is no alternative to LNPP-2 project. I say that not because I am nuclear energy specialist. Everybody say that.

It is very important that today the public and the population of Sosnovy Bor show understanding and approve of the project.