Head of President's Administration Sergey Sobyanin (L), Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), and Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov (R) attend the presidential meeting with top-officials of nuclear industry.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Putin Attaches Peace Atom to Nuclear Weapons
// Nuclear complex
Russian president met with executive teams of two nuclear complexes of Russia, one for weapons, another for energy. He set large-scale tasks to both of them. Kommersant’s special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov began thinking about leaving Russia after considering these tasks.
The fact that peace atom is now inseparable from nuclear weapons became known in Putin’s residence Novo-Ogarevo. “Strength of nuclear shield, state of nuclear weapons complex, is the major constituent of Russia’s status as world power,” said Putin. This sounded especially significant on the eve of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg.
President said energy in Russia is mostly received from natural gas. Yet, hydrocarbon and thus non-renewable resources only will not be able to supply the demand for energy in the long-term future. Meanwhile, Russia’s historically strong points in nuclear power engineering are barely used now. USSR annually added up to 3 gigawatt of energy output. Nowadays, Russia adds only 1 gigawatt in 5 years period.
As a result, the ratio of nuclear energy in Russia’s energy balance is only 16 percent. If no measures are taken, it will reduce to 1 or 2 percent by 2030. The ratio in Germany is 32 percent, for instance.
Putin added there is federal target program to develop nuclear energetics to 2 gigawatt annually, which is enough only to support the ratio at the present level. It is meant that 2 new energy blocks are to be built each year, which is working at the top of Rosatom’s ability.
Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov spoke on protecting nuclear security against terrorism. Recent developments in the sphere of strategic control have been demonstrated to Rosatom representatives. Ivanov added that issues of security and development of nuclear weapons are closely connected.
Head of Rosatom Sergey Kirienko confirmed that from next year on, two energy blocks will be built annually. He added that beginning from 2009 or 2010, 3 and then 4 energy blocks should be constructed each year. Kirienko stressed the need to reconstruct the entire building and mounting complex which seriously deteriorated in the last 15 years.
Andrey Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of June 10, 2006
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